Last Updated on February 16, 2023 by Catherine Tobsing

Gloria W. writes:

Hello Mz Tobsing

I appreciate your advice on light therapy as that cured the hormone problem for my little girl parakeet.

Now I have a new problem or question, please.

I have two boys and one girl parakeet each with its own cage.

The little girl has a larger cage than the boys.

All the cages sit on tables.

When I am home I let them all out to play under supervision.

 

The boys know that they can come and go at any time.

 

They are about 4 years old my little girl is just over two years old.

 

She thinks her cage is only to sleep in at night and she spends her time in the boy’s cages.

 

I want her to enjoy her cage.

 

Will you please help me with an idea of how to get her to more enjoy her cage which holds food toys treats just like the boy’s cases.

 

Thank you so much.

 

 

Dear Gloria

Good to hear from you again.

Please, we would love to hear the details on how your little girl parakeet improved after you started her on lighting/light therapy.

We would love to share your experience with others.

 

Now, your new question.

 

Your little girl likes hanging out with the boys and there is little you can do to change her mind on it.

 

It doesn’t matter how many good toys and great food and treats you have there.

 

Have you considered just moving them all together in one big cage?

 

If you have set up the lighting 12 hours on and 12 hours off directly above her/their cage/cages then their hormones should be under control.

 

If they were not, every time you had the girl out with the boys they would be mating.

 

So, it really doesn’t matter if they live together or not.

 

You can have any combo of budgies in a cage together providing their hormones are not causing them to cause each other harm or harassment.

 

We have 8 budgies, 5 girls and 3 boys and due to the lighting, they are all fine together, no mating results.

 

I had noticed at some point they were kissing a lot and I found a broken egg at the bottom of the cage.

 

I realized that the bulbs were old (after a year, replace), and within a week or two, they went back to normal playful birds.

 

Our cage is pretty large, 30″ wide so we have two lights above it to produce stronger lighting.

Regards,

Catherine

 

 

Light therapy is a sanity saver.

 

My little girl parakeet – Penny ( who is just over 2 years old) had come to maturity and her hormones were very active.

 

My 2 little boy parakeets – Charley and Jonathan (each around 4 years old) were most willing to accommodate her flirtations by billing, preening her head, and falling off the perch for ( thank goodness) lack of experience in propagation of their species.

 

Creating the perfect budgie mix – video

 

I put Penny under full-spectrum lighting (at your suggestion Mz. Tobsing) for four days and four nights.

 

Studies show three to ten days and she seemed ok after three days, but I wanted to make sure she got the full effect of the light.

 

I use full-spectrum lights for their cages but evidently, the lights had gotten old (over one year used) and the light was no longer beneficial for the hormones.

 

After the light therapy, she is like one of the boys again.

 

I no longer have to worry about sexual encounters when I’m watching or not watching.

 

Thanks again for your knowledge of full-spectrum light therapy.

 

Dear Gloria

A wonderful story.

I am so glad it helped her.

The lights also help the boys, it is just not as apparent as they don’t lay eggs.

 

By the way, if you do see an egg, just toss it in the trash.

 

To clarify, the usual Light Treatment is 3 days or 7 days. (Three days normal case, 7 days more critical case)

 

You may have read that we did 4 days once for our rescues Keto and Chili.

 

The reason 4 days was due to our starting Chili a day before we added Keto to the plan.

 

So Chili got 4 days and Keto got 3 days of treatments.

 

Any pictures of your sweeties? We would love to put an article together for our weekly email.

 

 

Hello Mz Tobsing

 

Thank you so much for responding and for the photo offer.

 

I’ve sent a few photos for you to choose from.

 

A little back story…..

 

Charley (blue) was abandoned in the pet store parking lot less than a year old. (I purchased)

 

Jonathan (green) 6 months of age I bought them from the pet store as a brother for Charley.

 

Penny (blue & white) I rescued (purchased) from a pet store maybe 6 weeks old.

 

They said she may never fly – FRENCH MOLT?

 

I was prepared.

 

But – Wrong.

 

The vet said that the wings were severely clipped.

 

She flies faster than the boys now that her wings have grown back.

I feed them fresh veggies, millet, oat spray, and occasional treat sticks along with daily pellets and seed.

 

They are healthy and happy constantly singing and playing.

 

Bathe 3-4 times per week.

 

Sorry to ramble.

 

Thanks again.