I totally agree, I had budgies for years and only one of them was ever an English budgie but compared to the other budgies, he was very lethargic. I thought he had narcolepsy or something, he didn’t seem as smart or vocal as the other birds either. I thought maybe it was just his personality but in hindsight I totally realize why. One cute thing about him I remember is that he was boyfriend with my bird Lola, they never tried to mate or anything but every night they would fluff up next to each other and they were always together. I miss how fluffy they feel but I would never get another one unless they were an adoption.
I had the sweetest English budgie for only 3 yrs . He died from respiratory failure. He was tail bobbing from the day I got him at 8 weeks. It broke my heart when he passed away I was as close to him as any dog I had ever had .He was my constant companion. He also had a 200 word vocabulary and was a sweet companion for my Labrador . I would never get another one.
I suppose I’m one of the lucky owners. I got my English budgie at four months old from a breeder. After a month at his forever home, he started talking and I do my best to keep my bird healthy. He has no sign of any sickness and is always happy, always talking and playing. He is now 2 years old. His name is Louis Vuitton, and he’s an active and happy pure English Budgie.
Lucky you!!! I’ve only ever seen English budgies with really bad issues and I work with parrots professionally, so I’ve seen tons of them come in. I’ve seen English budgies with tumours, English budgies who have no diseases but are wheezing, English budgies with heart conditions,etc: Cross your fingers nothing comes up!!!
@@Finchsaviary Glad to have found your video so I can watch out for issues. So far, he’s happy, healthy and well bonded with me. I have him eat fruits and vegetables rather just seeds and keep his feathers clean. Thank you.
Good for you I have a budgie has had him for about 8 months and I love him to death he is also in good health and can talk and is very playful and active barely have him in the cage
Thank you, you are God sent! Just brought one home today. If I would have known I would not have got one. But, it maybe a blessing. Thank you for the tip about optics.
I do agree that English budgies have many different diseases and conditions. I would never support an abusive breeder who over breeds the poor birds. I did get two have English half standard budgies from my parrot breeder and rescue. The only reason why I did this was because they don’t over breed their birds but instead take very good care of them. Now my two budgies are perfectly healthy so they probably take more of the standard budgie, they both get vet visits and I make sure to take very good care of them because I am aware of the risks.
Totally forgot to mention that English budgies also usually have heart conditions. Also when I said that the vets and Breeder said that she was “perfectly healthy” I was referring to diseases/illness. Bluebell is not healthy and absolutely has health issues that won’t go away.
Sadly, this is the case with many animal breeds that have been selectively bred by humans. Look at dog breeds, most of them have serious health problems. Pugs, bulldogs and Boston teriers can barely breathe, it's much worse during summer heat waves... still people breed them and buy them...
Poor breeding practice does happen. My parents aquired a small flock of English Budgies from from a good caretaker. They were healthy, active but did have a reduced lifespan. In recognition of this, some Non-English budgies were introduced and this had a good effect.
Domesticating for sake of making them docile may be questionable at best. But toying with physical attributes like size and shape is unacceptable since it may actually shorten the lifespan.
I have an English budgie and I noticed he had difficulty flying and breathing compared to my Australian budgie, but had no idea that this was because of the breeding and this affects all English budgies. I guess I’m one of the lucky ones for the most part he is a happy healthy bird. He can fly just not well or very long. I have an Australian budgie living with him and this has improved his activity and happiness. So happy this was brought to my attention because I had no idea
Thank you so much for your video. I have just adopted 2 engilsh budgies because they came with a huge fight czfe for my four regular budgies. I knew nothing about them. It's been two weeks, and your video was very informative
@@Mwhbmnabjms actually English budgies are a product of inbreeding and it’s almost entirely impossible to produce them without inbreeding. So this is a factual video.
My English budgie (breeder didn’t specify it would be one). I thought she was sick also! Took her to a vet who said she had a respiratory illness. She went onto antibiotics in her water and she seemed better. Now I realise she was always fine to begin with. I also notice she gets saturated in the shower, the others the water glides off, mine is too heavy to fly. And when she does fly normally she’s soooo out of breath. But she’s the most amazing budgie I’ve ever had
Wow. I hadn't looked into this enough and was about to buy two English Budgies. I grew up with an Aussie parakeet and loved him but thought I'd try English for my next pet. You talked me out of it. I'll be going for Aussies. Great video. Thanks!
Breeding is an individual thing...good ones, and not so good ones. I have a couple of Budgies-they are very young Brothers-granted, I have not had them long, but same thing as purebred cats, I suspect, there are good breeders and bad ones, it seems as if you hit an unlucky streak and are judging them as a whole based on that, which seems unfair-plenty of people have very good experiences with them, mine are as chipper as I could possibly imagine them to be.
Unless you’re breeding an English budgie from an Australian budgie that you just got wild caught (good genetics), and you’re incredibly specific of which birds you selectively breed to make them large and fluffy, they’re going to have issues of some sort. Almost every english budgie is a product of inbreeding. Yes, some have less issues than others, like Felipe for example is the healthiest English budgie I’ve ever seen (and I’m saying that as someone who has encountered many at my job) but he still has health issues. The ones I’ve encountered at my work have had tumors, issues standing straight, neurological issues, every single one of them has had a tail bob and struggles breathing. I should’ve specified that they can be produced humanely, but I have yet to see an example of a healthy English budgie. It’s also not an unlucky streak, I’ve met lots of breeders and I have experience with lots of English budgies- healthy English budgies are just an incredibly rare find. Please let me know if you know of anyone who has responsibly produced a healthy English budgie, I’d love to talk to them.
