Hello my name is Roger!
Melopsittacus undulatus
I am an English Budgerigar! I was surrendered to FOTA when my elderly owner needed to move into a nursing home. She was unable to take me with her so I needed to find somewhere to go.
I lived for 3 years with my mom, or in other words my whole life! It took me a little while to get used to being in a new house with new people. I might have launched a hunger strike 😅 But I came to realize foster care isn't bad.
My foster family adores me and even let me watch tennis, something I did with my old mom 🎾
Likes
Watching the birds outside and tennis on the TV!
Dislikes
Change! But I eventually come around 😂
Fav Foods
Seeds but I was told they aren't good for me so I also eat pellets and chop.
What I Can Say
Nothing that I've shared, but I do chirp a lot!
Friends
I'm not afraid of my foster family's large dog but we don't interact.
About Me and Other Budgies
Did you know there are two types of budgies? I am an English Budgie, but there are also Australian Budgies, more commonly known as American Budgies. Americans tend to be smaller and shorter than the English and both range in a variety of colours. One visual difference between the two is English Budgies tend to have larger, fluffier heads. Check out some of the photos of me to see. Some people think this feature makes me look a bit grumpy!
The English budgie was bred in England for show and the pet trade, but genetically belong to the same wild species of Australian Budgie. Our wild relatives in Australia are commonly found in open habitats like deserts, savannahs, scrublands, woodlands, and grasslands. If not in captivity budgies live an average of 3-4 years, because of poor breeding English budgies tend to live 5-7 years while their American counterparts can live 5-15 years. The oldest recorded budgie named Charlie in the UK lived to be 29 years old!
In the 1800s John Gould an artist and ornithologist described budgies as, "The most animated, cheerful little creatures you can possibly imagine" and we think he captured our personalities perfectly!
While some people don't hand tame or train their budgies that does not mean it can't be done. Lots of budgies can be taught tricks and will come when called. It is important to remember that even though budgies are one of the smallest companion birds, they still benefit from as much time, attention, and enrichment as a cockatoo, amazon, or macaw! ​
There is not a recorded population size of wild budgies but they are on the rise! Their IUCN status is Least Concern.​​
What I am up to Now
I'm Looking for my Forever Home!
I've been going on a few trips to the vet because I have elevated "bad" bacteria in my crop. I've been on several rounds of antibiotics that seem to have helped my energy levels and increased activity and chirpiness! We are waiting to hear if it is safe for me to be adopted to a home with other birds because I would really like to make some friends!
Want to Adopt Me?
Want to Donate to My Care?
