Pet Forum / Birds / Birds / April 2004

While budgies can in exceptional circumstances make to 20, most budgies
probably don't make it much past four years.  You've been lucky.

No, they don't need grit.  In all your years of budgie keeping, you haven't
done any research on the subject?

why does my dog go after anything that falls on the floor like mad?

You need to do a lot of reading on the subject.  You seem to be about 25-30
years behind in research.

My brother has a parakeet which was a gift from his now ex-wife.  I went
with her to help select the bird.  Lexus (the bird) is about 13 years old.
My brother took him to the vet today (first time ever) because Lexus is
slowing down, not playing much anymore.  And he's been having a little
trouble climbing due to a slightly "gimpy" right foot.

My brother sent me an email saying the vet was surprised at Lexus' age; they
normally only live about 8 years.  My brother indicated he's treating some
sort of high bacteria level with some antibiotic drops in the water for a
couple of weeks.  He also indicated Lexus' problems with his foot probably
stem from kidney problems (something about a  nerve that goes through the
kidney to their feet), which probably indicates a tumor which they can't do
anything about.  The vet also told him he doesn't need to give the bird
grit, that only large birds need grit.  Said just calcium from a cuttlebone.

Now, I'm not contradicting the vet.  I certainly didn't go to veterinary
school.  But we got our first parakeet (a lost & foundling) in 1964 and each
of us have pretty much had 'keets ever since.  In fact, until I bought my
lovebird last December, these are the only birds I'd ever had.

My questions/comments are this:

(1)  Lifespan of 8 years?  With the except of a couple of birds that got
sick, all of our parakeets have lived at least 13-14 years.

(2)  They don't need grit?  So why do they go after it like mad?  Why do
they seem to be using grit to "chomp" on their seed?  I thought parakeets &
budgies used grit like chickens do for digesting food.  And I never thought
large birds needed grit.  As for cuttlebones, Lexus has pretty much always
ignored his cuttlebone (even though the 'keets I've had devoured them).

I await your wisdome.

Jill

I bet the vet said that about 8 years, because of nutrition.  I was one of
those once who fed a keet a seed-only diet, when I was in college.  It got
fat and died, literally.  When I picked her up, she was actually pudgy like
what they describe on the net, bulges on the chest.  That's why so many give
such a short life span to the tiny birds.  I've heard people say the same
regarding canaries as well. My parents kept those when I was a kid, and they
had one non-breeding hen live 15 years, chirping all the way up to the end!

I imagine it must be pretty discouraging being a bird vet, what with so much
misinformation out there ...

Putting antibitotics in water is not a good way of getting them into the
birds system. The dose could be WAY off depending on how much water is in
the bowl, and how much the bird drinks. For instance, would you take life
saving medication mixed with a full bath tub of water? :-)

The vet may not have much knowledge of how to treat birds, which is very
common. The bird should receive the antibiotics (usually ciprofloxin or
baytril) in it's mouth, from a dropper.

David G Fisher