@@Finchsaviary Understood, and not in disagreement with much of that, probably! :) OK-I have Birman Cats, rather, had-I had a Mommy and Daughter, Mommy passed away last year, age. They pretty much always had problems, essentially the type issues you reference with the birds, resulting from the inbreeding necessary to make proper examples of the breed. In contrast, I actually have bred tarantulas several times, haha, still keep a nice sized collection. Seems like pretty much any form of selective breeding is frowned upon in that particular hobby, no "designer spiders", to keep all the sp. "pure"(plus, spiders usually won't mate outside their sp. anyway). I actually have high hopes of breeding Green Cheeks, I have what SHOULD be a mating pair, but my Budgies are Brothers, and tbh I hadn't thought so far ahead as to whether to try to breed them. Being willing and able to see other points of view than my own, I can totally buy that someone every now and again breeding in with a wild Australian, that has the time to spend with the birds for some extra taming, sounds like a wonderful idea. To reiterate tho, I really think I at least "got lucky" with mine, as they are as chipper as could be!
Hi! I'm not wishy-washy, just willing to listen, and pretty observant/vigilant, truly. It didn't take me long to notice my Guys kinda bobbing up and down some, in a normal standing position. Gut instinct(I'm an LPN, mostly in-home care, with Parents actively observing)tells me this might be a bit of an extra effort to breathe properly. Something probably working against me-I do live in one of the highest elevations in the eastern US, the air is noticably thinner here. I suppose I may have been out of line in the first place, me being uneducated on the Budgies, and also my own personal belief/knowledge of purebred animals in general-we have/had two Birman Girls, Mommy and Daughter, Mommy passed last year. They pretty much had at least minor health problems their whole lives, known issues, so it does frustrate me to a degree that they continue to produce them. Still yet-I am very happy to have my Budgies, they ARE a treat-I helped my Brother in Law with some wing clippings on his standard keets recently, and they don't even behave like the same species. Lol-how about Bourke's, are they "OK"? :P Getting a proven breeding pair Saturday, soooo excited!!! Mebbe the title threw me off, into defensive mode. Points taken, and understood, but the Budgies themselves aren't "terrible", they are..."terribly cute". "Breeding=Bad"-ah, for all I know, you are right, it kinda seems like it.
@@Poco48 it wouldn’t be the elevation that makes it hard for your English budgies to breathe, thats just genetics and personally, after seeing dozens of English budgies, I’ve never seen one that was without a tail bob. I do want to mention that personally I’m against wing clipping for a number of reasons, I don’t support parrot volancy (a content creator) for a number of reasons (transphobia, misogyny) but she wrote a really great site on some reasons clipping is bad for birds called parrotvolancy.com Bourke’s are amazing birds, just make sure you source them from a good breeder.
@@Finchsaviary Fair enough, on the clipping-right now, my kids are moving out of the house one by one, growing up, haha, and eventually I'll get a bird room-right now, they are in my regular "man nest"(haha), which is a bit crowded with stuff-clean/tidy, but crowded. Very large cage set up, very large playground. I do NOT like to keep my birds in their cages(they don't like it either!), and am fortunate to have a lot of time to accommodate that. Me being relatively new to the hobby, the clipping seemed to be an extra buffer for their safety in my room, and also for bonding purposes, I got all my birds very young. So oddly, I would say I actually agree with your general feelings on it, but I felt a need to compromise, under my current situation. I appreciate the responses, very much, nice to meet you.
thank you so much! this video has helped me understand my rescue budgie... I don't think she's "fully" an english budgie, but she looks like it a little bit, can't fly, has balance problems and is very insecure, now i understand it isn't her fault :(
My eng budgie lived to 9, at times he would wake up in the middle of the night screeching like he was being torchered, I thought he would have a heart attack, but never did. I notice he would breath heavy, but he was a talker and sweet.
The entire budgerigar stock outside Australia is inbred to a large extent, since the Australian government banned export of all of their wildlife in the 1890s. That's a long time for the small variety too! As for vets, they only see sick birds, and budgerigars are more commonly owned than the other parrot species. If any one is unsure about their birds, the most important things for their happiness and wellbeing are good food, fresh water, sanitation, flight time, and buddies. I hope all of your subscribers keep MORE than one budge!
Excellent video Emily, very well researched and presented. I fully agree. Is selective breeding of excessive mutation really necessary ? I am English, living in the UK. As I am now semi-retired I have time to set up and manage a budgie aviary. My research also raised concerns, so I had already decided to keep standard (Australian) budgies. However, this does mean my budgies will not be "show winners", as the British Budgie Society only recognizes the British Budgie in extreme form as a show-winning bird.
I just found a white-brown pigoen on my balcony and it's one of those breeds that can not fly even though it's wings are perfectly normal but it has very abnormal proportions for any bird like huge breast feathers that is preventing it from looking below. I look it up and it's like groganat pouter or something
I'm not sure where "English Budgies" come from but as a UK bird breeder I've had a lot of them that completely disprove this theory. Mine have always bred well and lived a long time. Any bird can be inbred if the parents were directly related but we have no shortage of them in the UK breeding well. Exhibition budgies that have heavy buff feathers can have trouble mating but it is more to do with insemination through thick feathers than a genetic problem, it is easily solved with a bit of trimming. Any animal not allowed to exercise will be unfit. I've never had birds with most of these issues. If an "English Budgie" is a term used for an exhibition type bird in the USA and these issues are genuine maybe the initial gene pool of those birds was compromised. This truly has me perplexed.
