Neil - Owner, Paradise Pets Swindon 
From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has sold and kept budgerigars at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of first-hand experience with one of the UK’s most popular pet birds. A budgie with one eye closed is one of the more alarming things a new owner can see — and one … Read more
From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has sold and kept budgerigars at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of first-hand experience with one of the UK’s most popular pet birds. Budgie stretching is one of those behaviours that owners notice and then wonder about — is it normal, is it excessive, … Read more
From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has been keeping, breeding, and selling budgies at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of daily first-hand experience with these birds and the people who keep them. Wing spreading is one of those behaviours that owners ask about because they are not sure whether it … Read more
From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has been keeping, breeding, and selling budgies at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of daily first-hand experience with these birds and the people who keep them. Questions about specific foods come up at the counter every week. Cucumber is one of the most common. … Read more
Updated 24 September 2026: Clarified budgie head-bobbing behaviour and the limits of judging health from one behaviour. A budgie’s head movements need to be understood in context. Movement during an interaction, around food or while climbing does not have one fixed meaning. A head bob alone cannot tell you that your bird is happy, frightened, … Read more
Updated 24 September 2026: Replaced an unreliable appearance-based test and delayed-vet advice with veterinary signposting. If your budgie appears to be vomiting, call an avian vet promptly. You do not need to prove the cause before seeking help. Tell the practice what you have seen and follow its advice about how urgently the bird needs … Read more
From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has kept, bred, and sold budgies at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of first-hand experience with these birds. In that time, he has had hundreds of worried owners walk in clutching a budgie whose cere had changed colour overnight, convinced something was terribly wrong. … Read more
From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has kept, sold, and advised on cage and aviary birds at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of direct experience with birds of every kind. The question about exotic parrots comes up more often than people might expect, and the answer is always the same. … Read more
Safety correction, 24 September 2026: Revised the veterinary-contact advice and removed fixed waiting periods for concerning signs. Veterinary guidance on signs of illness in birds supports prompt professional assessment; breathing difficulty is an emergency. From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has kept, bred, and sold budgerigars at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over … Read more
From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has kept, bred, and sold budgerigars at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of first-hand experience with these birds. Wing flapping on the perch is one of the most frequently misread behaviours new budgie owners bring to the counter. In most cases, it is entirely … Read more