Last Updated on September 29, 2023 by Mitch Rezman

Rita C writes:

I misplaced the recipe for the combination of the seed mixture you had for parakeets.

Using Hagens clay, greens, canary seed, parakeet seed.

My budgies really like that combination and I need to make more.

I have all the right ingredients.

Can you send me the amounts needed for each of the above?

Thank you, Rita

Dear Rita – Not a problem

This is my ingredient list. You can use other brands of Canary and Parakeet seed as well.

• Higgins Vita Parakeet 2.5 lb
• Higgins Vita Canary 2 lb
• Higgins Sunburst Leafy Greens 2 oz
• Higgins Sunburst Egg Food 5 oz
• 1/4 cup Hagen Clay Cal

Watch Us Make This Perfect Parakeet Food Blend ~ Video

Use the whole package of all items but for the Hagen Clay-Cal.

That is only 1/4 cup. The box should serve several batches of food.

I hope this helps.

Thank you

Can I Clean out my Parakeet Nest Box?

Lorraine H. asks:

My mama parakeet has had 3 clothes, shall I take the best out to give her a rest?

It’s filled with, poop.

Shall I clean it out?

Thank you for your help

Dear Lorraine

Do you mean your parakeet has had 3 clutches?

If so.

YES, take out the nest box.

She does not need to be going through that over and over it can kill her over time.

Especially if you are not giving her a Calcium supplement to replenish her body’s usage of it.

FYI: Parakeets are messy birds.

The babies back up and poop against the sides/walls of the boxes and it gets very nasty.

You are able to reach in and shoo the mother out of the nest box, remove it, take out the babies, scrape out and wipe down the nest box, replace the pine shavings with new clean ones, and put the babies back in.

She will go back in and take care of them.

After three clutches you should not give her a nest box back for several months, if ever.

Having a pair of budgies doesn’t mean you should encourage unlimited breeding.

It is unhealthy and very hard on her.

I recommend that you install a full spectrum bulb right over the top of the cage so it shines down on the birds.

More on full-spectrum lighting.

As close as the top bars of the cage. Set it on a timer 12 hours on and 12 hours off. NO nest box.

This will help regulate their hormones so the female stops laying and the male stops trying to mate with her.

Throw out all eggs from now on.

IF she continues to lay eggs, a full clutch of 4-6 eggs in dishes, etc, then you may need to subject them both to a light treatment to get them to stop breeding.

You would leave the light on over the cage for 3 solid days and nights (72 hours) this will reset the circadian rhythm that is affected through the eyes to their pineal gland.

After 3 days put them back to 12 hours on and 12 hours off and they should then go back to being happy little birds that are not constantly breeding.

Please let me know how it goes.

Regards

Catherine