This forum is made available to the general public. All messages posted on these forums express the views of the respective author only. No one posting on the forums should be assumed a professional. This forum is intended to be used as a resource to guide you in discussions with your avian vet and the information presented here should not be used as the sole basis for the diagnosis, treatment or care of your budgie(s). Talk Budgies shall not be held responsible for the accuracy or validity of any posts made by any of its members and therefore cannot be held liable for any action taken, harm caused or loss as a result of the information posted on this website.

We respect your privacy. Any personal information requested from you will never be used, sold, or in any other way distributed to third parties. Both member and guest IP address are stored for the sole purpose of security and moderation. Your IP address is only available to administrators and will never be given out. In addition, your e-mail address is also stored on the website. Your e-mail address will be added to the Talk Budgies mail list automatically when you register, unless you choose otherwise. If you wish to unsubscribe from our mailing list, go to your User Control Panel, click on Edit Options, and uncheck the "Receive Email from Administrators" field. Also, you may wish to receive e-mails from other forum members. If you wish to enable this feature, check the "Receive Email from Other Members" field. Your e-mail address will never be given out, sold to, or distributed in any means to any third parties.

By using this website, you also agree to allow the administration access to edit your information, view your information (including private fields, but excluding passwords), and edit your posts made on the forums. In addition, the administration has access to view your Private Messages, should there be any reason to do so.

Remember to protect your own privacy. Because Talk Budgies is accessible to both members and non-members alike, it is important to protect yourself and your personal information. If you need to share information such as your email address, phone number and/or home address, please use the private messaging system. Contact information for veterinarian clinics or other businesses is okay to post directly in a forum post.

Please see our full privacy statement here.

We take great pride in our global and thriving community and welcome participation and feedback from all users of the Talk Budgies forum. Above all, we encourage you to have fun, get to know your community members, and enjoy all the forums have to offer. Talk Budgies is a friendly place with many knowledgeable and caring people so we’d love to see you join in and participate!

These guidelines apply to all forms of communication within Talk Budgies including the forums, private messages, profile messages, and the instant messaging system (i.e. FlashChat). They also apply to all communication with others on this site, be they administrators, moderators, long-standing members, or newly registered members.

Please take a few moments to familiarize yourself with the forum guidelines before using or participating on the forums. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact a staff member.

Be respectful of one another, their opinions and beliefs even though you may not agree with them.

We understand that discussions can sometimes evolve into heated debates where views differ. While it is completely acceptable to disagree with something that has been said, it is not acceptable to be discourteous, judgmental or accusatory while expressing your point of view.

Always be aware of what you say and how it might be interpreted by others.

Any time you respond to a post, remember that you are not only writing to the poster, but to everyone else on the forum. With that in mind, refrain from responding with any kind of language that shames, blames or disparages the poster. While it may feel good to you to “tell it like it is”, or use scare tactics to get your point across, people typically do not respond positively to these kinds of approaches and they only escalate the situation.

Avoid making defamatory statements.

It may seem like good, clean fun to ridicule or publicly criticize someone, whether they be a celebrity, a politician, a fellow forum member, or even a sibling. However, it is your responsibility to make honest statements of opinion that are based on fact, and are not malicious. Defamatory comments are not acceptable and will be removed.

If you feel that any thread or post is offensive or is in any way abusive, please report it so that staff is made aware of it. To do this, simply click the “Report Post” button located at the top right of the post. Remember that staff cannot be on the site at all times, so your help is greatly appreciated.

Spam, Trolls and Flames are not tolerated on Talk Budgies.

Any member who deliberately engages in spamming, trolling or flaming is not welcome on Talk Budgies and a permanent ban is typically appropriate in these cases.

Please notify staff as soon as possible if you notice or suspect spam, flaming or trolling by using the "Report Post" icon or creating a message in the "Contact the Staff" forum.

Trolling is when someone tries to provoke negative reactions from others by making controversial or troublesome posts. If you suspect someone is trolling, it is best to not respond, hence the expression “do not feed the trolls”.

Be aware of copyright.

