new budgie Archives - The Budgie Academy https://www.thebudgieacademy.com/tag/new-budgie/ Join a new generation of budgie people Thu, 13 Aug 2026 02:13:37 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.2 https://www.thebudgieacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/cropped-new-blue-logo-32x32.png new budgie Archives - The Budgie Academy https://www.thebudgieacademy.com/tag/new-budgie/ 32 32 How to Quarantine a New Budgie https://www.thebudgieacademy.com/how-to-quarantine/ https://www.thebudgieacademy.com/how-to-quarantine/#comments Tue, 25 Jul 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://www.thebudgieacademy.com/?p=7621 New budgies should be quarantined before meeting flockmates. But what’s good quarantine protocol? Learn how to set your flock up for success.

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When bringing a new budgie into your flock, it’s critical to plan for a quarantine period before allowing your birds to meet. As discussed in our article on the topic, there are several good reasons to quarantine your incoming budgie. Most importantly, the practice helps safeguard the health of both your current flock and your new arrival.


But what exactly does a quarantine entail? What rules should you follow? Our quick checklist below will walk you through the basics of quarantine for a new budgie.

Keep your new bird in a separate room.

It’s critical to maintain physical separation between your new budgie and your existing flock. This keeps your flock from being exposed to the droppings, feathers, and dust from your new parrot, which could all potentially carry and transmit disease.

Use only designated equipment.

Be sure to use clean bowls, toys, perches and a cage for your new parrot. While this might seem obvious, it’s best to be on guard against mistakes. For example, if both your new bird and existing flock are using similar-looking food and water dishes, be careful not to mix them up. Your new parrot’s items shouldn’t mingle with those from your existing flock during quarantine.

Wash your hands.

Always wash your hands between working with your existing and new parrot to prevent carrying contaminants between them. And with that said…

Always handle your existing flock first!

This way, if you accidentally didn’t wash your hands well or have something on your shirt, you will be bringing contaminants from your existing “clean” flock to your new bird, not the other way around, which is more dangerous.

Observe for signs of illness.

Watch your new parrot carefully for any signs of illness. Remember, your incoming bird is probably nervous around you, so they’ll likely try to conceal any indicators they’re unwell. Observe them carefully, and note down anything unusual so you can bring it up at your upcoming new bird exam with your avian vet.

Maintain quarantine for at least 30 days.

30 days is generally enough time to make sure your new budgie has no apparent illness and to get them seen by an avian vet for their new bird exam. New members of The Budgie Academy flock are quarantined for 45 days to reduce risk even further.

Wrapping up

If you haven’t already done so, check out our article on why we quarantine to get a run-down on this important practice. Also, if your incoming flock member seems nervous in their new home, read our piece on things you can do with a fearful budgie to help them settle in! 

Don’t forget: The Budgie Academy is on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook! Join our social media flock so you don’t miss out when we post new content.

Written by Isabel Frabotta

Isabel holds a B.S. in Animal Science from Cornell University, where she studied physiology, nutrition, endocrinology and genetics. She is a writer and graphic designer who uses both to improve education around animal welfare and care.

Edited by Dr. Amy Zhao, PhD.

The post How to Quarantine a New Budgie appeared first on The Budgie Academy.

]]> https://www.thebudgieacademy.com/how-to-quarantine/feed/ 4 Why Do We Quarantine New Budgies? https://www.thebudgieacademy.com/why-quarantine/ https://www.thebudgieacademy.com/why-quarantine/#comments Tue, 27 Jun 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://www.thebudgieacademy.com/?p=7486 A proper quarantine period is crucial to the health of both your new bird and existing flock. Get the details on this important practice!

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Quarantining a new bird can be a hectic time for owners, necessitating separate equipment, training, and sometimes even a change of clothes. But despite the extra work, a carefully executed quarantine period is one of the best risk reduction practices we have in our toolbelt. 

Quarantine isn’t able to catch everything, as some diseases have extremely long incubation times. But for some of the most common illnesses, it can be a highly effective way to prevent unintentional spread. For example, when The Budgie Academy flock member Callie was first brought home, she tested positive for avian gastric yeast. She was subsequently treated and cleared in quarantine before being released to mingle, preventing the yeast from spreading to other flock members. 

Read on to learn more about the basics of this critical flock safety practice.

What is quarantine?

Quarantine is a process where we keep an individual animal or group of animals in isolation upon arrival.

Broadly speaking, quarantine is a risk reduction process where a new animal is kept separate from others. This allows us to observe their behavior, get their health checked, and ensure they do not have any dangerous, infectious diseases before allowing them to mingle.

Why do we quarantine?

When new birds come in, they may carry infectious diseases which could spread to the rest of the flock.

By quarantining first, we reduce the risk of a new bird with an illness spreading it to others, which could result in a mass flock illness. Many infectious avian diseases don’t have cures, so something as serious as a flock-wide infection can’t always be reversed with veterinary care. Treating a whole flock is also extremely difficult, time-consuming, and expensive.

How long do we quarantine?

I usually recommend a quarantine period of at least 30 days for incoming birds.

This gives owners enough time to catch any common treatable illnesses. In The Budgie Academy flock, the quarantine period is usually extended to 45 days in an effort to reduce risk even further. It can take budgies quite a bit of time to settle into a new home and be willing to show signs of illness. It can also take an owner a while to know their new bird well enough to recognize signs of sickness.

When do we release them from quarantine?

There are a few criteria a new bird should meet before being released from quarantine.

During the quarantine period, the new bird should get their initial health exam by an avian veterinarian. They are ready to leave quarantine when

  1. 45 days have passed,
  2. They have completed any necessary medical treatments, and
  3. They have been declared healthy by the avian vet to join the existing flock.

If their treatment plan takes longer than 45 days, the quarantine should be extended until these criteria is met.

Wrapping up

Performing a proper quarantine period is extremely important to keeping both your new bird and existing flock safe. Now that you know the basics, you might want to learn a little more about making your new addition feel at home. Check out our article on things to do with a fearful budgie to help them settle in smoothly.

Don’t forget: The Budgie Academy is on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook! Join our social media flock so you don’t miss out when we post new content.

Written by Isabel Frabotta

Isabel holds a B.S. in Animal Science from Cornell University, where she studied physiology, nutrition, endocrinology and genetics. She is a writer and graphic designer who uses both to improve education around animal welfare and care.

Edited by Dr. Amy Zhao, PhD.

The post Why Do We Quarantine New Budgies? appeared first on The Budgie Academy.

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