One think i find disturbing...

[birdygirl]

is that people don't take budgies to the vet. We took Pumpkin to the vet for the first time. The vet was surprised when the assistant told him that there was a pionus and a budgie in the room. He was surprised about the budgie and asked "Is it sick?" Eveidently most people don't take their budgies to the vet. Tehj vet told us we were years ahead of most budgie owners who never take their birds to the vet and feed them only seed.

[Amanda]

I find that is so true Birdygirl. Sad but true. I think most people don't bother taking their budgie to the vet because (1) it costs money, even for a regular check-up and (2) budgies are so inexpensive that most people think they can be easily replaced if anything should happen to them (get sick or die).

Pumpkin is so lucky to have you! :)

[Mrs.Birdy]

Birdygirl:

Unfortunately, it is a fact that people don't bother taking their budgies to the vet. I took Dazzle, my white budgie to the vet about a month ago because I thought she had a tumor on her chest. I was so worried. The vet looked at her and took the scab off her chest and said it was not a tumor at all, I was just cutting her wings too short and she was landing on her chest. He was so nice and showed me the proper way to clip her wings. He also commented she was a very beautiful bird. Well, when all was said and done, the bill was $75.00 and I felt a heck of a lot better knowing she wasn't going to die. It was very well worth it.

Some people I meet in the pet shops say they wouldn't bother taking budgies to the vet because they are such inexpensive birds and the vet bill is too high.

Well, it doesn't matter how inexpensive a pet is....when you love it you will do anything to save it.

P.S. Marcel went for his check up that day too and he and dazzle were so well behaved that it shocked me.:)

[birdygirl]

I was amazed that mine were so well behaved. Sophie turned into a demon bird last time we went for a grooming. This time she was so well behaved. Pumpkin went and was well behaved also. She only bit the vet's assistant once.

[Grey]

Budgies are not inaminate objects. They can't be replaced because each has it's own individual personality. Unfortunately, some people are too dumb and lazy to relize that.:mad:

[birdygirl]

Yes I agree. I love my budgie very much. My friends budgie has a different personality than mine does.

[Jenny]

This subject reminded me of a poem on the Gabriel Foundation's site, ' A Cheap Bird's Plea'. I wish that all potential budgie owners would read it first! At the vet clinic I volunteer at I see budgies fairly often, though I haven't seen a single one that wasn't on an all-seed diet, and even the ones that are taken in are never tame. They're treated sort of like a goldfish, just something pretty to look at. And Grey, I couldn't agree with you more about each having their own personality! My three are all completely different from each other, as are all the others I've met.

[birdygirl]

Pumpkin isn't tame but she comes out of her cage. She doesn't like to be held but she loves to have a roam of the house. She loves hanging out with Sophie. Pumpkin just seems to be more of a wild bird than a pet bird. But that is the way she is. However she eats seeds and pellets. I try fruit and veggies but she throws them on the ground without eating them.

[dlaura]

Yes, our parakeet certainly does have a personality all her own.

She was so put out that the green cheek wanted nothing to do with her during mating season - that when allowed out one afternoon she flew directly over Einstein's cage and "dive pooped" him. As they say "A women scorned"

Tweety is somewhat tame, she will come out and stay on our shoulder for a short time and then dance off to investigate something or someone else.

Just because an animal is cheap "once bonded with a family" you can no longer replace that creature at any price - each one is a one in a million to us. So they are taken care off as any other member of the family.

[JSimko]

To far too many people pets are just objects. They fail to see that there is intelligent life on this planet other than humans. And that most humans are not all that smart. People think that because they are able to drive a car that they are smart. Will sorry to burst their bubble but I have seen chimps do a better job. And if they absolutely had to could any of these people build a car, I think not.

[Jenny]

Here-here! I agree completely.