We love all the sharing that takes place between community members on Talk Budgies and you may come across a great article, video or picture that you wish to post for others to see. Before you do, please be aware that this may violate copyright. Posting anything that does not belong to you, whether it be text that you copied and pasted from an article, or a photo/video from a website posted without permission or citing the source, may be a copyright violation.

Be careful how you choose to share information.

The best way to share articles, websites, photos or videos that are not your own is by posting web links to the original sources of those materials. For materials such as articles or information from websites, posting short snippets is usually okay. Better yet, create a summary in your own words and then give credit to the original source of the information.

If material you post is suspected of infringing copyright, staff will place your post into moderation so that it is hidden from view. During that time, staff may ask that you obtain permission from the original source. Alternatively, you may be asked to reword or summarize the material into your own words while making sure you also cite the source of the information, particularly in cases where permission has not been granted.

If you suspect that a post infringes copyright, please notify the staff by using the "Report Post" icon or by creating a message in the "Contact the Staff" forum.

Please do not post anything with birds in potentially unsafe conditions.

While opinions differ on what is considered safe and unsafe for birds, we do not permit the posting of photos, videos or links to sites showing birds with natural predators, including other pets (e.g. dogs, cats etc.) or showing birds outdoors without a harness or without the protection of a secured cage.

Please do not post violence-related pictures or videos.

While we want to do what we can to help promote the well-being of animals in general (not just birds), we like to ensure that the content of Talk Budgies is as safe and friendly as possible to its members. Please do not post photos, videos or links to websites of animals being abused or attacked in a non-natural habitat as they can be upsetting to our members.

Posts containing photos, videos or links showing birds or other animals in unsafe conditions will be edited by staff (if it is possible to do so) or put into moderation so that they are hidden from view. Staff will then contact the poster.

If you see any posts containing any animal in an unsafe condition, please use the "Report Post" button so that staff is notified.

Know how you can share your business with others.

We recognize that we have many members who have personal hobbies/businesses in selling birds and bird-related items or in rehoming birds. Only members in good standing may post a link to a personal business or rehoming website in signatures and/or within the forums. A member in good standing means you are an active participant in topics other than solely your business, who also abides by the terms of use of the site and the site guidelines.

Use “buyer beware” when buying or trading anything with other forum members.

Talk Budgies does not endorse any stores or businesses with the exception of our official Talk Budgies Store, so please use a "buyer beware" approach and do your research before making arrangements to buy or trade anything. Talk Budgies is not responsible for transactions that occur outside of the official Talk Budgies Store.

Recruiting Talk Budgies members to other budgie forums is not permitted.

We know that Talk Budgies is not the only budgie forum available, and that many of our members choose to also be members of those other forums. Members are free to join any forum of their choosing however, we ask that you do not engage in the recruitment of our members to other budgie forums.

Keep topics non-controversial and light-hearted.

Our Chit-Chat has been created as a place where members can relax and discuss things other than their birds. Because we have visitors to our site from all over the world and from a variety of age groups, backgrounds, and ethnicities, we ask that this forum be kept to non-controversial, lighthearted subjects. Topics such as religion, politics and personal problems should be brought up elsewhere and discussed privately.

We work very hard at keeping Talk Budgies safe and friendly for everyone. In keeping with the aims of our website, sometimes staff will need to close or hide threads, mediate disputes, issue warnings or formal infractions through the system, contact members via private message or post moderator warnings within threads to keep the forum running smoothly.

Staff members will use their discretion in determining the course of action that is appropriate when forum guidelines are being disregarded.

Every attempt is made to be fair and consistent when handling member issues however each situation is assessed on an individual basis as there are a variety of factors that come into play.

Continued problems with a member may result in a temporary or permanent ban.

The administration reserves the right to search any member's profile information, posting history, private messages, chat logs or any other forum-based information should they deem it appropriate.

In order to make the browsing experience a more enjoyable one for all members and guests, we have implemented signature guidelines. Please make sure your signature fits within the guidelines below.

