Second budgie???

Aavogaro

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Jan 3, 2020
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Fish & Blue - the budgie brat pack
Snoopy - lovable M whitefaced cockatiel
(Pending adoption) Paco - 25yo CAG
Hey my feather-knowledge friends. It’s been a little bit. Fish the budgie and Snoopy the tiel are doing great. But here’s my quandary. Ever since I bought Fish I have read how budgies really are happiest in at least a pair. I kind of thought once Snoopy came home and they were in their shared/divided flight cages that Fish would feel happy and like he had a flock-mate. He indeed was somewhat happier when Snoopy arrived and basically just wants to be near Snoopy. Snoopy is tolerant but independent and I can tell it’s leaving Fish unfulfilled. The tome he spends in his cage is very uneventful. It’s not playful or exploratory except for perhaps 30 minutes a day. When they are on the tree stand together Fish finally gives up and goes to his own spot and sits after Snoopy beaks at him a few times. I know budgies are loving, playful, energetic little creatures and I think Fish is missing out on the companionship to make him feel whole (lol, so perhaps that might be a little dramatic?!?!)

So long story short, I have never stopped thinking about the possibility of getting a second budgie and every day more and more I feel like it’s the right thing to do for Fish. I know it’s only been a few weeks but I also know that window of opportunity for the increased likelihood of the 2 budgies getting along well because they are still young and have both recently been housed with other budgies, gets smaller every day.

I do understand that no matter the circumstances or timing that they may not get along enough to live in a cage together (although it is certainly my hope they will) but if not it’s ok as I have a very large spare cage that can be use to house them separately if need be. In fact I could move Snoopy into the spare cage and let the budgies be in the connected but separate flight cages to at least be almost together.

So here’s my dilemma......the damn internet. I have read almost nothing but “budgies need a friend” “budgies are happiest when with another budgie” “a single budgie is a lonely budgie” and now that I am actually considering getting a second, I am reading nothing but terror stories of them hating each other, killing each other, I should only keep one budgie, etc. so needless to say I am
confused on what the best thing to do for Fish is.

Here’s the facts I’m working with:
1. I would love a second budgie and found one today that seems to have a ton of potential. (see his adorable pics below)
2. I have the time, space, extra cage, and money to care for a second budgie. While I would REALLY hope they would be able to eventually get along and cohabitate, I could live with the 20+ year commitment if they didn’t. Although I would feel like Fish is missing out on a piece of happiness.
3. Everything I have seen in the way Fish approaches and interacts with Snoopy tells me he is currently a good candidate for a BFF.
4. Both budgies are fairly young (Fish is about 5-6 months and the other one is a little older. (Positives-they are young and more malleable, they have both recently been housed with other birds with no issues) (negative-neither has gone through puberty yet.....that I know of......is that a problem?)

Would love your thoughts and opinions based on your knowledge and own experience. And I leave you with pics of the potential new family member as well as Snoopy and Fish’s latest attempt at being “friends”
 
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Amsterdam

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Hi there this is a great post! It shows that you care alot about them! Yes it is true budgies are social birbies and hate to be alone the pics you posted nr 2 is defo a boy but i cant see the beak on number 1 so to make a long story short male and male is okay male - female is also okay female - female is a no go because they can be very agressive so if number 1 on the pic is also a male i would try to put them together and see if they are playfull with eachother and then monitor how that works but if you ask my id go with male female because thats more natural
 
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LaManuka

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Snoopy and Fish sound a lot like my Fang and Valentino. Fang only tolerates Val, and Val being your average pesky budgie does push Fang around a lot. Trouble is you cannot guarantee that a new budgie would get along with Fish, and even if they do, the two of them may form a little cartel which may make Snoopy feel like he’s even further down the pecking order!

A lot of that stuff about budgies needing a friend is more relevant to a lone budgie stuck in a cage all day with zero companionship from any other bird or indeed human company. Bear in mind if you end up with a budgie of the opposite gender that will also open up a whole ‘nother can of worms. In your case you should only get a bird if YOU want another bird, and be prepared to house all three of them separately if their personalities clash. Snoopy may not be entirely thrilled with the idea though.
 
