Barrie Shutt is a Budgie breeder in the UK & he just set up his own web site so i thought if you want to see some quality Show Budgies drop into his site.

Budgerigars by Barrie Shutt ::

When i checked out his page on his breeding rooms i was laughing at his photo of the poor wee building that he once started out with - it was 'very' rustic.

wow thank you for that link, those budgies are just beautiful and MASSIVE in size. I have always liked the look of the english budgies but i've been told that the really huge birds can be somewhat lethargic especially in comparison to the american budgies, not sure if it's true or not though. I love all the different colors in them and think the lutino's especially are stunning.

From everything i've seen on his site & on another Budgie forum - lethargy never comes up.

I have to admit that in time i may try out some. Much as i love all Parrots - the Budgie is proving to be the bird for me.

Awesome, thanks for the link! Barrie's budgies are very nice.

From my experience with Winston, he's not lethargic, he's very active and cheerful. Jerry is a bit more high strung, but I wonder how much of that is individual personality.

Thanks for the feedback on their activity level, i've heard a few people say they are so laidback they are to the point of being almost lethargic but i'm so glad to read that it's not the case. I just think they are beautiful birds with their heavy stature and beautiful big heads and bodies, just stunning! I would love to have one as pet someday as they are just amazing.

I think the English budgie is my favorite of all birds to look at. I absolutely love the way they look. As far as lethargy goes, my American budgie is far more lethargic than my English. I would describe my English as feisty, but of course he might be the exception.

That's interesting about Sugar being more lethargic than Spice - I hear that English budgies are less active, but I wonder how much of that is a myth. Winston doesn't seem to be inactive, but then again he is usually persuaded by a hyper Jerry When they are in their cages though, Winston is less active than Jerry in his cage. Jerry bounces all around, swings all the way around on the his perches and rings all his bells. Winston doesn't move as much in his cage, but I'm still trying out different cage arrangements - I haven't found the best one yet. And he's not nearly as into his toys like Jerry is, but I think that much of his behavior is due to his past.

Laker isn't into toys either. Winston has his own issues with his feet - so i can't see him going upside down! Laker doesn't do upside down either & he has no issues with his feet. Rio has no such trouble.

Again i think it is all to do with the advantages they have when young. How really different are the little Budgie & other small parrots from the larger ones???? Deprived of opportunities when they are babies - like children- they will always have a handicap from some development that they missed at critical opportunity of development.

When i had my child i read tons about child development & tried to offer him as much opportunity as i could based on current ideas. Has anyone ever seen the shows on 'wild' children - or children isolated thru the early years? They can learn words but they never can put them together to talk in sentences - so terrible - the basic growth of the brain thru experiences both physical & mental.

I met a really fabulous woman who had 3 normal kids & her 4th would have been normal too but for lack of air in the birthing. The doctors told her that the girl would be like a vegetable all her life - even unable to sit up. She worked her child's limbs & talked to her & took her everywhere. She strapped her feet to the tricycle peddles & pushed her up & down their driveway. They came to Canada from S. Africa because here we have medical opportunities they didn't at the time. Today their girl is working full time as a secretary, takes transit by herself & is a beauty - now how could she if her mind & physical abilities were so 'unsaveable'? Of course she lives in an apt in her parent's home - boyfriend included. Her mother has founded a small school for these children.

I think you're very right about the physical and social aspects being deprived if they weren't given opportunities to flourish. And yes, Winston and his adorable big gray feet probably won't be as agile as Jerry's - but ohhhhh, I've forgotten to update about something - I don't want to hijack the thread, I'll start a new one.

That's an amazing story about the South African woman and her daughter, truly amazing.

Different budgies have different levels of activity. We have lazy perch potatoes that just eat and sing, and we have crazy missiles that have ants in the pants.