They’re just called “English budgies” in the US. They are definitely not as common as our smaller American parakeet (which is in every larger pet store), but there are many responsible breeders of the English parakeet. The truth is that parakeets and budgies are actually one and the same. The birds that we commonly call "parakeets" in the United States are known as budgerigars or budgies to the rest of the world. They are normally not inbred like any bird. And they have a different temperament than American budgies so some of these people are confusing their more relaxed nature at times for lethargy. But please don’t think that this woman represents any people in the US who have these types of English Budgies. I find nothing she says accurate. And I’ve had English budgies for 20 years.
I got a rescue budgie about 4 weeks ago and I notice he's not active and when he tries to fly, he hits the wall, slides down it, ends up behind furniture, etc... his tail also bobs. This week I've been babysitting a friend's budgie, and I notice his is much smaller than mine and mine has a larger head. The difference in their flying ability and temperament is very noticeable. It's so sad that mine can't jump around and play or fly like the other. I believe he must be an English budgie now that I see your video. I'll do my best to give him the best life possible, but he really just wants to remain in his cage all day. It's so sad.
Omg thank you for this video!!! I have a half-English budgie and he constantly has breathing issues when flying, he’ll sit there after flying around the room breathing heavily and it’s so stressful to watch :( Not to mention his feet are naturally twisted and he has to stand funnily! I thought it was just my bird but i didn’t know it had to do with his genetics
I was looking into buying and English Budgie but something made me curious to do research where this birds came from and when I seen that they come from inbreeding it was an instant no for me makes me sad how people can do this 😞
Most colour mutations and parrots in captivity are inbred to some extent. For example: most blue budgies have neurological issues of some sort because of this. English budgies are just especially inbred and have significantly more health issues than other birds in captivity.
Most selectively bred animals are like this, not just budgies. Like most dog and cat "pure breeds" have serious health problems ... pugs can barely breathe, still they remain one of the most popular dog breeds.
I have a 2 1/2 yr old English budgie and 2 regular parakeets. The English is less active than the other 2 but he is healthy and eats a lot-loves spinach and romaine and sweet potato leaves. He flies every day- all 3 of my budgies are out flying for most of each day!
I once had an english budgie, his name was Casper...i got him since he was small, and then he grew bigger and bigger but he was really at flying around the house.
I once had a highly respected AKC All Breed Judge tell me that an English Bulldog is a representation of EVERYTHING that is structurally wrong with a dog. Since the majority can't naturally breed or whelp their litters without human intervention, they would die out. Don't get me wrong, they're are CHARMING dogs and I can understand why people love them, but at who's expense??? The difference in size between the Japanese Akita and American version is insane, yet they are the same breed only ours have more health problems! Shar Pei and Chows suffer from skin infections in their wrinkles and usually have to get eyelid surgery all because we find all of those wrinkles irresistible. I don't understand why we humans have the need to pursue extremes when breeding PETS. In agriculture, they breed sheep with such heavy wool growth, they can barely walk. Same goes for milk cows with massive udders for higher milk yields. Yet, we do it to OUR PETS! For what??? Sorry this isn't specific to English Budgies, but I don't know enough about them to point specific reasons out, but it boils down to the same selfish human desires. Crawling off my soapbox now. It just frustrates me like crazy!
I had no idea they had bad genetics... I wont be getting anymore unless rescue. My big boy Ollie doesn't seem to be suffering but perhaps I can't see it.. That makes me so sad my baby could be suffering. Thank you for this video.
Many many years ago a friend had an English budgie. I had budgies growing up so I saw how his head was bigger and learned about the breed. I just figured he was maybe not well. I noticed he would fall over, stumble, not super active, but so sweet though. Watching this video it all makes sense now. Wow. I’m in the search for a budgie for my little girl and found an English budgie and so glad I found this video.
@@tangieee6592 If they breed than they do. I seriously doubt they will though . I love my English budgies. They are my babies , and you're wrong, animals were not only meant for food but for enjoyment. And for us to take care of. My English budgies bring me joy that's why I have them. I actually want a couple more English budgies. The only thing I don't like about this breed is that they don't live as long. .
I have what I believe to be an english or half-english budgie and can confirm that their tails bob just when resting and they do get short of breath really easily. Mine starts wheezing after two rounds around the room and that's after training for a year. I make up for it by making him fly shorter distances but more often so that he doesn't get fat. He was a gift from my parents so I couldn't really choose the bird, but now that I have him I plan on giving him the best life possible at least. Definitely think the breeding should be regulated at least, since it does so much bad for their health.
I am considering keeping/breeding budgies again after 50 years (my God I'm old when you say it like that!). I came across the term 'English Budgie'. It didnt exist 50 years ago, or if it did it meant something else. I was shocked to be honest. The birds look so unbelievably scruffy! (e.g. the standard was for a bird to have 3 distinct black spots on each cheek. Now?). You cant see their eyes anymore, not even the cere on some of them! To hear that they also have respiratory problems doesn't surprise me at all. I will be shopping around for what see to be called normal or Australian budgies!
I've seen half English and 3/4 English budgies before that are the same size as English budgies which makes them easier to handfeed as chicks with just as long beards and less pronounced head feathers and far less health conditions.
I've always thought that English Budgies all just have a very unhealthy look to them... like you can tell that their look is due to bad mutations. Poor birds.
wow i have parrotlets and parakeets i was told not to let them out together though because my parrotlets will attack anything that isnt their species???
