Asking for searching-assistance from others is often underestimated. But it’s a powerful approach when looking for your lost bird.
As someone who has been working with budgies, you know something about patterns of their behavior. That knowledge comes in handy when your bird’s escape. However, like many people, there are many things you’ll still find confusing about your buddy. It becomes worse when it escapes, and you can’t trace back the reason behind it. Your bird escaping can’t be the worst-case scenario. So, you don’t have to panic. Not that keeping the bird is ever easy, but it’s a rich and positive experience. Knowing how much the bird means to you, we’ll help you with tips on how to get an escaped budgie back home.
Use a budgie capturing kit
This option gives more results compared to others. The kit is equipped with a net, towel, a cage or carrying box, a cage lid, millet spray, and a recording on your phone; MP3 will work. Use this method if your bird has moved out of a closed room. The equipment inside the package will trick it into getting inside, and once it does, you can happily take it back to the initial cage where it belongs.
Look for him in high places
Here, the results depend on how soon you realize your bird escaped. Budgies love to seek out in high places and have space of their own when they’re unhappy. It’ll be a struggle to get him back if he has flown far away. The first escapee, your bird, will likely go to is at the top of the cage, or a nearby tree. Sometimes he’ll find comfort in the roof. Spotting it is an encouraging move, but still, a lot of energy is needed to recapture it. You’ll have to apply the following tricks to make it fall for your trap:
Call his name
Your buddy knows your voice. When you call him, he’ll recognize it and try to look where you are. His finding you is a good start but not enough to call it a win. Hold a millet spray or his favorite meal on your hand. He’ll eventually come to you. And when he does, gently take hold of him and don’t let him go. But not all the time will this trick work. So, if it doesn’t, try something else.
Place his friends near you
Like humans, budgies too get attached to each other. This works perfectly if the bird was mad at you. The other bird’s calls will lure him into coming back home.
Leave its cage open and hope for the best
As much as this tactic sounds unfruitful, it has records of good results from some budgie owners. Sometimes budgies look for a one-in-a-million-chance to escape from its prison. That’s why it’s not wise to be too hard on it. Let it have some freedom to move around. If you have been too tight with it, it’ll be no big news when it escapes for a while to make itself happy. When this happens, the best thing is to place its favorite food on the cage, with toys, and leave the cage open. After his adventure, he’ll be happy to come back to its home, which looks more warming and fun to be in.
Tell friends to help out
Asking for searching-assistance from others is often underestimated. But it’s a powerful approach when looking for your lost bird. It may happen your neighbor, or anyone else, spots your friend and having known it’s yours, they’ll bring it to you. Those around you already know how it looks like. It won’t be tough explaining to them more details that’ll assist in their searching.
Is it guaranteed that your lost budgie will come back?
Here is the bitter reality-if your bird has flown far away; getting him back is near impossible. There are zero guarantees that he’ll return, so you’ll need to depend on possibilities and his love for you. Sometimes the bird might have gotten lost while adventuring. That’s why it’s important to start the search immediately you notice his absence. Be keen to hear his voice. A lost bird will try to call on his friends. Your effort will play a significant role in finding him. Not that there are no chances of getting back your budgie, you need to be tactful for this tricky process.
What makes a budgie escape?
There is no way your budgie will escape if you up to your game to take care of it. Knowing what pushes him to opt for escaping will save you from losing it again once you get it back:
Your pets
Lying to yourself that it’s easy to form a friendly relationship between other pets and your budgie is a big mistake. Some dogs are always ready to hunt down small animals, and your budgie might be a huge catch. Budgies like a peaceful environment; he may not tolerate annoying barks from your dog or its cage being pushed around by your cat. Make sure to keep your budgie away from other animals.
Distress
Budgies, too, get stressed out and feel sad at times, especially when their partners die. It’s your responsibility to read your bird’s moods and know when he’s disturbed. Don’t allow him to remain on its low moments for long. Try cheering him up and try all ways not to let him feel lonely.
Provide him with everything he needs
This requires little explanation. Going extra and provide your bird with everything doesn’t altogether cancel out escape cases, but it reduces the chances by a huge percentage. Give him toys, enough food, playing mates, and, most of all, show him, love. Know him deeply and do what makes him happy. Budgie owning is an all-time experience. If you feel that there is a part you’re clueless on, seek help from professionals.
