I always loved animals. I grew up with 9 cats! Sure, they were stray and used to hang out near my door..But I treated them like royalty. My parents wouldn't allow pets at home. But after I entered 8th grade, my dad got me 4 adorable budgies on my birthday! But after 4 wonderful years with them, my mom gave them away to her landlord (He loves pets as well and takes care of them amazingly well too). She did that because we were shifting and she didn't want to take the birds along to a new home. I was heartbroken. No one's life is perfect and we all don't get what we want. Anyway I don't want to make you sad with this story. Coming to the part where I finally adopted my sweet friends..
I had just entered Professional College. I really wanted to have pets at home. Knowing mom, she wouldn't allow cats or dogs. I visited a pet market near my home. There, I saw these really cute and adorable Budgies all crammed up in a sorry state! I had done all my research from talkbudgies.com and knew what to look out for. But I wasn't prepared on witnessing this! Animals weren't maintained well at the market. I bought a few birds, a cage and bird food from there. After cleaning up the cage with vinegar, I let the birds enter their cage. I added lots of vegetables to their feeding bowl regularly, but they didn't take interest in it at all! However they loved coriander leave and gleefully munched and bathed in it whenever I provided it to them. I then began adding their favorite seeds to the veggie mix and voila! They all munched on the veggies too! It became their favorite meal and I started giving it to them more often. What I hadn't anticipated was that they wouldn't know how to fly. One day, after carefully scrutinizing their behavior and mood, I concluded that they're finally comfortable enough to fly out. I opened the cage door. They refused to come out. I then put my finger in, in the hopes that my favorite budgie steps on it like he usually does. He wasn't very keen on stepping up that day. I opened the cage door a couple of times that week (Of-course making sure that the room was bird proof before they come out), and one day one bird flew out by mistake! But he looked shocked! He tried flapping his wings, but crash landed on the floor. I was confused. It then hit me that they're probably bought from Bird Mills and sent directly to markets where they had no space whatsoever to open their wings or exercise. I was heartbroken when I realized that my birds haven't even had their first flight! I then encourage them to come out by luring them with their favorite coriander leaves. At first they just hung around their cage or higher surfaces. I covered my floor with carpet so that they don't hurt themselves when they fell down unable to fly. Soon..very very soon...they started flying better. And one day they flew around really fast and I was so overjoyed that they're enjoying themselves and doing what they're good at..flying high and chirping away gleefully. My research on keeping them happy and healthy never stops. It's one of my favorite activities of the day. Soon I bought a few Cockatiels as well. And I got two aviaries custom-made for my little babies! So that they can exercise inside it as well. On a completely different note, I've started eating healthier as well because of these cuties.
Here's a glimpse of what I eat now:

 Since they try to nibble on whatever I have in my plate when they're out partying in my room.
'Me' time is not just 'Me' time anymore! Since I work all day and most of the evening, I come home late at night, but when I do make time for myself, it's never just me making time for myself, it's me making time for the 'Birds & Me'! We almost do everything together. Watch movies/tv shows, play games, read... I'm blessed to have these cute babies with such wonderful personalities in my life!
So folk's, their story is still being written (with the prettiest bird feather that my tiel molted off weeks ago..Just Kidding!)..and they're happy, gleeful, moody, funny, sooo adorable and cute all the time!! Comment below to share your companion's story.

I sprinkled some of the crushed eggshells on my little cuties brunch today. As you can see, brunch mostly consisted of carrots, crushed eggshells, coriander leaves, corn, sesame seeds and a little bit of chia seeds. And yes, that tall stem thing you see below, is a bunch of coriander stems with their root! My birds love munching on the root!!!

Yes, this is how Fiona sleeps when she is out playing. Its adorable and I think she feels comfy to just lie down. Dont worry guys, she perfectly healthy!

Aah... baby Orihime! Look at this adorable little cutie!

My birdies jumped in happily when they saw their favorite corn mixed in with their brunch. They sure love their corn!!

Today's brunch consisted of sprouts, coriander leaves, corn, green peas, sesame & chia seeds (sprinkled) and some green lettuce.

What veggies do your birds like?

My birds go nuts for nuts (the cockatiels LOVE cashew-nuts!!), corn, wet coriander leaves and its roots (You have to wash the roots well since its usually covered in dirt and soil). I add cashew-nuts to my cockatiels feeding bowl twice a week. I also throw in almonds. But they aren't fond of it.

I'll be discussing what treats my birds love in this post.
Apart from the regular greens, (and dry fruits for the cockatiels), my birds go nuts for Honey-Treats!
They love the Prestige Sticks by Versele Laga. They love it so much that they finish it, seconds from it being hung inside the cage. Kinda reminds me of how Piranhas eat flesh. It disappers in seconds too!

I then started making my own version of the Honey_sticks & they were a hit as well! All you need is their favorite seeds, pieces of fruits/veggies/dry fruits, egg white & honey (of course!) all amalgamated into one mixture and shaped into whichever shape you wish it to form. I added Popsicle Sticks so that it hardens around it and supports the treat. Anyway, I microwaved this mixture for a few minutes and Voila! You have your Home-Made Honey Treats! You can add a variety of stuff to it and it won't even burn a hole in your pocket! Plus you get to control what is added to the treat and the amount of the ingredient added as well.

I'll probably make these again next week. Will post pictures!! Good Night Everybody! 

These are the supplements that I provide my birds. I don't give it to them regularly, but only when its absolutely necessary. For example, I  give my birds the Calcium Supplements only when they're in the breeding mood and lay eggs...

 I don't breed them, but I just cant watch them deplete off their body calcium levels like that. Its harmful since without an external supply of calcium, they're using the Calcium present in their bones to produce the egg. We don't want them to use that. But of course,

 I always make sure that there's cuttlebone (A natural source of Calcium. It also helps trim their beaks and keep them in shape! We don't have to worry about them not-using. They use it only when they feel they have to. Its like getting a hair cut for us..we will get our hair trimmed every few months because we want to maintain it. Similarly, birds use the cuttlebone when they feel they need it.

I give my birds Calci-Lux from Versele Laga (Oropharma), when they're trying to breed.

 I give them Omni-Vit, when they're feeling a little under the weather. Omni-Vit is packed with multi-vitamins and you should give it to them when they're low on defense..from the inside I mean.

This supplement furnishes them with the energy that they need and they get better soon too. I personally love Versele Laga. My birds love the Seed-Mixes, Treats of this brand as well. Let me know what supplements you provide your birds. Mind you, supplements are no substitute for medicines when birds are ill.
Ill be preparing Crushed Eggshells for them this weekend...I will be using this instead of Calci_lux.
Ill write about that as well this weekend!
Have a Good Day and I hope your birds are as healthy and active as our super charged up gym trainers! 

I serve this to my little darlings most of the time...and I make sure they exercise well too ...
no one likes a fatty tumour on our precious little ones now do we!
Here's what I offer them...

As you'll can see...
I've soaked the lentils and sprouts...I boiled and offered only the sprouted seeds to my birds...
I offer them a mix of different sprouts,carrots,broccoli,corriander leaves,kale,spinach,wheat,lentils,sunflower seed sprouts,chia seeds garnished on top...they also love sesame seeds in their sprouts...

Ofcourse always sprout and boil and offer that to your birds..never serve this raw or else they will get an upset tummy or even worse.

I like spicing things up and offer different things to them...their daily surprise!and they absolutely love it...