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Post by bree1818 on Dec 30, 2013 16:04:58 GMT
So I've been considering getting another budgie (I REALLY want a blue one, and because Shasta's home alone a lot of the time), but I live in a studio apartment and have no idea how to do the quarantine. Literally, I have a set of curtains up separating the bathroom/closet area from the rest of the apartment since there are no internal walls in my apartment. So my question is this, how would you guys do quarantine in a one room apartment?
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Post by dianapalmer on Dec 30, 2013 17:19:44 GMT
It's hard, isn't it!
Some would say, see if a family member can keep the new bird for a month.
When I got my cockatiel, I kept her in a separate cage for a couple of weeks. It was about six feet from the budgie cage. However, they were all curious about each other, and started climbing all over each other's cages when I let them out (I was letting them out separately). So, I gave up.
There are no guarantees in life. There are so many rules for preventing illness and injury for birds and for humans. I would say, do what you think is best. Try to select a bird that looks healthy--bright eyes, clean feathers, no poop around the vent.
Although everyone says to quarantine, I have not seen posts from anyone whose bird got sick within the first month of ownership.
Just my personal take on it.
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Post by bree1818 on Dec 30, 2013 17:34:37 GMT
Yeah, and see, Shasta just spent 10 days around my parents' bird (a brat of a quaker parrot - he calmed down only when I wrapped him up in a towel and held him like a baby - and guess which bird picked up on that behavior!), and he spends time around said bird a lot and hasn't gotten sick.
The family member would be hard since I'm in San Antonio and my family is in Dallas and Utah - at least 4 hours away from me. My sister and brother in law gave me a Petsmart gift card for Christmas, and I have been considering getting Shasta a friend for a while. Just haven't really had the extra money. Out of curiosity, is it better to get another budgie from the same place I got Shasta? I got him from a small mom & pop type pet store here, and wondering if I should go there again.
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Post by Pammy on Dec 30, 2013 20:38:17 GMT
Well, were you happy with your visits to the mom & pop store? Were you happy with Shasta's health when you got him? If so, then it sounds like a place to revisit and purchase from again. You can always use your PetsMart gift card to get bird food, toys, treats, perches.... I suggest going to both stores and bringing home the baby who is the very most appealing to you.
Your apartment situation does sound as though it would be impossible to pull off a quarantine. You will need to decide ahead of time if you are willing to risk the possibility of introducing infection to Shasta. Quarantine is obviously the best thing to do, but sometimes it's not going to work -- like for me. I didn't do it, and I hope I won't regret it. So far, so good.
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Post by bree1818 on Dec 30, 2013 21:09:47 GMT
I hate my apartment, but it was a good first time apartment. I'm getting ready to move here in the next few months.
While I'm happy with Shasta, I wasn't extremely thrilled that they wouldn't take my request for a blue budgie into account (not that I'm complaining about Shasta!). The lady stepped into this huge cage that reminds me of an outhouse that had like 100 budgies in it and grabbed one with the net. And she refused to clip his wings. I had to come back later when she wasn't around to get them clipped for the first time (so I could tame him - they're growing out now). Shasta was skittish for maybe 2 hours and then he ignored me when I put my hand in the cage, so maybe that was a good thing.
The other thing is, how do I introduce them? Shasta sometimes gets cage territorial. Is it ok to put Shasta in a different cage for an hour or two and then put the new bird in his cage, then reintroduce Shasta to his cage?
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Post by rdkntriker on Dec 30, 2013 21:18:02 GMT
The way I am reading this, I say check out petsmart.
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Post by Pammy on Dec 30, 2013 21:37:06 GMT
I have to agree with Santa. If the shopkeeper wouldn't sell you the color bird you wanted, well.... At PetsMart, they will sell you the exact bird you point out.
No, I wouldn't take Shasta out and put the new bird into his home. If you are going to use two cages for the meeting, I would suggest putting the new bird into the second cage and leaving Shasta in his own cage. Put the cages side-by-side, while the birds check each other out, and say hello. Once they seem to have calmed down and are feeling more comfortable, you could make sure your home is safe by covering windows and mirrors, putting down the toilet lid, and making sure the stove burners are cool and the ceiling fan is off, and then open both cages, sit back, and watch what happens. Or you could hurry it along by getting both birds out of their cages and putting them on the floor a distance apart, and let them make the move to approach one another.
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Post by dianapalmer on Dec 30, 2013 22:26:39 GMT
When I got my second budgie, Snowy, I had had Piper for a week. Snowy came in a cardboard carry box. He was from the same flock as Piper. I put the box in the bottom of Piper's cage, opened the end, and waited. Snowy ventured out after about half an hour. Piper was thrilled with the newcomer. Before long, he was preening Snowy all around his beak and cere. At the time, I just figured Piper was lonely and it would work out.
With a bird who has been alone longer, perhaps more caution is in order. You could get a small inexpensive cage for the second bird, as a temporary measure, until they get acquainted.
It looks like Shasta is a boy. Boys will generally be more accepting of a newcomer, whether it's a boy or a girl.
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Post by bree1818 on Dec 30, 2013 23:02:08 GMT
Yeah, Shasta's a boy. He met another budgie yesterday and kinda chewed on the other budgie's foot a bit, so I'm not quite sure he'll be very accepting. I have a little travel cage I can put the new one in.
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Post by Sarah on Dec 31, 2013 1:24:38 GMT
You need to let them check each other out from different cages, and then introduce them to each other when they seem interested and not at all hostile on completely neutral territory out side of the cage. This means you may need to take some time to tame your new bird before encouraging them to live in the same cage.
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Post by bree1818 on Dec 31, 2013 1:45:00 GMT
K. Sounds good. Thanks guys!
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Post by luvsanimals2 on Dec 31, 2013 2:31:51 GMT
hmm, that is a good question. probably keep them as far away as possible
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Post by bree1818 on Jan 4, 2014 2:54:44 GMT
So update for you guys. I got my blue guy. I ended up getting a boy and he's doing good right now. He's in his new cage just hanging out. Shasta's going crazy though. He's climbing his cage wall trying to get a good look at the new budgie. Pics to come soon. I have the new guy covered up to calm him down a bit.
Now to think of a name....
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Post by lisamarie on Jan 4, 2014 3:09:13 GMT
Yay!!! Excited for pictures!
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Post by Sarah on Jan 4, 2014 3:22:10 GMT
Excited to see
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