Escape-opportunities
Budgies can be naughty if given a chance. A mistake done by many budgie keepers is assuming their budgies won’t dare to escape because of the sugar-coated relationship they have with it. Fan away this fake belief. Whether you’re are in a perfect term with your buddy or not, he’ll escape if a fat chance presents itself. If you know your budgie can open the cage by itself, you’ll have to replace the cage because the bars are inappropriate. Use mosquito nets to secure the windows and ensure you close all doors. Budgies are talented acrobatic creatures that can escape through tiny openings. Let your children know they are not allowed to take the budgies out without your knowledge. Also, never go outside with your budgie on your shoulder. You may be innocently helping your budgie to escape from your home.
Your escaped budgie is back, what’s next?
So, your budgie comes back, and you’re excited to see him again after a series of frustrations. What should you do next? Understandably, you may want to take him back to its cage immediately and tighten the security to ensure it doesn’t disappear again. But that’s not how to do it. As a loving owner, you should confirm he’s injury-free and healthy. You have to ensure nothing bad happened while he was away. However, you can’t get a 100% guarantee that he is fine on that exact day. You’ll have to study him for a few days to identify anything off with your bird. Here are the things to do when he returns.
Look at its droppings
Ideally, budgies don’t have a particular color for their poop. It all depends on its diet. Even so, some coloring is alarming. It’s normal for the bird to release a liquid dropping. But excess urine calls for concern. If the poo comes out black or brown, the budgie is malnourished. You’ll have to give it enough food. If it’s grey, the pancreas is the problem. A red poo shows a problematic intestine. Or to your relief, the bird can be safe if it ate berries or beetroots. If there are traces of undigested food in the droppings, that’s a sign of bad intestines.
Check the condition of the feathers
Sticky feathers on the head or face indicate an infection. If this situation is ignored, your bird may lose its life. Stains of blood on the feathers confirm the bird is wounded.
Look for any injuries
Check if he has hurt his foot. If he limps, it means his leg might be broken. Cold feet with some shivering shows something is wrong. But don’t panic. It can be a result of being out in the cold for a long time. The misshaped beak is an attack from mites, and immediate action is needed to save a life.
Examine the breathing pattern
Fastift breathing can be due to overheating or a sign of illness. Weird sounds while the bird breathes, or his tail quickly moving up and down is a sure guarantee of unhealthiness.
Take an in-depth study on its parts
His cere should appear normal. Too dry or sticky substance on its nostrils shows an ill bird. Any swells or discharge from the eyes need a vet’s help.
Change in behavior
Change of behavior is the easiest gesture to point out something isn’t right. If your bird enjoyed perching and out of nowhere begins to rest on the ground, there is a problem. If he makes annoying noises, know he is in pain, and that’s his way of releasing anxiety. If he begins to sleep during the day, look into the cause of his disturbances. Internal health issues might be the cause of discomfort. If he stays motionless for so long, that’s a big sign of being sick. No healthy budgie will remain in one posture without jumping around.
The strong point though- even if your bird is free from the checklist above, make sure to take him to the vet. Don’t put your budgie at risk by letting him stay at home with an unhidden illness unknown to you.
Can an escaped budgie survive while on its own?
Pet budgies are not as strong as wild varieties. An escaped budgie will likely not survive in its new habitat. Food searching and the unfamiliar environment nullify its chances of survival if lost for a long time. However, if it flew nearby and manages to find its way back on time, you’ll see your bird healthy and alive. Otherwise, you may have to count it gone for good if several days pass without it showing up. Their delicateness makes them unable to survive more than ten days in the wild.
What to avoid doing when you budgie comes back
Once your budgie returns, you may be tempted to set strict measures to prevent him from running away again. Don’t try it! Avoid doing the following if you want him to stay with you:
Over securing him
As much as you’d want to block all his escape routes, overdoing it will only make him unhappy. It’s acceptable to tighten his freedom a little bit but avoid making him feel like a prisoner. Otherwise, he’ll run away again. And this time, for good.
Being hard on him
Your lost budgie is tired, and you have no idea of what he went through. One more action that makes him scared, and he’ll feel worse. Don’t shout at him, or do anything that’ll instill fear. Let him feel at home, and give him space to be alone for a while.
Touching him
Understandably, you’ve missed your bird, and you want him in your arms all time. Avoid that. Keeping off from him is protection to both of you. He might have caught a severe disease that may transmit to you and put your life in danger. Or, he may be too weak and delicate, and any rough move from you will kill him.
The Bottom Line of lost bird Budgie
Losing a pet is never a comfortable experience. But you can still get your budgie back after it escapes. We don’t want your search to be an epic fail, and that’s why we provided these helpful tips to ease things for you. Follow the above-mentioned tips to get your buddy back. It may take days before you get hold of it, but don’t give up on your search. Once it returns, make sure you don’t create any situation that’ll make it run away again!
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