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Aavogaro

New member
Jan 3, 2020
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Austin, TX
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Fish & Blue - the budgie brat pack
Snoopy - lovable M whitefaced cockatiel
(Pending adoption) Paco - 25yo CAG
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Hi there this is a great post! It shows that you care alot about them! Yes it is true budgies are social birbies and hate to be alone the pics you posted nr 2 is defo a boy but i cant see the beak on number 1 so to make a long story short male and male is okay male - female is also okay female - female is a no go because they can be very agressive so if number 1 on the pic is also a male i would try to put them together and see if they are playfull with eachother and then monitor how that works but if you ask my id go with male female because thats more natural

Thanks for your reply. Fish (the yellow one) is a Lutino so I don’t think they have the same dark beak tip that normal budgies tend to have. I don’t know what Fish is so I decided to assume female and therefore make sure that if I get a second it’s a boy for the reasons you state. If indeed it would turn out that I have a boy and a girl I would be fine with freezing/removing/replacing eggs but would also make sure there are no nesting areas within the cage if they were to be able to end up sharing a cage.
 
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Aavogaro

New member
Jan 3, 2020
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Austin, TX
Parrots
Fish & Blue - the budgie brat pack
Snoopy - lovable M whitefaced cockatiel
(Pending adoption) Paco - 25yo CAG
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Snoopy and Fish sound a lot like my Fang and Valentino. Fang only tolerates Val, and Val being your average pesky budgie does push Fang around a lot. Trouble is you cannot guarantee that a new budgie would get along with Fish, and even if they do, the two of them may form a little cartel which may make Snoopy feel like he’s even further down the pecking order!

A lot of that stuff about budgies needing a friend is more relevant to a lone budgie stuck in a cage all day with zero companionship from any other bird or indeed human company. Bear in mind if you end up with a budgie of the opposite gender that will also open up a whole ‘nother can of worms. In your case you should only get a bird if YOU want another bird, and be prepared to house all three of them separately if their personalities clash. Snoopy may not be entirely thrilled with the idea though.

Thanks for all this info. You have definitely given me a lot more to think about. I wondered about what you said about a lone budgie. I too thought him having another feathered friend regardless of type would be fulfilling for him but as I watch him spend most of his time not doing anything I wonder if that is the case for him. Yes, I agree I should only get a another bird if I want one. I really like the idea of a second budgie and watching them play and chirp to each other, but I should do some more thinking if I am being influenced by my “perception” that Fish isn’t living his best life as a single budgie. I see you have a single budgie. Is Val your typical boisterous playful chirpy budgie? Did it take him a while to blossom into that? Thanks again!!! Lots to think about!
 

Laurasea

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Go get him! ( MBS strikes again!)
I fall into the category two is better ;)
 
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Aavogaro

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Jan 3, 2020
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Austin, TX
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Fish & Blue - the budgie brat pack
Snoopy - lovable M whitefaced cockatiel
(Pending adoption) Paco - 25yo CAG
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Go get him! ( MBS strikes again!)
I fall into the category two is better ;)

I love your reply! Lol. So I see you have 2 budgies. Did you get them at the same time? If not what was your experience introducing them to each other? Are they able to share a cage now?
 

Laurasea

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They were re-home to me on the same day. Both male yes can share a cage and are best friends.
 

LaManuka

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In answer to your question Aavogaro, yes Val is the very definition of your boisterous pushy budgie! It took a couple of months for his personality to really come out, I think he was a bit intimidated by Lilly the lorikeet early on. They had a few big fights, one of which landed Val at the vet with a minor eye injury! But he’s worked her out and has pretty much become “top bird” in our flock!

Since that now leaves timid flighty Fang at the bottom of the pile we make sure he always gets his one on one time with us in the evening when the two tiny terrors have gone to bed. So if you find Snoopy gets a bit pushed around by your budgie cartel, make sure you always make regular time for him sometime during the day.
 
