Budgie Care Guide: Cage, Diet and Taming

Quick answer

A budgie needs a wide cage (at least 60 × 50 × 75 cm / 24 × 20 × 30 in for one bird, larger for two), a diet based on pellets and fresh vegetables with seed as a smaller part, daily time out of the cage, and company, from another budgie or from you. Taming works best in short, calm sessions every day, using millet spray as a reward and letting the bird set the pace.

Before you bring a budgie home

Budgies (budgerigars, often called parakeets in North America) are small Australian parrots, about 18 cm (7 in) long. They're cheerful, chatty and clever, and many learn to mimic words. They're also lively and messy, and they need attention every day for years. With good care, 5 to 10 years is common, and some reach their teens.

Find an avian vet near you before you buy. For general bird basics that apply across species, see our bird care guide.

The cage

Budgies fly side to side, so a long cage beats a tall one.

• Size: at least 60 × 50 × 75 cm (24 × 20 × 30 in) for a single budgie, and bigger for a pair. More width is always better.
• Bar spacing: about 1–1.3 cm (½ in). Wider gaps can trap a head.
• Bars: horizontal bars on at least two sides give them something to climb.
• Perches: three or four natural-wood perches of different thicknesses, placed so the bird can hop and fly between them. Don't put perches directly over food or water bowls.
• Toys: a few at a time, swapped weekly. Budgies like bells, shreddable toys, ladders and swings. Avoid mirrors as a substitute for company; some birds become fixated on them.

Put the cage against a wall in a room where people spend time, at roughly chest height. Keep it out of the kitchen (fumes from overheated non-stick pans can kill birds), out of direct sun and away from draughts, air-conditioner vents and heaters. Cover the cage at night if that helps the bird settle, and aim for 10–12 hours of darkness.

Diet

A seed-only diet is the most common mistake budgie owners make. Seed is fatty and short on vitamin A and calcium, and seed-fed budgies are prone to obesity, fatty liver and other problems.

A healthier daily pattern:

• Pellets made for small parrots as the main food. If your budgie only knows seed, mix pellets in slowly over a few weeks and keep checking that it is actually eating.
• Fresh vegetables every day: leafy greens, grated carrot, broccoli, bell pepper, peas and sweetcorn. Chop finely; budgies often prefer small, wet pieces or greens clipped to the bars.
• Seed as a smaller portion. A good-quality budgie mix is fine as part of the diet.
• Millet spray as a treat and training reward, not a meal.
• Fruit in small amounts, such as apple (without seeds), pear or berries.
• Cuttlebone or a mineral block clipped to the side of the cage.
• Fresh water every day, more often in hot weather.

Never feed avocado, chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, or salty and fried snacks. Our guide to foods that are toxic to pet birds has the full list.

Check every day that your budgie is actually eating. Seed husks left in the bowl can look like full seed, so blow them off. A budgie that stops eating can go downhill fast; see budgie not eating for what to do.

One budgie or two?

In the wild, budgies live in large flocks. Most pet budgies are happier with at least one other budgie. Two males usually get along well, as do a male and female (though a pair may try to breed if given a nest box). Two females sometimes squabble.

A single budgie can be very tame and talkative, but only if its owner gives it a lot of time daily. If you're out at work all day, get two.

How to tame a budgie

Young budgies tame most easily, but almost any budgie can learn to trust you. Go slowly.

Step 1: Let it settle (first few days to a week). Leave the new bird alone apart from feeding, cleaning and talking softly near the cage. Don't chase it around the cage with your hand.

Step 2: Sit nearby. Spend time beside the cage every day, reading or talking quietly. You're teaching it that you aren't a threat.

Step 3: Hand in the cage. Rest your hand still inside the cage, away from the bird, for a few minutes at a time. Move a little closer over several days.

Step 4: Offer millet. Hold a millet spray near the bird. Once it eats calmly from it, slowly bring your hand closer to the end of the spray.

Step 5: Step up. Hold a finger flat against the lower chest, just above the feet, and say "step up". Most budgies will step onto a finger to keep their balance. Reward with millet straight away.

Step 6: Out of the cage. Once it steps up reliably, start short supervised flights in a bird-safe room: windows shut, curtains drawn over glass, fans off, other pets out, no open water.

Keep sessions to 10–15 minutes, once or twice a day. Stop before the bird gets stressed, and always end on a good moment. Never grab a budgie unless you must for its safety.

Talking comes with time. Males usually talk more than females. Repeat the same short words in the same tone every day.

Daily and weekly care

• Daily: fresh food and water, wash bowls, check droppings, time out of the cage.
• Weekly: wash perches and the cage tray, rotate toys, offer a shallow bath or a gentle mist of plain water.
• As needed: a vet or experienced keeper can trim overgrown nails. An overgrown beak is a reason to see a vet, not something to trim at home.

Signs your budgie may be ill

Budgies hide illness. See an avian vet promptly if you notice fluffed-up feathers for long periods, sleeping a lot during the day, tail bobbing with each breath, a change in droppings, discharge from the nostrils or eyes, weight loss (a sharp keel bone), or a bird sitting on the cage floor. A budgie on the floor is an emergency.

In Pakistan

Budgies are among the most popular pet birds in the country and are widely bred in many colour mutations. Summer heat is the biggest risk: keep cages out of direct sun and away from hot walls, give fresh water several times a day and offer a shallow bath. Smoke from cooking and heaters is another common hazard in homes, so keep the cage well away from the kitchen.

If you're looking for healthy, well-raised budgies, you can browse bird listings on Paalo.