The dramatic death scene my caique performs daily

Every evening, Oliver flips upside down in my hand, goes completely limp, and closes their eyes. The first time they did this I PANICKED and almost called the emergency vet. Turns out they just... like being held upside down? African Grey are so weird. Does your bird have a weird quirk?

Great question! So in my experience with budgie, this usually comes down to a few things. First, switching to stainless steel water bowls and changing water twice daily. Second, make sure they're getting enough sleep — 12 hours of uninterrupted dark sleep is crucial. And third, pay attention to boredom from lack of enrichment and mental stimulation because that was a huge factor for my Pistachio. Hope that helps!

Bookmarking this thread! So much great info. This is why I keep coming back to this forum.

I'd suggest trying adding a full-spectrum Arcadia UV light near the cage. My avian vet recommended it and it made a huge difference.

Oh man, this brings back memories. When we were dealing with this with Lucky, I thought we'd never get through it. Now it's just a funny memory. It gets better, I promise.

I'd suggest trying playing music during the day — my bird loves calm acoustic guitar. My avian vet recommended it and it made a huge difference.

If you're near Pickering, PetSmart on Dixie Rd actually has a decent bird section. Better than most locations.