• Signature Image Limit: 300x150, 60 KB (unchanged)
• Max Characters in Signature: 10000 (5000 not including markup)
• Max Number of Lines in Signature: 3
• Max Number of Images in Signature: 3
• Can Have Custom Title: No
• Can Have Links in Signature/Posts: No
• Can Join Social Groups: Yes
• Can Create Social Groups: No
• Can Tag Own Threads: Yes
• Can Tag Others' Threads: No
• Can Delete Tags on Own Threads: No
• Can Customize Profile: No

• Signature Image Limit: 300x150, 60 KB (unchanged)
• Max Characters in Signature: 10000 (5000 not including markup)
• Max Number of Lines in Signature: 3
• Max Number of Images in Signature: 3
• Can Have Custom Title: No
• Can Have Links in Signature: Yes
• Can Join Social Groups: Yes
• Can Create Social Groups: Yes
• Can Tag Own Threads: Yes
• Can Tag Others' Threads: No
• Can Delete Tags on Own Threads: No
• Can Customize Profile: Yes

• Signature Image Limit: 400x250, 60 KB
• Max Characters in Signature: 10000 (5000 not including markup)
• Max Number of Lines in Signature: 5
• Max Number of Images in Signature: 3
• Can Have Custom Title: No
• Can Have Links in Signature: Yes
• Can Join Social Groups: Yes
• Can Create Social Groups: Yes
• Can Tag Own Threads: Yes
• Can Tag Others' Threads: Yes
• Can Delete Tags on Own Threads: Yes
• Can Customize Profile: Yes

• Signature Image Limit: 500x350, 60 KB
• Max Characters in Signature: 10000 (5000 not including markup)
• Max Number of Lines in Signature: 5
• Max Number of Images in Signature: 3
• Can Have Custom Title: Yes
• Can Have Links in Signature: Yes
• Can Join Social Groups: Yes
• Can Create Social Groups: Yes
• Can Tag Own Threads: Yes
• Can Tag Others' Threads: Yes
• Can Delete Tags on Own Threads: Yes
• Can Customize Profile: Yes

• Signature Image Limit: 500x350, 60 KB
• Max Characters in Signature: 10000 (5000 not including markup)
• Max Number of Lines in Signature: 5
• Max Number of Images in Signature: 5
• Can Have Custom Title: Yes
• Can Have Links in Signature: Yes
• Can Join Social Groups: Yes
• Can Create Social Groups: Yes
• Can Tag Own Threads: Yes
• Can Tag Others' Threads: Yes
• Can Delete Tags on Own Threads: Yes
• Can Customize Profile: Yes

If your signature does not fit the guidelines for your current post status, we will contact you via Private Message (PM) to let you know. If needed, we can help you resize it as well.

If you have any questions about these guidelines, or are unsure if your signature is the correct size for your post count, please send a PM to a moderator or an administrator.

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The information provided below is for your reference. These are not "rules" or "guidelines." They are our policies and reflect how we deal with different situations that may arise. Please take a few moments to read them over. If you have any questions or concerns, please send a Private Message or email to an administrator.

• Account Deletion:It is not our practice to delete member accounts, even when requested. Any exceptions must be approved by an administrator. Accounts are "soft deleted." What this means is, the account is moved into a deleted users usergroup. When this happens, the profile for the account is disabled so that no one can view it. The postbit, which appears above the post, is replaced with Deleted User. In addition, the Karma and Quote buttons, which reveal the username, are removed. For your convenience, the option to receive e-mails from administrators is turned off when you are part of this usergroup. All of this in effect makes the account anonymous. Posts are not deleted to keep the threads intact. Should you choose to return, just let us know and we will restore your account.



• Staff Selection: From time to time, we need to add more members to our staff. While we appreciate enthusiasm to help out the website, please do not request to join the staff. When the time comes we need another staff member, we will contact potential candidates. We look for active members who are positive role models for others. This means following the forum guidelines, typing legibly, providing quality posts, and being supportive to our members etc. Having knowledge in budgies is an asset, but not a requirement. If we feel you are a good candidate for a staff position, we will contact you via Private Message.