I just got a English budgie 2 days ago and I’m going to the vet tomorrow! He can’t fly that well and also, he always falls from his perches and can’t seem to land where he wants to land :( I feel so bad!!
He’s probably not even sick! But I still want to make sure:( I have a another Australian budgie who is in great health and is super active hopefully she will help him out to learn to fly I guess
i feel so sorry for these poor birds, they are huge and people breed them to have ridiculous feathers that need to be trimmed constantly or they can't fly with their stupid feathers
Not true. They have been selectively bred for different features. Blue budgies bred for their blue color and English budgies bred to be large and fluffy, with big heads.
I once bred my budgies. It was so stressful for me and my birds. My budgie was a terrible father and killed 2 babies only 2 survived but they are gorgeous. I'm never breeding birds again. It was an accident 😬😬
my dads local pet shop sells english budgies and only english budgies and 2 of my birds are from there and one of my birds sadly stopped being able to grab perches or walk correctly we brought him to the vet and the only humane way was to put him down but were thinking it was from heart conditions
Humane way is only that your dad should stop that shop and stop breeding them people just care about their money they have breed them unnaturally and make them a man maded bird
Great video. I just brought one a few days ago. Question..... can he be alone or do I get a friend for him lol. Would a regular male Budgie be fine for his companion? Thanks
Can I keep budgie siblings together? I have a pregnant budgie right now- and i don’t plan on selling/giving them away.. can I still have all the siblings together in the same cage?
That’s a very extreme way to put it. Not a controlled extinction of the species but an extinction of the breed. The English budgies currently alive should obviously live out the rest of their natural lives but I believe we should discontinue breeding the specific breed, Australian budgies of course should be continuously bred. They make great pets for those willing to put in the effort.
You may see different genetic issues in certain colors, namely blue budgies, they often have minor neurological issues. Often hard to pick up on but once you see it you can’t unsee it.
I just bought another English Budgie. I loved my first who passed years ago. There are literally hundreds of thousands of English Budgies in the world today. Preaching about not purchasing one is not going to end their popularity. They are so loved for good reason. I’ve owned Both types. English are better pets in my opinion. They are much more affectionate and much easier to tame. Aussies are more aggressive. Plus I just melt at the cuteness of the English. I guess you will never own a Pug since many have the same argument about them! Guilt trips about purchasing an English is so silly! They are a gift from God to be enjoyed, appreciated and loved! There are also crazies out there who say any bird should not be bred domestically and kept as pets! So many silly judges out there!
@@Finchsaviary lol im sorry, I meant to ask what made you want to get yours ?what attracted you to buy one I like their big heads, but I guess now Iwont get one, Great video by the way.
@@Lexington-Felix I thought they were really cute and fluffy, and I liked that they were larger than Australian budgies, the only English budgies I’ll take in now will be rescues, so I don’t support the breeding :)
Overbreeding them gives them health problems... overbreeding any type of animal or bird will give them health issues. Overbreeding is inhumane more so than the breed itself.
My English budgie Gio can't fly that well and always ends up on the floor. It's painful to watch him struggle so much while trying to fly. Even though the cage doors are open all the time, he chooses to stay inside the cage by himself 95% of the time even while his little agile crested budgie friend is outside flying around everywhere and perching outside the cage.
But if breeders dont breed these birds how are these birds going to live forever so if they stop these birds will go extinct and then you will sit bored
I am not asking for people to stop breeding this species but the English budgie breed. English budgies are a breed of budgie. Australian budgies are fine.
Great vid Emily!! I really hope this information gets out into the bird community and prevents more breeding of these poor birds
Hiiii :] (also first comment lol)
Im a fam elle💕
Fan lol
I totally agree, I had budgies for years and only one of them was ever an English budgie but compared to the other budgies, he was very lethargic. I thought he had narcolepsy or something, he didn’t seem as smart or vocal as the other birds either. I thought maybe it was just his personality but in hindsight I totally realize why. One cute thing about him I remember is that he was boyfriend with my bird Lola, they never tried to mate or anything but every night they would fluff up next to each other and they were always together. I miss how fluffy they feel but I would never get another one unless they were an adoption.
You can tell how much you worked on this video! It’s really well made! Good job!!
Thank you!
I had the sweetest English budgie for only 3 yrs . He died from respiratory failure. He was tail bobbing from the day I got him at 8 weeks. It broke my heart when he passed away I was as close to him as any dog I had ever had .He was my constant companion. He also had a 200 word vocabulary and was a sweet companion for my Labrador . I would never get another one.
I suppose I’m one of the lucky owners. I got my English budgie at four months old from a breeder. After a month at his forever home, he started talking and I do my best to keep my bird healthy. He has no sign of any sickness and is always happy, always talking and playing. He is now 2 years old. His name is Louis Vuitton, and he’s an active and happy pure English Budgie.
Lucky you!!! I’ve only ever seen English budgies with really bad issues and I work with parrots professionally, so I’ve seen tons of them come in. I’ve seen English budgies with tumours, English budgies who have no diseases but are wheezing, English budgies with heart conditions,etc: Cross your fingers nothing comes up!!!
@@Finchsaviary Glad to have found your video so I can watch out for issues. So far, he’s happy, healthy and well bonded with me. I have him eat fruits and vegetables rather just seeds and keep his feathers clean. Thank you.
Good for you I have a budgie has had him for about 8 months and I love him to death he is also in good health and can talk and is very playful and active barely have him in the cage
Thank you, you are God sent! Just brought one home today. If I would have known I would not have got one. But, it maybe a blessing. Thank you for the tip about optics.
