Why do so many people breed their budgies/parakeets?

Question

Budgies are probably the most overpopulated parrot right now with tons of them sitting in shelters and rescues all over. So why does it seem like everyone and their mother with a pair of breeding birds decides it's a good idea to breed them?

Why is it any more okay to backyard breed parrots then it is to do so with dogs and cats? I guess I'm just confused about this. Breeding is about bettering the species (using healthy breeder stock etc), not taking two poorly bred pet store birds whose backgrounds and genetic health history you have no idea about and breeding them together. No wonder the common budgie's lifespan has been so badly diminished over the years.

Type in your location and see for yourself how many budgies are nearby looking for homes: http://www.petfinder.com

So I guess all I'm asking is, why? Especially to those breeding their pet store budgies right now.

Answer 1

Go purchase a book on breeding budgies, and join the American Budgerigar Society http://www.abs1.org/ so you can communicate with other breeders.

When you purchase your birds, purchase UNRELATED birds from a BREEDER that are of a HIGH QUALITY. No genetic problems, and YOUNG. If they are not closed banded, find another breeder.

****Pet store birds are not a high quality bird and are usually RELATED, so they are a POOR choice for purchasing for breeding purposes.****

Purchase the largest cage with an access for attaching the nest box that you can afford, that way you don't have to cut your cage bars. California cages makes some wonderful cages with that access, just make sure that the bar spacing is small enough for the chicks.

If you really want to breed, wait until the birds are at least 2 1/2 years old. They will need to mature, be put on a good BREEDING diet, not seeds that is birdie junk food.

**Well bred budgies live over 10 years, so waiting will only work in their favor.**

YOU will need to do LOTS of work and research.

If your birds abandon the chicks or refuse to feed, you will have to step in and feed the chicks. This is AROUND THE CLOCK. They would then need to be in a brooder so they could digest their food properly, otherwise they will die. If they are handfed incorrectly, they can die a very slow, painful death from crop burn, slow crop, pneumonia, or infection.

I'll go into a short list of things that you as a responsible person will need to do before allowing your birds to breed.

******First, do not put the nest box in the cage until you do your research and the birds are old enough.*******

Go to the vet or a breeder and learn how to properly handfeed, just in case they toss or abandon the chicks. They can also help you out if your hen becomes eggbound. This can be and is usually fatal if not treated immediently.

Find buyers for any and all chicks that hatch, before you let them breed. There are LOTS of birds out there due to overbreeding that are in need of homes, most are cockatiels and budgies (parakeets) due to the ease of breeding these birds.

**Why do you want to breed?

**Is it to better the species, or because you think they need to?

**Do you know the background of both birds?

**Did their parents have any problems?

**Are your birds on a good breeding diet?

**Do they have enough calcium to prevent eggbinding?

**Do they have fresh foods offered daily?

If you cannot answer all of those questions, then I would not breed.

If they are not on a good breeding diet, pellets, fresh foods, and seed, you may loose one of your birds during the breeding, or have chicks that are sickly.

Don't think that you will make money selling budgies. They will sell to a pet store for around $5.00, privately, you can sell them for a little more, but not much.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me. I have had my oldest cockatiel for 19 years and have sucessfully bred my birds.

Also, visit these sites:

http://budgies.ubergoth.net/contents/... - Budgies and cockatiels

http://www.budgieplace.com/breeding.html

http://zenco.us/budgieclub/index.asp

Answer 2

I think people don't realize that there is an overpopulation with animals other than cats or dogs. Parakeets are easy and it's probably easy to make money off them. Or people just don't realize they have a male and a female, and once they figure it out they don't care. Perhaps some figure if they can't find homes they can just release them outside.

People's attitudes towards breeding birds and small animals can be infuriating.

Answer 3

I think because they're easy to breed and people think baby birds are so cute...so why not.  Not a very good reason to breed them.