Having a budgie in your home is exciting and full of love, but it also involves learning about their needs and behaviors. When considering getting a companion for your budgie, it can be challenging to decide on the gender of the budgie friend for peaceful cohabitation. So, if you choose to keep a same-gender pair, will two male budgies fight?
Yes, two male budgies are likely to fight for several reasons, ranging from territorial issues to space and friends. If not provided with a conducive environment to live in, regular fights will be common with your budgies.
The following are ten causes of fights in a pair of male budgies:
1. Inadequate Space
With limited space, your budgies will likely bump into each other as they move around the cage. This will escalate their tension as they feel constrained in the small space.
2. Territorial Issues
Budgies are possessive birds and love having their things. They can protect a given space, a mate, a particular toy, or perch in the best place at night. All these can lead to endless fighting among your budgies.
3. Jealous
With the introduction of a newcomer, you will have to divide your attention between two birds. This will not be taken lightly by your older budgie, as it will see the new bird as a threat to its food and your attention. The jealousy will escalate conflicts as the budgie fights for what is rightfully his.
4. Competition for Food
If limited food is available, budgies will have to scramble for it, leading to an outburst of fights.
5. Competition for Mates
Two males are likely to fight if there is only one female budgie in the flock. As the breeding season approaches, the male will try to impress the lone female through singing, dancing, and even fighting to show that they are fit.
6. Stress
When stressed, a budgie becomes aggressive and will likely pass the frustration on to other budgies through fights. A change in environment, overcrowding, loud noise, and predators can cause stress in budgies.
7. Incompatibility
Despite a perfect introduction, some budgies do not generally get along. This is evident through regular fights, a lack of interaction, biting, and screaming. Such budgies should be separated and housed in different cages.
8. Boredom
It can be boring to have a constant routine and be locked in a confined space for a long time without change. This can lead to boredom, and your budgies will likely pass it on to each other.
9. Establishment of Social Authority
In the wild, budgies fight to determine who ranks higher within the flock. It is not uncommon for domestic budgies to also engage in such fights to determine who is to be the king of the cage.
10. Resource Riots
Inadequacy of resources such as toys, perches, ladders, and swings can lead to fights. Having enough resources can help reduce the number of disputes between your pair of budgies.
How Do You Stop Two Male Budgies From Fighting?
If your male budgies are fond of fighting occasionally, you should monitor them to identify the cause of the fights. The necessary measures are to be taken to stop the fight, as they can negatively affect your budgies’ health.
You can stop two male budgies from fighting by:
1. Availing Enough Resources
To prevent fights from arising due to inadequate resources, always ensure you have enough food stations, water bowls, and space for your budgies to move around without bumping into each other.
Various toys, ladders, and swings should also be available for your budgies.
2. Carrying Out a Proper Introduction
Moving your budgies to the same cage when they are new will make their stay together challenging. The anxiety of being in a new environment, together with having to share a cage with a stranger, will make your budgies aggressive, leading to regular fights.
Always give your budgies time to get used to one another and become friends before having them in the same cage.
3. Separating Your Budgies
If your budgies continuously fight and cannot be stopped by verbal reprimand, separating them and housing them in two cages can be helpful.
Give your budgies time to calm down, and then start to introduce them gradually.
So, should I separate my budgies if they are fighting? Yes, it would be best if you prevented your budgies from injuring each other or getting depressed due to stress arising from the regular fights.
4. Giving Your Budgies Equal Attention
Budgies can get jealous if they realize that you are spending more time with their companions than them, which can lead to fights. For your budgies to live peacefully, always give them equal attention and care.
5. Number of Males Should be Proportional to Females
During the mating season, the males are likely to fight if only one female is in the cage. This is because they will be competing for her as a mate. To avoid such instances, consider getting two females for your two male budgies.
Can Two Male Budgies Bond?
Yes, two male budgies can bond well. Male budgies are more social with other budgies and less aggressive. They are friendly and rarely fight, making it easy to create new bonds.
Bonded budgies display several signs that you can always check for.
If your two budgies have bonded well, you will notice that:
1. They Sit Together
The budgies sit on the same perch, close enough to touch if they like each other.
2. They Preen Each Other
Your budgies will preen together many times during the day to keep their feathers groomed and oily for protection from water and cold.
3. Scratching Heads
An itchy scalp needs scratching, which can be challenging for a lone budgie. When single, budgies rub their heads on perches and other furnishings in the cage. However, if one has a friend, they can help each other scratch their heads.
4. Feeding Together
A bonded pair eats together and can sometimes feed each other.
How Do You Bond Two Male Budgies?
For your budgies to bond faster, ensure they like and trust each other. The introduction should be gradual and not hurried. Avoid forcing your budgies’ friendship so you do not lose their trust.
You can form a strong bond between two male budgies by:
1. Putting Your Budgies in Separate Cages
When budgies are new to each other, they are likely to fight. Housing the budgies separately will help reduce aggression and allow for a gradual introduction.
Placing the cages closer together allows the budgies to familiarize themselves with their new friend, thus reducing tension.
2. Allowing Your Budgies to Play Together
Letting your budgies play and explore together in a common area will also help to strengthen their bonds as they interact regularly.
3. Keeping a Keen Eye on Them
Allow your budgies to play on their own, but monitor for any attacks from a distance. In case of any conflicts, intervene and have the budgies separated.
4. Being Patient With The Process
Patience is vital when introducing budgies. As they usually have different personalities, you should not expect them to act the same way. Hence, never rush your feathered friends to like each other.
5. Providing New Toys
To avoid your older budgie disliking the newcomer out of jealousy, purchase new toys for your birds to play with. Have a variety of them to keep the budgies occupied when you are not at home.
6. Get a New Cage
A new space that none of the budgies have claimed will help deal with territorial issues. The cage should be large enough to house your two budgies.
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