I do agree that English budgies have many different diseases and conditions. I would never support an abusive breeder who over breeds the poor birds. I did get two have English half standard budgies from my parrot breeder and rescue. The only reason why I did this was because they don’t over breed their birds but instead take very good care of them. Now my two budgies are perfectly healthy so they probably take more of the standard budgie, they both get vet visits and I make sure to take very good care of them because I am aware of the risks.
Ahh that's so heartbreaking. I really didn't know this. Thank you for sharing :)
Totally forgot to mention that English budgies also usually have heart conditions. Also when I said that the vets and Breeder said that she was “perfectly healthy” I was referring to diseases/illness. Bluebell is not healthy and absolutely has health issues that won’t go away.
Sadly, this is the case with many animal breeds that have been selectively bred by humans. Look at dog breeds, most of them have serious health problems. Pugs, bulldogs and Boston teriers can barely breathe, it's much worse during summer heat waves... still people breed them and buy them...
Poor breeding practice does happen. My parents aquired a small flock of English Budgies from from a good caretaker. They were healthy, active but did have a reduced lifespan. In recognition of this, some Non-English budgies were introduced and this had a good effect.
Domesticating for sake of making them docile may be questionable at best. But toying with physical attributes like size and shape is unacceptable since it may actually shorten the lifespan.
I have an English budgie and I noticed he had difficulty flying and breathing compared to my Australian budgie, but had no idea that this was because of the breeding and this affects all English budgies. I guess I’m one of the lucky ones for the most part he is a happy healthy bird. He can fly just not well or very long. I have an Australian budgie living with him and this has improved his activity and happiness. So happy this was brought to my attention because I had no idea
My English budgies were WONDERFUL boys, very healthy, sweet, and sang beautifully.
They were gorgeous and Good Boys.
I just brought an English Budgie today and I saw this video
Thank you so much for your video. I have just adopted 2 engilsh budgies because they came with a huge fight czfe for my four regular budgies. I knew nothing about them. It's been two weeks, and your video was very informative
Why isn't this talked about more? This is so inhumane to keep breeding these poor birds
For real!!! It’s crazy that no one talks about it!
Its because not all true. strong genetic english budgies will have no issue. Buy from reputable dealer, they woulnt breed any defect budgie
@@Mwhbmnabjms actually English budgies are a product of inbreeding and it’s almost entirely impossible to produce them without inbreeding. So this is a factual video.
Cause it’s not really true. She just got herself a shitty Eng-budgie
My English budgie (breeder didn’t specify it would be one). I thought she was sick also! Took her to a vet who said she had a respiratory illness. She went onto antibiotics in her water and she seemed better. Now I realise she was always fine to begin with. I also notice she gets saturated in the shower, the others the water glides off, mine is too heavy to fly. And when she does fly normally she’s soooo out of breath. But she’s the most amazing budgie I’ve ever had
Wow. I hadn't looked into this enough and was about to buy two English Budgies. I grew up with an Aussie parakeet and loved him but thought I'd try English for my next pet. You talked me out of it. I'll be going for Aussies. Great video. Thanks!
Breeding is an individual thing...good ones, and not so good ones.
I have a couple of Budgies-they are very young Brothers-granted, I have not had them long, but same thing as purebred cats, I suspect, there are good breeders and bad ones, it seems as if you hit an unlucky streak and are judging them as a whole based on that, which seems unfair-plenty of people have very good experiences with them, mine are as chipper as I could possibly imagine them to be.
Unless you’re breeding an English budgie from an Australian budgie that you just got wild caught (good genetics), and you’re incredibly specific of which birds you selectively breed to make them large and fluffy, they’re going to have issues of some sort. Almost every english budgie is a product of inbreeding. Yes, some have less issues than others, like Felipe for example is the healthiest English budgie I’ve ever seen (and I’m saying that as someone who has encountered many at my job) but he still has health issues. The ones I’ve encountered at my work have had tumors, issues standing straight, neurological issues, every single one of them has had a tail bob and struggles breathing. I should’ve specified that they can be produced humanely, but I have yet to see an example of a healthy English budgie. It’s also not an unlucky streak, I’ve met lots of breeders and I have experience with lots of English budgies- healthy English budgies are just an incredibly rare find. Please let me know if you know of anyone who has responsibly produced a healthy English budgie, I’d love to talk to them.
@@Finchsaviary Understood, and not in disagreement with much of that, probably! :) OK-I have Birman Cats, rather, had-I had a Mommy and Daughter, Mommy passed away last year, age. They pretty much always had problems, essentially the type issues you reference with the birds, resulting from the inbreeding necessary to make proper examples of the breed. In contrast, I actually have bred tarantulas several times, haha, still keep a nice sized collection. Seems like pretty much any form of selective breeding is frowned upon in that particular hobby, no "designer spiders", to keep all the sp. "pure"(plus, spiders usually won't mate outside their sp. anyway). I actually have high hopes of breeding Green Cheeks, I have what SHOULD be a mating pair, but my Budgies are Brothers, and tbh I hadn't thought so far ahead as to whether to try to breed them. Being willing and able to see other points of view than my own, I can totally buy that someone every now and again breeding in with a wild Australian, that has the time to spend with the birds for some extra taming, sounds like a wonderful idea. To reiterate tho, I really think I at least "got lucky" with mine, as they are as chipper as could be!
Hi! I'm not wishy-washy, just willing to listen, and pretty observant/vigilant, truly.
