What budgies lack in stature, they certainly make up for in intelligence and curiosity.
These lovely little parrots make wonderful companions for many reasons, but chief among these may be their unbridled passion for entertainment.
Budgies love to play and interact with their owners. Providing them with engaging fun-time is an essential part of being a budgie parent.
How to play with your budgie?
There are two main ways to entertain budgies; first, interact and play games with them consistently, and second, provide them with entertaining environments. Budgies are social, and when bonded to their owners, they love to embark on different activities together. Similarly, having toys in their environment keeps them busy for hours.
What Games to Play with my Budgie
The games budgie parents can play with their feathered friends vary from simple to complex.
For starters, just keeping the cage close by while embarking on everyday activities like cooking provides the opportunity to include and chat away to one’s bird.
If a budgie is tamed, they will thoroughly enjoy keeping their owner company while perched on a shoulder or hand.
If an owner is looking to level up, there are various interactive games to play with budgies suited to their inquisitive and intelligent nature. For example, budgies can be taught how to ‘fetch’ small balls and soft toys through repetition and reward.
Start by gently tossing a toy in its direction and, in encouraging tones, asking it to ‘catch.’ Praise your bird if they pick the object up with their beaks.
Keep this up until your budgie understands to bring it back to you, and reward them with enthusiastic praise and treats.
Another fun activity for budgies is rope-climbing. Create a jungle gym for your pet by dangling a heavy cotton rope from the ceiling, which is knotted every 6 inches (15 centimeters) or so.
Budgies may instinctively start climbing the rope, but if not, use treats to encourage them. This is a great way to entertain a budgie and is also an excellent exercise for them.
Budgies can be encouraged to play other games with their owners, like stair-jumping and hide-and-seek. This works their brains while also giving them a chance to exercise.
For stair-jumping games, play your budgie at the top of a flight of stairs and encourage it to climb down to you, and then chase you up the stairs in turn.
For hide-and-seek games, you can place your budgie in an unfamiliar part of the home and call them to find you.
Toys like mirrors and mini basketball hoops also exist for smaller birds and can provide plenty of fun.
However, it goes without saying that one must have a good relationship with their pet for these types of games to be effective and not stress-inducing.
How to Provide my Budgie with an Entertaining Environment
Budgies can get bored quickly if they spend lots of time alone or live in a bland environment.
There are dozens of toys on the market that can assist in creating a great, fun space for these lovely little birds.
It is a good idea to keep toys like ladders, swings, rings, mirrors, bells, and climbing perches in a budgie’s cage.
This way, they can play when their parent is not around, or better yet, they can show off when they are. In fact, many toys can be used in tandem with interactive play.
Owners can engage with their birds by chatting to them and praising them while they play or encouraging them to interact with their toys in exchange for treats.
In this regard, however, it is vital to move or exchange toys regularly so that the fun doesn’t run out.
Keeping the atmosphere pleasantly filled with activity or sound is also advisable, so consider leaving a tv or radio on when you’re not around.
When moving or exchanging toys, make sure to clean and sterilize them thoroughly to avoid any unwanted illness or filth.
Does my Budgie Need a Friend: The Answer
It is well-known that budgies are busy, social little creatures, and therefore, if an owner cannot expend much time and energy on their pet, it is a good idea to get it a friend.
Not only does this provide a budgie with entertainment and someone to play with, but it also gives them companionship.
The same rules apply with their toys. They should be moved about regularly and cleaned thoroughly in the process.
Frequently Asked Questions about How to Play with Your Budgie
How much time do I need to spend with my budgie?
Ideally, you should spend quality time with your budgie every day. Caring for their needs regarding water and food is obviously important, but these smart little birds have emotional and physical needs too. Playing with and talking to budgies is paramount to their well-being.
Can my budgies leave his cage unsupervised?
This very much depends on how calm and tame your bird is. Well-trained budgies may have quite a bit of freedom of movement in their homes, but if this is the case, every measure needs to be put in place to make sure they cannot get lost or hurt.
Do budgies like scratching and petting?
Tame budgies love cuddles as much as the next domestic animal. Gentle throat scratches, wing scratches, head pats, and nudges are a great way to share affectionate moments with your pet. They require time and training to get used to this, and care should always be taken not to freak them out and distress them.
Conclusion
Budgies are lovely, fun, and loving pets and make exceptional companions if one takes the time to tame and train them.
While playing with them is loads of fun for the bird, it can be just as relaxing and gratifying for the owner.
While it may take a while to get your budgie used to different games and toys, the effort will be well worth it in the end.