Are you the proud parent of a pet budgie and want to keep your bird happy by obtaining a companion? Are you concerned with how to introduce them to avoid constant fighting between the budgies? Or how long does it take for budgies to pair up? If so, it’s time to look at how you introduce a new bird to a budgie.
You can introduce your budgies using the following steps:
1. Quarantine the New Budgie
Immediately after purchase, can I put a new budgie with an old one? This is the million-dollar question asked by many budgie owners.
A new budgie should be housed in a different room for thirty days to ensure it’s free of any illness or parasites. This will help protect the other budgie from being infected.
2. Bring the New Budgie Into the Room
Begin the introduction by bringing the new budgie’s cage into the room where the two budgies can see each other.
Provide both budgies with plenty of food and fresh water. This will prevent the newcomer from being seen as a threat to food and other resources by the other budgie.
A treat can also be provided to make the budgie associate a newcomer with better treatment.
3. Carry Out Caged Introduction
Place the cages side by side to help the new budgie become familiar with the older one. They will get comfortable and start talking to each other. At this point, you can let them out at different times.
4. Make Brief Out of Cage Introduction
Choose a neutral area where your budgies can play together as they get to know each other. Let them play for a few minutes first, and gradually increase the time they spend together as they start to get along.
5. Provide Plenty of Stimulation
Once the two budgies are comfortable playing together, add toys and perches to their play area. As budgies are curious birds, they will explore together and get to interact. They will also feel protected from predators when perched, allowing them to bond more.
6. Always Get Your Older Budgie Out First
Getting the older budgie out first makes it feel like it still has your attention, thus preventing it from getting jealous. If the budgie thinks you have diverted your attention to the new bird, it will become aggressive towards it, making their bonding difficult.
7. Be Present When Introducing the Budgies
Even if they get along well, budgies should not be left alone. The older budgie might attack the other one to assert dominance or prevent it not to play with its favorite toy. Being near will help break up a fight if it erupts.
8. Try Having the Two Budgies in One Cage During the Day
Allow your budgies to spend the day in one cage. You should ensure that the cage is large and has enough resources for two. The budgies are likely to quarrel, but you should separate them if they fight.
Rearranging the cage and adding more toys will make the cage look new, thus preventing territorial Issues.
9. Arrange For the Budgies to Sleep in the Same Cage
After observing your budgies for some time and being content that they have bonded well, you can allow them to spend a night together without your supervision.
10. Don’t Force Relationship
The budgies should not be forced to be friends. Unsurprisingly, after a month’s introduction, your budgies still fight when left alone. You need to separate the budgies and start the process all over again.
How Long Does It Take for Budgies to Bond With Each Other?
As they have different personalities, the time taken to adapt to other surroundings also varies. Depending on the budgies, it can take a few days to months for them to bond.
Hence, as a budgie owner, you must exercise patience and let them bond at their own pace.
How Do You Get Two Budgies to Like Each Other?
When budgies like each other, they play together, preen each other, sit together, scratch heads, and take care of one another.
For your budgies to bond quickly, you should make them like each other. This can be achieved by:
1. Carrying out a proper introduction and being patient with your budgies.
2. Getting new toys for them to prevent the older budgie from getting jealous when the new one plays with his toys.
3. Avoid territorial issues by getting a new cage. The budgies will get close to each other since they are in a new environment.
How Do You Know If Two Budgies Don’t Get Along?
By monitoring your budgies’ behavior, you can tell how they feel toward each other.
Two budgies are not getting along well if they do the following:
1. They don’t eat together and usually fight for food.
2. They don’t preen each other.
3. They fly to opposite room corners and cannot sit together.
4. They often flap their wings and squeak.
5. When together, they beak peck a lot.
Is It OK to Put a New Budgie With an Old One?
Yes, it’s OK to put a new budgie with an old one. However, a proper introduction should be carried out to ensure that the budgies are well bonded.
Monitor the older budgie’s reaction when you put the new budgie into the cage. And be ready to break any fight if it becomes aggressive.
Can You Put New Budgies Together?
No, you can’t put new budgies together without introducing them. Budgies get nervous and stressed in unfamiliar surroundings or when in the presence of strangers.
The budgies may also have different upbringings and might not be used to living in flocks. This will make the budgies uncomfortable in the presence of each other.
How to Introduce a Third Budgie
When planning to introduce a third budgie, the gender of the budgies should be taken into consideration.
If you currently own a pair of male and female budgies, getting a third budgie is not advisable. They will gang up against it for interfering with their privacy.
A maximum of two females should be kept in the same cage to avoid fights. However, for males, you can house three budgies in the same cage comfortably.
When introducing a third budgie, put it in a separate cage and place the cages side by side so that the budgies get to interact. If they start sitting close together, offer supervised play outside their cages. Observe them to ensure no fights, then move them together to a large cage for three.
Are 2 Male Budgies OK Together?
Yes, two male budgies are OK together, as they get along well and rarely fight. Males are less aggressive and behave more socially towards other budgies.
Budgie Putting Foot on Other Budgie
When a budgie puts its foot on another, it can signify aggression or affection.
If the budgies are of the same gender, you can conclude they are playing. However, when one budgie is new, the other will likely express territorial behavior.
For budgies of the opposite gender, if a female puts her foot on the male, it can be part of the mating ritual, and the female is trying to make the male feed her.
Related Articles
Can I Put a New Budgie with an Old One?
Do Budgies Make Good Pets | All You Must Know Before Getting a Budgie