It didn't take me long to notice my Guys kinda bobbing up and down some, in a normal standing position.
Gut instinct(I'm an LPN, mostly in-home care, with Parents actively observing)tells me this might be a bit of an extra effort to breathe properly.
Something probably working against me-I do live in one of the highest elevations in the eastern US, the air is noticably thinner here.
I suppose I may have been out of line in the first place, me being uneducated on the Budgies, and also my own personal belief/knowledge of purebred animals in general-we have/had two Birman Girls, Mommy and Daughter, Mommy passed last year. They pretty much had at least minor health problems their whole lives, known issues, so it does frustrate me to a degree that they continue to produce them.
Still yet-I am very happy to have my Budgies, they ARE a treat-I helped my Brother in Law with some wing clippings on his standard keets recently, and they don't even behave like the same species.
Lol-how about Bourke's, are they "OK"? :P Getting a proven breeding pair Saturday, soooo excited!!!
Mebbe the title threw me off, into defensive mode. Points taken, and understood, but the Budgies themselves aren't "terrible", they are..."terribly cute". "Breeding=Bad"-ah, for all I know, you are right, it kinda seems like it.
@@Poco48 it wouldn’t be the elevation that makes it hard for your English budgies to breathe, thats just genetics and personally, after seeing dozens of English budgies, I’ve never seen one that was without a tail bob.
I do want to mention that personally I’m against wing clipping for a number of reasons, I don’t support parrot volancy (a content creator) for a number of reasons (transphobia, misogyny) but she wrote a really great site on some reasons clipping is bad for birds called parrotvolancy.com
Bourke’s are amazing birds, just make sure you source them from a good breeder.
@@Finchsaviary Fair enough, on the clipping-right now, my kids are moving out of the house one by one, growing up, haha, and eventually I'll get a bird room-right now, they are in my regular "man nest"(haha), which is a bit crowded with stuff-clean/tidy, but crowded. Very large cage set up, very large playground.
I do NOT like to keep my birds in their cages(they don't like it either!), and am fortunate to have a lot of time to accommodate that. Me being relatively new to the hobby, the clipping seemed to be an extra buffer for their safety in my room, and also for bonding purposes, I got all my birds very young.
So oddly, I would say I actually agree with your general feelings on it, but I felt a need to compromise, under my current situation.
I appreciate the responses, very much, nice to meet you.
thank you so much! this video has helped me understand my rescue budgie... I don't think she's "fully" an english budgie, but she looks like it a little bit, can't fly, has balance problems and is very insecure, now i understand it isn't her fault :(
My eng budgie lived to 9, at times he would wake up in the middle of the night screeching like he was being torchered, I thought he would have a heart attack, but never did. I notice he would breath heavy, but he was a talker and sweet.
Thanks for talking about this! People need info like this so thanks being one of the first to do this :)
The entire budgerigar stock outside Australia is inbred to a large extent, since the Australian government banned export of all of their wildlife in the 1890s. That's a long time for the small variety too!
As for vets, they only see sick birds, and budgerigars are more commonly owned than the other parrot species.
If any one is unsure about their birds, the most important things for their happiness and wellbeing are good food, fresh water, sanitation, flight time, and buddies. I hope all of your subscribers keep MORE than one budge!
Excellent video Emily, very well researched and presented. I fully agree.
Is selective breeding of excessive mutation really necessary ?
I am English, living in the UK. As I am now semi-retired I have time to set up and manage a budgie aviary.
My research also raised concerns, so I had already decided to keep standard (Australian) budgies.
However, this does mean my budgies will not be "show winners", as the British Budgie Society only
recognizes the British Budgie in extreme form as a show-winning bird.
this video was so helpful. Thank u so much. I got my 3 today unfortunately before waching this video but I realy love ure content❤😊
I just found a white-brown pigoen on my balcony and it's one of those breeds that can not fly even though it's wings are perfectly normal but it has very abnormal proportions for any bird like huge breast feathers that is preventing it from looking below. I look it up and it's like groganat pouter or something
Wow I knew something didn't feel right when I saw how they looked , thanks for the info
I saw an English budgie at the store the other day I was surprised on how big they were compared to the one I have at home
this is sooo helpful i struggled to find resources on why english budgies aren't great and this is very well curated :)
Thank you so much!!
I'm not sure where "English Budgies" come from but as a UK bird breeder I've had a lot of them that completely disprove this theory. Mine have always bred well and lived a long time. Any bird can be inbred if the parents were directly related but we have no shortage of them in the UK breeding well. Exhibition budgies that have heavy buff feathers can have trouble mating but it is more to do with insemination through thick feathers than a genetic problem, it is easily solved with a bit of trimming. Any animal not allowed to exercise will be unfit. I've never had birds with most of these issues. If an "English Budgie" is a term used for an exhibition type bird in the USA and these issues are genuine maybe the initial gene pool of those birds was compromised. This truly has me perplexed.
They’re just called “English budgies” in the US. They are definitely not as common as our smaller American parakeet (which is in every larger pet store), but there are many responsible breeders of the English parakeet. The truth is that parakeets and budgies are actually one and the same. The birds that we commonly call "parakeets" in the United States are known as budgerigars or budgies to the rest of the world.
They are normally not inbred like any bird. And they have a different temperament than American budgies so some of these people are confusing their more relaxed nature at times for lethargy. But please don’t think that this woman represents any people in the US who have these types of English Budgies. I find nothing she says accurate. And I’ve had English budgies for 20 years.