• Thread Closure: It is sometimes necessary to close threads, for example, when it gets overly heated, or when requested by the original poster. If any of your threads are closed and you are unsure why, please feel free to contact a staff member. Staff reserve the right to close any thread at their discretion, with or without prior warning. Thread starters also reserve the right to request their thread be closed at any time. All you need to do is contact any super moderator or administrator to let us know which thread.



• Post Deletion: Staff reserve the right to delete/hide any post that does not follow our forum guidelines. A post that attacks another member, contains inappropriate content (including links, pictures, etc.), contains a link to a competing website, violates forum guidelines, or any other reason at the staff member's discretion, may be deleted/hidden. Staff will typically contact you if any of your posts are deleted/hidden to let you know which post and why.



• Post Edit:Staff may edit any post if it does not adhere to our forum guidelines. Typically, staff will let you know if any of your posts have been edited, either via PM or by posting a comment in the "Edited by" field.



• Account Bans: Accounts can be banned with or without prior warning(s). If your account is banned, you will not be able to access the website. Instead, you will simply see a message stating the reason for your ban. If the ban is not permanent, you will be given an unban date and time. Attempting to bypass a ban by creating another account will not be tolerated, and will result in an IP address ban. If your ban is not permanent, your account will be unbanned on or about the date you are scheduled to be unbanned. Should you choose to return to our community at this point, you will be watched on a zero-tolerance policy. This means that the staff will give zero tolerance toward you. At the staff's discretion, you may be rebanned (possibly permanently) without prior warning. Warnings may or may not be given for bad behavior. Once a ban is made permanent, it will not be undone.



• Username Changes: You may request to have your username changed. Just send a PM to an administrator. Of course, please provide the new username. Make sure the name you want is not currently in use.



• Staff Decisions: All decisions made by the staff are at the staff member's sole discretion. All decisions are final, unless overruled by an administrator. Staff have the right to take action (ban, warning, etc.) against any member should the need arise. A member need not break a forum "rule" to have action taken against them. The owner reserves the right to restrict access to the website from anyone, for any reason.



• Inactive Accounts: We will periodically scan for inactive accounts. An account is inactive if it has not visited the site in a specified amount of time. This amount of time is never less than 60 days. If your account has posts to it, no action will be taken. However, if your account contains 0 posts, it will be moved to an inactive users usergroup. Once in this group, it will no longer appear on the member list. All other features of the account will remain the same. When you return, your account may still remain in this group. If this happens, you must contact an administrator to have it removed from the inactive users group. This is done to unclutter the member list.



• Inactive Accounts (E-mail Reminders): If your account is inactive (whether in the inactive users usergroup or not) for 30 days, you will be sent a reminder e-mail once per month asking you if you wish to come back. If you never want to receive this e-mail, just turn off the Receive Email from Administrators option.



• Contact Us Form: For everyone's convenience, a contact us form is in place. You can find the link to the form at the bottom of any page. When you use this form, please be as specific as possible. Also, be sure to select the appropriate subject heading. If none of the default subjects apply to your message, please check "Other" and fill in the subject specific to your message. This will aid in a faster response. If you're logged out for whatever reason, please provide your username. We do not know who you are if your username is not provided. Thus, your message will be ignored if you are logged out and you do not provide a username. Of course, if you are a guest, this does not apply. Finally, do not use the contact us form for budgie-related questions. These messages will be ignored. The contact us form is for site-related issues only.



• "Open Door" Policy: The staff at Talk Budgies employ an "open door" policy. This means you are free to contact the staff at any time. If there is ever a question or concern related to your account, the website, another member, etc., please contact us via PM. This includes questions regarding staff actions related to your account (infractions, thread closures, etc.). It is advised you contact the staff member who performed the action. However, if you do not wish to speak directly to them, you may contact an administrator. Any site-related issues should be sent to Dave. In addition, any account-related issues, such as user name change or karma adjustment, should be directed to an administrator. In any case, the staff will work with you and communicate with you to settle any problems you may have. Please note that this does not entitle you to contact the staff with budgie-related questions. This is against forum rules (to contact any member, including staff, via PM/e-mail with budgie-related questions).