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Nov 12, 2019
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MBS is a thing! I (we - as in the family)) suffer from this affliction. My humble opinion is the more the merrier, as long as you can afford it. That is the key. Our flock quickly went from 1 to 4 and the happy chattering is totally worth it. We have managed to establish and maintain a relationship with each bird, while also providing them with constant companionship. We keep 2 bird’s in one cage, and then the other 2 have separate cages, but are in the same room. That means they are never lonely during the day, but we still get to interact with them as well. Different birds will have different personalities, the same as with people. Skye for instance is mostly a look but don’t touch bird, unless he decides otherwise. Skye will call out for attention, but is only willing to step up when he feels like it. And almost never onto a finger (unless millet is involved), but anything else is okay (including arms, wrists and elbows, perches, and broom handles). Skye also will not leave his cage. Stormy is happy to snuggle in anytime, and loves people. He will step up onto fingers but not perches. I find this a bit shocking because Stormy had to endure several day’s of antibiotics, twice a day when we brought him home not long ago. Even with the flavor added the medicine was NASTY! Stupid me decided to put a drop on my finger. Needless to say I won’t be doing that again. Sunny is our escape artist extraordinaire turned hair mongrel (he likes to preen my hair and bite my earlobes in the morning) and blue bird (no name yet, but she? is blue) is the look but do not touch or I will bite you bird. And by bite I mean she will step up onto your finger without complaint and quickly go for the cuticle to cause as much pain as possible. Every single time.

Each of our birds has a completely different personality, but we love them all. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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Aavogaro

New member
Jan 3, 2020
80
10
Austin, TX
Parrots
Fish & Blue - the budgie brat pack
Snoopy - lovable M whitefaced cockatiel
(Pending adoption) Paco - 25yo CAG
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  • Thread starter
  • #11
MBS is a thing! I (we - as in the family)) suffer from this affliction. My humble opinion is the more the merrier, as long as you can afford it. That is the key. Our flock quickly went from 1 to 4 and the happy chattering is totally worth it. We have managed to establish and maintain a relationship with each bird, while also providing them with constant companionship. We keep 2 bird’s in one cage, and then the other 2 have separate cages, but are in the same room. That means they are never lonely during the day, but we still get to interact with them as well. Different birds will have different personalities, the same as with people. Skye for instance is mostly a look but don’t touch bird, unless he decides otherwise. Skye will call out for attention, but is only willing to step up when he feels like it. And almost never onto a finger (unless millet is involved), but anything else is okay (including arms, wrists and elbows, perches, and broom handles). Skye also will not leave his cage. Stormy is happy to snuggle in anytime, and loves people. He will step up onto fingers but not perches. I find this a bit shocking because Stormy had to endure several day’s of antibiotics, twice a day when we brought him home not long ago. Even with the flavor added the medicine was NASTY! Stupid me decided to put a drop on my finger. Needless to say I won’t be doing that again. Sunny is our escape artist extraordinaire turned hair mongrel (he likes to preen my hair and bite my earlobes in the morning) and blue bird (no name yet, but she? is blue) is the look but do not touch or I will bite you bird. And by bite I mean she will step up onto your finger without complaint and quickly go for the cuticle to cause as much pain as possible. Every single time.

Each of our birds has a completely different personality, but we love them all. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I love your reply. I have been following your MBS journey and love it. Thanks for sharing your experience. I went back to the pet store today and couldn’t commit. I held the sweet little guy again who was much easier to get onto my hand after our bonding session yesterday, but feel like I am paralyzed by the fear that they might not get along enough to share a cage. I have a separate large cage and space should a second budgie not get along with Fish, but I think right now I really have my heart/mind set on the idea of them being budgie friends and sharing a space so I am scared if that doesn’t happen. I feel like I need to be 100% ok if that doesn’t happen before I take the plunge. But oh lord he’s so cute and even more tame than Fish. I love him already which makes this hard.
 

Laurasea

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Budgies live in flocks of thousands, they have a strong flock instinct, it's very very rare that they wouldn't get along.....
 
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Aavogaro

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Jan 3, 2020
80
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Austin, TX
Parrots
Fish & Blue - the budgie brat pack
Snoopy - lovable M whitefaced cockatiel
(Pending adoption) Paco - 25yo CAG
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UPDATE- as @Laurasea said I went and got him. I actually went to visit and he very quickly settled with me and was open for lots of petting and hanging out on my shoulder. Behavior that is above and beyond what I personally expect from a budgie. I called my husband, who was on his way home from work and asked him to turn around and meet me at the pet store. I decided I would let him be the final decision maker since he had been a lot more reluctant about adding a second budgie to our family. 10 minutes into holding him he said “You know what we have to name him???.........Blue......as in “You’re my boy Blue””. And that’s all she wrote folks. We’re smitten and he’s doing great settling into his quarantine cage. Thank you so much to everyone that replied to this thread. I got so much great information that kept me up late at night occupying my thoughts and weighing my options. Y’all ROCK my flock!!!!!
 

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