My Ricardo was 12 years when he died and tamed and a very good bird
I got a rescue budgie about 4 weeks ago and I notice he's not active and when he tries to fly, he hits the wall, slides down it, ends up behind furniture, etc... his tail also bobs. This week I've been babysitting a friend's budgie, and I notice his is much smaller than mine and mine has a larger head. The difference in their flying ability and temperament is very noticeable. It's so sad that mine can't jump around and play or fly like the other. I believe he must be an English budgie now that I see your video. I'll do my best to give him the best life possible, but he really just wants to remain in his cage all day. It's so sad.
Omg thank you for this video!!! I have a half-English budgie and he constantly has breathing issues when flying, he’ll sit there after flying around the room breathing heavily and it’s so stressful to watch :( Not to mention his feet are naturally twisted and he has to stand funnily! I thought it was just my bird but i didn’t know it had to do with his genetics
Omg! I LOVED mine...they were wonderful boys and they sang beautifully.
I totally agree.
Thank you for this info. I have 3 australian budgies❤️❤️❤️
I was looking into buying and English Budgie but something made me curious to do research where this birds came from and when I seen that they come from inbreeding it was an instant no for me makes me sad how people can do this 😞
Most colour mutations and parrots in captivity are inbred to some extent. For example: most blue budgies have neurological issues of some sort because of this. English budgies are just especially inbred and have significantly more health issues than other birds in captivity.
Most selectively bred animals are like this, not just budgies. Like most dog and cat "pure breeds" have serious health problems ... pugs can barely breathe, still they remain one of the most popular dog breeds.
I have a 2 1/2 yr old English budgie and 2 regular parakeets. The English is less active than the other 2 but he is healthy and eats a lot-loves spinach and romaine and sweet potato leaves. He flies every day- all 3 of my budgies are out flying for most of each day!
I once had an english budgie, his name was Casper...i got him since he was small, and then he grew bigger and bigger but he was really at flying around the house.
I once had a highly respected AKC All Breed Judge tell me that an English Bulldog is a representation of EVERYTHING that is structurally wrong with a dog. Since the majority can't naturally breed or whelp their litters without human intervention, they would die out. Don't get me wrong, they're are CHARMING dogs and I can understand why people love them, but at who's expense??? The difference in size between the Japanese Akita and American version is insane, yet they are the same breed only ours have more health problems! Shar Pei and Chows suffer from skin infections in their wrinkles and usually have to get eyelid surgery all because we find all of those wrinkles irresistible. I don't understand why we humans have the need to pursue extremes when breeding PETS. In agriculture, they breed sheep with such heavy wool growth, they can barely walk. Same goes for milk cows with massive udders for higher milk yields. Yet, we do it to OUR PETS! For what??? Sorry this isn't specific to English Budgies, but I don't know enough about them to point specific reasons out, but it boils down to the same selfish human desires. Crawling off my soapbox now. It just frustrates me like crazy!
I had no idea they had bad genetics... I wont be getting anymore unless rescue. My big boy Ollie doesn't seem to be suffering but perhaps I can't see it.. That makes me so sad my baby could be suffering. Thank you for this video.
why do you keep them if they are so bad
Many many years ago a friend had an English budgie. I had budgies growing up so I saw how his head was bigger and learned about the breed. I just figured he was maybe not well. I noticed he would fall over, stumble, not super active, but so sweet though. Watching this video it all makes sense now. Wow. I’m in the search for a budgie for my little girl and found an English budgie and so glad I found this video.
Very good and informative video! It's not a very well talked about thing and I didn't know any of this stuff until recently.
These vids are so good!
I AGREE! I’VE NEVER LIKED ENGLISH BUDGIES, ALWAYS THOUGHT THEY WERE INHUMANE AND BRED TO BE UNNECESSARILY EXAGGERATED
I have four I think they are beautiful i prefer them over normal budgies.
@@kellysuzanne976 but don,t breed them they are not for your happiness.they have their own lives
@@tangieee6592 If they breed than they do. I seriously doubt they will though . I love my English budgies. They are my babies , and you're wrong, animals were not only meant for food but for enjoyment. And for us to take care of. My English budgies bring me joy that's why I have them. I actually want a couple more English budgies. The only thing I don't like about this breed is that they don't live as long. .
I have what I believe to be an english or half-english budgie and can confirm that their tails bob just when resting and they do get short of breath really easily. Mine starts wheezing after two rounds around the room and that's after training for a year. I make up for it by making him fly shorter distances but more often so that he doesn't get fat. He was a gift from my parents so I couldn't really choose the bird, but now that I have him I plan on giving him the best life possible at least. Definitely think the breeding should be regulated at least, since it does so much bad for their health.
I am considering keeping/breeding budgies again after 50 years (my God I'm old when you say it like that!). I came across the term 'English Budgie'. It didnt exist 50 years ago, or if it did it meant something else. I was shocked to be honest. The birds look so unbelievably scruffy! (e.g. the standard was for a bird to have 3 distinct black spots on each cheek. Now?). You cant see their eyes anymore, not even the cere on some of them! To hear that they also have respiratory problems doesn't surprise me at all. I will be shopping around for what see to be called normal or Australian budgies!
I was going to buy one until I just saw your most informative video. And they are more expensive than regular budgies.
English Budgies -- the English Bulldogs of Parakeets.
Still have them when they last
I've seen half English and 3/4 English budgies before that are the same size as English budgies which makes them easier to handfeed as chicks with just as long beards and less pronounced head feathers and far less health conditions.
