Budgies—or parakeets, as you probably know them—are warm-weather birds. They're more at home in the sticky Florida weather than they would be in a Wisconsin winter. To prevent your feathered friend from becoming a birdsicle, you need to make sure the cage is warm at all times.
Step 1
Set the cage in a place away from drafts. Sure, windows are fun—they allow your budgie to get some sun and a great view of the outdoors, but if there's cold wind coming in through the seams, things can get chilly rather quickly.
Step 2
Get a bird-safe heat lamp. Yes, there's such a thing, though you might need to find a large pet store or farm products supplier to get your hands on one. These infrared heating lamps or panels never get scorching hot, so there's no fire hazard and no risk of overheating your feathered friend.
Step 3
Buy a warm-mist air humidifier to turn your home into the equivalent of a sticky tropical rain forest. That doesn't sound too tempting? Move the cage to a room where Birdie can get the tropics and you won't have to suffer in the process. Humidity not only keeps the cage warm, but also helps prevent dander and dry skin. Can't afford a humidifier right now? Old-fashioned tricks, like placing damp towels on top of your radiator, will also increase the humidity of the room.
Step 4
Cover the cage with a fleece blanket at night. Move the cage away from windows first, as glass gets cold when the temperature goes down. Make sure the blanket is big enough that it completely covers the cage, so there's no draft of cold air getting in.
