The other problem with you getting another budgie for Ollie is that any new budgie would need to be acclimated to human company and the room they will live in. You would need to keep them separate until New Bird is tame enough and knows the room well enough to either go back in the cage when necessary or be put back via a perch or finger because Ollie goes in and out as he wants it seems. It could take weeks or months to get to that point.
I don't mean to hijack your thread but I'm having a new budgie dilemma right now that's very similar to what you would face if you got another budgie for Ollie that isnt yet tame. Maybe other forum members could help both of us.
I dont know what to do with Cora the rescued escapee. I want her to be a companion for Joey because she cant be with males but Joey is a hand raised bird who is bonded to me so she can be let out and I don't need to worry about traumatizing her trying to put her back in her cage. Ollie is pretty tame, knows the room and trusts you. Cora has already been traumatized by being an escapee, being captured, being manhandled by me, an almost immediate injury under my care, a vet visit involving xrays, and now living in a bin until she can perch properly again. Her bin is right next to Joey's cage in our bedroom and Joey is very intersted in her. She's been watching Joey flying around, climbing all over me and giving me kisses, and I can only imagine what she's thinking! I'm hoping it will make her less scared to see another budgie so comfortable with me, but I dont know how much it will rub off on her. What do I do with Cora when she recovers enough to go into a cage? I don't want to cage her for life in the large (32x28x34) cage with four other females, but I don't know if she will ever trust me enough to be Joey's cagemate with lots of out of cage time. And how do I get her to that point of tameness and trust? I don't need for her to be my buddy, but I would need her to navigate the room safely while out and go back into her cage herself or by carrying her to the cage on a stick perch. If anyone has advice for me about this I'd love to hear it. My parent bird raised English budgies were so docile when I got them that they would jump right on my finger if they ended up in a jam and would just sit there and look at me without flying off and I could put them into their cage without trauma to either of us. Newly acquired parent raised regular budgies are totally different- they will injure themselves flying around trying to get away from people. I want so badly for Cora to be happy and have the freedom that 11 of my 19 budgies have. I just don't know how the best way to get there.
Wing trimming is seriously being considered. Not a no-flight trim, but enough that she can't fly up to the 9 foot window ledge or zoom around the room at high speed, slamming into walls and windows. Cora has already been injured once while out fully flighted and I can't risk her getting injured again. Making a budgie somewhat dependent on you to help them get around in the beginning can show them that you are their friend- I don't agree that it will make them hate you as some people believe. None of my budgies I've trimmed like this have held it against me. Any advice would be appreciated.