My bird has feathers in his eye but i usualy i take him out of the cage daily and and cut a bit and push feathers out of his eyes
I've always thought that English Budgies all just have a very unhealthy look to them... like you can tell that their look is due to bad mutations. Poor birds.
Look at my English budgie
This is so Interesting. Thank you so much.
i also have ghost a white budgie and a blue one like yours called sky :) i live in the uk :)
wow i have parrotlets and parakeets i was told not to let them out together though because my parrotlets will attack anything that isnt their species???
Yea Parrotlet’s are one of the most bird aggressive species.
I just got a English budgie 2 days ago and I’m going to the vet tomorrow! He can’t fly that well and also, he always falls from his perches and can’t seem to land where he wants to land :( I feel so bad!!
He’s probably not even sick! But I still want to make sure:( I have a another Australian budgie who is in great health and is super active hopefully she will help him out to learn to fly I guess
Great content but the music is louder than your voice.
i feel so sorry for these poor birds, they are huge and people breed them to have ridiculous feathers that need to be trimmed constantly or they can't fly with their stupid feathers
So I read somewhere every blue budgie has a high chance of being an English budgie because that's not their natural color, is that correct?
Not true. They have been selectively bred for different features. Blue budgies bred for their blue color and English budgies bred to be large and fluffy, with big heads.
I once bred my budgies.
It was so stressful for me and my birds. My budgie was a terrible father and killed 2 babies only 2 survived but they are gorgeous. I'm never breeding birds again. It was an accident 😬😬
Im not going to breed one but i would definitely give one a home with my Australian budgies.
my dads local pet shop sells english budgies and only english budgies and 2 of my birds are from there and one of my birds sadly stopped being able to grab perches or walk correctly we brought him to the vet and the only humane way was to put him down but were thinking it was from heart conditions
Humane way is only that your dad should stop that shop and stop breeding them people just care about their money they have breed them unnaturally and make them a man maded bird
These birds are inbred, poorly bred, neglected because of the health needs. Emily is awesome for making this.
Thank you!
Great video. I just brought one a few days ago. Question..... can he be alone or do I get a friend for him lol. Would a regular male Budgie be fine for his companion? Thanks
I would highly encourage keeping 2+ budgies. They do best in flocks of even numbers :)
Can I keep budgie siblings together? I have a pregnant budgie right now- and i don’t plan on selling/giving them away.. can I still have all the siblings together in the same cage?
Yes you can so long as any eggs are boiled.
@@FinchsaviaryThat's fucked up. You have no room to talk about inhumane treatment of birds.
So are you suggesting a controlled extinction of a species?
That’s a very extreme way to put it. Not a controlled extinction of the species but an extinction of the breed. The English budgies currently alive should obviously live out the rest of their natural lives but I believe we should discontinue breeding the specific breed, Australian budgies of course should be continuously bred. They make great pets for those willing to put in the effort.
I was going to buy an english budgie. You changed my mind. Are color variations in australian budgies ok? Or should I stick to just wild type?
You may see different genetic issues in certain colors, namely blue budgies, they often have minor neurological issues. Often hard to pick up on but once you see it you can’t unsee it.
So much information
I just bought another English Budgie. I loved my first who passed years ago. There are literally hundreds of thousands of English Budgies in the world today. Preaching about not purchasing one is not going to end their popularity. They are so loved for good reason. I’ve owned
Both types. English are better pets in my opinion. They are much more affectionate and much easier to tame. Aussies are more aggressive. Plus I just melt at the cuteness of the English. I guess you will never own a Pug since many have the same argument about them! Guilt trips about purchasing an English is so silly! They are a gift from God to be enjoyed, appreciated and loved! There are also crazies out there who say any bird should not be bred domestically and kept as pets! So many silly judges out there!
I doubt that "God" is sanctioning breeders to manipulate appearance over healthy function . . . .
They don't live long but I love English budgies .
I love them too! But I don’t feel like they should be bred
Great video, I appreciate how well you care for your birds
OMG 😲 I got 3of them AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO
What you want to get yours?
What do you mean?
@@Finchsaviary lol im sorry, I meant to ask what made you want to get yours ?what attracted you to buy one I like their big heads, but I guess now Iwont get one, Great video by the way.
@@Lexington-Felix I thought they were really cute and fluffy, and I liked that they were larger than Australian budgies, the only English budgies I’ll take in now will be rescues, so I don’t support the breeding :)
English budgies shouldn't be breeded any more
You don’t know what you are talking about. You are making assumptions from owning one bird😂.Stop spreading misinformation.
Overbreeding them gives them health problems... overbreeding any type of animal or bird will give them health issues. Overbreeding is inhumane more so than the breed itself.
They’re a product of inbreeding
😘🐥❤️👑💥👍
E'h,,, HERE GOEH-Z, Z; ZZzzzzzzzzz
You're BEYOND Right!!!
My English budgie Gio can't fly that well and always ends up on the floor. It's painful to watch him struggle so much while trying to fly. Even though the cage doors are open all the time, he chooses to stay inside the cage by himself 95% of the time even while his little agile crested budgie friend is outside flying around everywhere and perching outside the cage.
Dang... They're like the pugs of the bird world 😢💔 they should be banned worldwide & the breeders should be ashamed of themselves.
But if breeders dont breed these birds how are these birds going to live forever so if they stop these birds will go extinct and then you will sit bored
I am not asking for people to stop breeding this species but the English budgie breed. English budgies are a breed of budgie. Australian budgies are fine.