New Budgies not eating

Question
I have just bought a pair of budgies from one of my friend's petshop. The owner tells me that these are young budgies going into adult so they already have molted their young feathers. They are very shy. The first day, when i stuck my hand in to put stuff in, they were relatively calm but wary. However, I they don't seem like they are eating. Is this a sign of stress? What can I do to help? I'm very new at bird keeping. I haven't begun hand-taming them and I thought it best to wait a week or so. I'm just kinda worried about the eating [this report was done the day after I bought them]

Thanks in advanced,
karen.  

Answer
Hi, Karen.  Thanks for posting.

If these budgies weren't handfed (hand tamed) as babies and are nearly adults, they are most likely just very stressed from being moved to a new environment.  It's not unusual for parrots who have just moved to not eat for a day or so.  They are scared, not sure what's going on, etc.  You need to give them some time.  However, they should feel the need to eat within a day or two.  If you have changed them to a different diet than they are used to, they may not eat.  I'd recommend ensuring you feed the same diet they had been on at their other home.  There isn't much you can do except ensure they have food and fresh water in the cage.  Normally, parrots won't let themselves starve to death if there's food in the cage, so I believe it's just the stress of being moved.  Budgies LOVE spray millet, so you might want to buy some of this at the pet store just to ensure they eat something.  If they are eating and you are feeding seed, you should see seed hulls in the feed dish and/or on the bottom of the cage (or on your floor/carpet!).  Parrots hull everything they eat.  

Depending on the individual bird and age, it could take days/weeks/months for them to feel comfortable in their new surroundings.  Give them some space and time and I'm sure they'll come around OK.  

Just to try and help you with their ages, parrots molt twice their first year...usually around 6 months old and again at 12 months of age.  After their first year, they molt once per year.  If your budgies have only molted once, they are under 1 year of age.  If they molt only once per year, they are over 1 year of age.

Come back if you need to.  Thanks.

Chrys