How Five Budgies Changed Everything

Before Little Beaks existed, there was a single cage, a curious blue budgie, and an eight-year-old learning as she went.

This is the story of the childhood budgies who unknowingly shaped a lifetime—and helped spark the beginnings of our bird sanctuary.

Bubbles

Our first budgie was Bubbles.

Bright blue, full of opinions, and absolutely obsessed with stealing bites of cheese toasties (which we now know are definitely not bird-safe).

She loved attacking pens while we were writing and zooming around the house after finally being shown how to come out of her cage. At first, I was terrified of letting her fly. But my sister helped ease her out—and soon she was claiming new corners of the house and occasionally getting lost.

We didn’t know much. There was no internet in our lives yet. We relied on a tiny budgie care book and advice from pet shops.

We didn’t know about:

• Toxic plants

• Avian vets

• The dangers of sandpaper perches

• What a proper diet looked like

Bubbles mostly ate seed, with the occasional slice of apple and the odd seed stick.

When she got sick, we took her to a regular vet—the only kind we knew. They did their best, but it wasn’t the same as specialised avian care.

Still, she was loved deeply. And she taught us more than we realised.

We had her for a number of years before she succumbed to a mystery illness, despite vet treatment. My first heartbreak.

Soap Suds

Next came Soap Suds—a gentle, quiet baby budgie who was only with us a short time.

She’d been transported with other young birds on a train from Adelaide in South Australia, and we later learned she’d been taken from the nest too early. The train broke down. She never recovered.

She passed away just a few weeks after arriving—a second heartbreak, and our first glimpse of how badly the pet trade can fail young birds before they even reach a home.

Salt, Pepper & Tex

After Soap Suds, we brought home Salt and Pepper—a beautiful pair with opposite personalities and a strong bond.

Pepper passed away young from an unknown illness. Again, while we sought treatment and tried our best, it was too much for Pep to overcome.

Salt stayed with us for years—steady, strong, and incredibly special. She’d been extremely shy at the beginning but gained confidence and ended up ruling the house.

When Pepper died, we found Tex—a feisty little budgie we hoped would keep Salt company. And he did.

Tex wasn’t human-friendly. He never pretended to be. But he adored Salt and was content with her company.

He reminded us of something we’d carry forward forever: that birds don’t need to bond with humans to matter. They need connection—not compliance.

Tex lived several years with Salt and taught us that giving birds the freedom to choose their companions is one of the greatest gifts we can offer.

What They Taught Us

These five budgies—Bubbles, Soap Suds, Salt, Pepper, and Tex—helped shape everything we’ve built since.

They taught us:

• That birds are deeply emotional, intelligent individuals

• That pet shop advice is often dangerously wrong

• That loving a bird means learning for them

• That grief and growth are inseparable parts of this journey

• That sometimes, a bird’s best friend isn’t you—and that’s okay

They were our first birds, and we didn’t always get it right. But they gave us a reason to learn, to do better, and to build something that would last.

They lit a spark in me that would never go out.

Little Beaks exists largely because of them.

If you’re just starting out with birds—or looking back and realising you made mistakes—you’re not alone. Most of us start there.

What matters is what you do next.