Keeping budgies together

May 17, 2020
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I never plan on breeding my budgies but can I keep 1 female with 2 males or would they fight for her how does this work could someone pls let me know. Thanks.
 

Rozalka

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May 23, 2018
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They would fight - it's better to keep 2 or 4 budgies than 3
 

Kitekeeper

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Jun 19, 2021
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Budgerigar (Bud), Pacific Parrotlet (Sam), Roseicollis lovebird (BJ and Turq), Linneolated parakeet (Charlie and Emma)
Hi Sunny,

I have had a happier experience than Rozalka. Nevertheless it is my understanding that it all depends on the birds personalities.

Usually I had females with a more temperamental and aggressive behavior. The males I had were just really cool. It was much more common for me to have femaleXfemale fights and that mostly happened when they were nesting in colony.

I would give it a try. I guess it would be worst to have two females and one male together.

The most important thing, besides the bird personalities is to NOT trigger sexual behavior (more thant they are already prone to), which means, do not put a nestbox and keep the cage full of toys and distractions.
 

Kitekeeper

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Jun 19, 2021
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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Budgerigar (Bud), Pacific Parrotlet (Sam), Roseicollis lovebird (BJ and Turq), Linneolated parakeet (Charlie and Emma)
O course if they do not know each other, leave their cages side by side for at least three to four days before putting them together. This will give them time to be used to each other and start bonding.
 

Rozalka

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Hi Sunny,

I have had a happier experience than Rozalka.
It's not my experience. Usually on Polish groups on Facebook people, who keep 3 parrots are criticized (once time when somebody wrote me to go to the prison I was so angry and wrote here a post about differences America vs Europe).

I didn't mean they surely will fight but from what I heard it is the worst combination. Personally I've had 3 budgies only once time and it was a familly. Then I had to seperate adult female from two males (dad and son). But as Kitekeeper said - everything depends on the character
 

Kitekeeper

Well-known member
Jun 19, 2021
263
701
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Parrots
Budgerigar (Bud), Pacific Parrotlet (Sam), Roseicollis lovebird (BJ and Turq), Linneolated parakeet (Charlie and Emma)
I am sorry to hear that Rozalka, they were tremendously unfair to you.

Budgies are flock birds and they could not care less if the group has pair or odd numbers. It is just non sense to criticize someone keeping budgies in odd numbers!

Moreover, Budgies may be monogamous, but they have not that strong commitment as lovebird, amazonas, macaws.... they are way more flexible about changing partners. They can easily live as a family as you described.

If you do not mind, why did you have to separate your trio?
 

Rozalka

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If you do not mind, why did you have to separate your trio?
Mother attacked her son. There was even blood in the cage and on the nearbest wall
Ps. this what I mentioned about criticizing me wasn't about budgies but in general parrots (more precisely single parrots)
 
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Kitekeeper

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Jun 19, 2021
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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Budgerigar (Bud), Pacific Parrotlet (Sam), Roseicollis lovebird (BJ and Turq), Linneolated parakeet (Charlie and Emma)
Mother attacked her son. There was even blood in the cage and on the nearbest wall

Yes, I have seen this before and not just for budgies.

It is my understanding that this is "the nature" way to reduces the chance of inbreeding. When the baby is grown up he may provokes a strong sense of repulse in their parents and usually female parrots tend to be more aggressive than males.

I think it would have been safier if your three budgies were not related.

Nevertheless, it all comes to the bird character. I remember to have a pair of brother and sister that loved each other. They saw themselves as a couple but the flock consistently attacked them and only them. I was forced to keep the pair in a separate cage, but of course never let them have babies.

Those two budgies were something special, they were different since their birth, but that is a long story...
 

Rozalka

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May 23, 2018
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Mother attacked her son. There was even blood in the cage and on the nearbest wall
Yes, I have seen this before and not just for budgies.

It is my understanding that this is "the nature" way to reduces the chance of inbreeding. When the baby is grown up he may provokes a strong sense of repulse in their parents and usually female parrots tend to be more aggressive than males.

I think it would have been safier if your three budgies were not related.
It happened when the baby wasn't independent yet. Our theory was because there hatched only one baby. But now I don't believe in it 'cause they were my first parrots and I believed in everything what my parents said (who had no more experience). It took me years to notice that I have bigger knowledge than they:p
 

Kitekeeper

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Jun 19, 2021
263
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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Parrots
Budgerigar (Bud), Pacific Parrotlet (Sam), Roseicollis lovebird (BJ and Turq), Linneolated parakeet (Charlie and Emma)
It happened when the baby wasn't independent yet

Some breeders say, in these cases it happens because the mother wants to rush them out to restart a new clutch.

It took me years to notice that I have bigger knowledge than they
:):)

Thank you for sharing your knowledge here.
 

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