CHOOSING A HEALTHY BIRD/BUDGIE

A week back I added 2 female budgies and for this visited 4-5 different PET SHOPS, the condition there was- about 30-40 budgies, mostly sick, housed in a single small cage.Now out of these I have to appropriately select a bird keeping in mind that my other healthy budgies don't fall sick.In the first 2 shops I selected one bird but she was not a very healthy one so rejected it, in the third shop got one Lutino, a bit undersized but active...came home disturbed and appalled at the dirty cages and dishes and the condition of the birds. Next day selected another Albino from a different shop, slightly better that the first three shops.

I have yet to come across a bird breeder here, so all that talk about a hand weaned, parents known, good bloodline goes for a toss for me here in India on a local level.

                                                     New additions to my flock
PLEASE be careful and alert when picking a healthy bird, as most of these pet shop owners will pass on a sick bird to you, as in my case he tried to convince me that a deformed beak and dirty vent is perfectly normal!

Things to look out for-

• Don't buy a bird on impulse. Before buying any species, do some research.
  
• Choose a store that has a good environment for their birds, as per my experience it is difficult to come by, but we have to make the best of what we have. This includes a clean cage fresh water, fresh foods.
  
• Choose a bird with a clean vent area. A dirty vent can be an indication of bad hygiene, digestive problems, or some other medical problem.
  
• Count the toes. A normal, healthy budgies should not be missing any toes. Also watch to see the bird perching, grasping, climbing, and basically making good use of its toes. If the toes show any abnormal scaliness this could also could be an indication of the existence of mites which is something to avoid.
  
• If you are shopping for a young budgie, look for the horizontal bars on the forehead of the bird. After the first molt, (at about 3 or 4 months) these bars will disappear.
  
• Look for clean, clear nostrils. Avoid buying a bird with caked on mucous on its beak or nostrils. This is a clear indication of a respiratory problem.
  
• Listen to the bird breathe. If you can hear 'clicking' sounds this may be a sign of air sac mites or other respiratory problems. A wheezing budgie is not a healthy budgie.
  
• Feathers and Wings: A healthy bird should have complete wings. The wings may be clipped, but make sure that all the feathers are there. The feathers shoud be shiny and full.
  
• An alert and playful bird is generally a better bet than the small, quiet budgie that sits alone in the corner. Alertness and activity is usually one sign of happy, healthy bird.
  
• Look for a bird that is a good weight. Overweight budgies often show an obvious indented 'line' down the breast where the keel bone is. The fattier tissues are pushing beyond the keel. In an underweight budgie, the keel bone sticks out from the rest of the body tissue and is often a sign of a digestive problem or other health issues.
  
• Check the beak. The beak should meet cleanly, be relatively smooth, and not overgrown. An overgrown beak is often a sign of mites, or other more serious problems.
  
• Look for a bird that looks happy and active, this is the most important aspect.

• In case of budgies, the nostrils are located on the cere (two in-depth holes), so it's easy to find it. It's located over the upper bill (upper part of beak) & is coloured depending on the bird's gender, age, & health. A mature (over 4 to 6 months old) male's cere will be royal blue in most cases and a female's cere will be a dark brown or tan, however when they are "out of breeding condition", they will have a sky-blue cere with white mostly surrounding the nostrils. Some male birds such as albino budgies (pure whites with pink eyes - no other colours anywhere) may have an even pink cere colour throughout their lifetime.

•                                                Male and female adult budgie

• An immature male budgie will have a pinkish-purple cere until it reaches 4 - 6 months old. An immature female will have either a pink cere with white mostly around the nostrils or b) a sky-blue cere with white mostly surrounding the nostrils.