Lonely girl

[Budgie mum]

My girl Honey is lonely I play her budgie aviary music with bird song.
Her cage mate Joey died 10 days ago we are both grieving, what can I do to help her, she eats but not a great deal seems fit just a changed girl. As I am at home most of the time, I try to replace her lost pal,can't really but try, I don't want to get another bird and Honey may not accept another bird either.
Can anyone please help what should I be doing to help her any advice will be greatully received.
May I say it's Honeys way or none he is a forceful little madam.

 

[iamwhoiam]

So sorry for yours and Honey's loss. She is grieving and it will take a while for her to deal with this. Just give her extra attention and love which it sounds like you are already doing.
Give her extra treats, too.

 

[JLcribber]

Why don't you want to get another bird for Honey? That is what she needs. This isn't really about your feelings is it? It's Honey's feelings that matter right now.

It is very rare that budgies do not get long. Your best bet is a same gender, same age bird.

 

[cassiesdad]

So sorry for yours and Honey's loss. She is grieving and it will take a while for her to deal with this. Just give her extra attention and love which it sounds like you are already doing.
Give her extra treats, too.

...this is the best advice that anyone could give...

 

[Lady Jane]

I don't want to get another bird and Honey may not accept another bird either.

That is too bad because budgies have strong flock instincts and are both happier and seem to be healthier with a cage mate. There is nothing you can do to replace another budgie.

 

[JoJo&Loki]

So sorry for you and Honey’s loss

 

[Lori D Pert]

So sorry for your loss, fly high Joey. Honey needs time to grieve. Give her lots of attention and treats and do spend time with her. In time you might try a cagemate but 2 females do not always get along. Especially since Honey rules..lol. I would give her some time to adjust before thinking about another.

 

[Dorcas George]

I’m in the same situation, coming here for advice for my grieving budgie about a month ago. I think Lori’s advice (and others) is good and I’m thinking of getting a second bird after a while, and some more work with Packer, my remaining budgie. I’m sorry about Joey.

 

[Dorcas George]

There is nothing you can do to replace another budgie.

I never knew this till recently, and it makes me sad for the budgies I had long ago. It’s more work to have two... but maybe we have to decide what level of responsibility we have to our bird pets. Sigh. I just hope that when the time comes I can find one that isn’t from the local pet store and never handled except in scary ways.

 

[Hawk12237]

Why don't you want to get another bird for Honey? That is what she needs. This isn't really about your feelings is it? It's Honey's feelings that matter right now.

It is very rare that budgies do not get long. Your best bet is a same gender, same age bird.

I have to agree with John here, when I took in twinky, a white budgie, it had recently lost its mate.
The owner was devastated and decided they couldn't deal with the loss and gave up twinky.
A double whammy for her.
But we had a red factor canary whom also we took in and that had lost a mate. And would you believe these two became buddies?!? I decided to try them both in same large flight cage after a couple months. They hit it right off. Sit next to each other as twinky would groom julius. Julius being a male, sang quite a bit, which got twinky singing.
My point here, two sad birds were made happy again.

 

[Budgie mum]

I plan to give Honey some time to adapt, see how things go early days we are both coping with the loss. She is as usual a wee trouper ruling the roost.

 

[cassiesdad]

I plan to give Honey some time to adapt, see how things go early days we are both coping with the loss. She is as usual a wee trouper ruling the roost.

...an excellent idea.

...maybe, in the future, if it's meant to be, you and Honey will welcome another little soul into your flock...

 

[Gribouille]

Hi, sorry for your loss. When we lost Tikki, Merlin was desperate for company: he had been together with Tikki since I got them (I don't know his story before the petshop but he was adult already...). I think budgies who have always been alone in a house are OK with it, but those who have been part of a flock, whether it was with 1 or 20 other birds, will have a tough time to find themselves alone suddenly. Merlin tried to befriend our parrotlet but only got himself attacked. He didn't care, the danger was not big enough compared to his need for company. He was never tame, but began to land close to us so he wouldn't sit alone on the curtain rods. It was obvious he was desperate for company so I ended up trying to rehome him to someone with birds, but then, I couldn't give up on him when he already had lost a friend, he couldn't loose his home too! So I bought a baby budgie instead. It took him some time to accept her, she was asking him to feed her and he refused to be her dad. But after 3-4 weeks, they got along and are good friends now, Merlin is his old self again, happy and still not tame

 

[Beasley]

I’m so sorry for your loss, it sounds like you are doing great and have definitely received good advice. I do hope when you’re ready you’ll give Honey a new partner to share her life with.

 

[Lori D Pert]

I do believe that budgies who have lost a partner should eventually have the opportunity to have another partner. However rushing into that is sorely underestimating your birds intelligence. They need time to grieve. Especially if they were your only 2 budgies. Rushing out to buy another may not always be met with enthusiasm. Give them some time. A suddenly widowed female may not accept another female at all or at the least they will need to go into a new cage so their territorialism doesn't make them aggressive with the new bird. A male will be more readily accepted if enough time is given. You would not get over the loss of your mate by quickly getting another, give your bird that same understanding. Spend time with them, grieve with them.

 

[Budgie mum]

Honey is an amazing wee girl I am glad I have her love her, she is so precious. Thankfully she has started eating well today and being her usual sassy self. We have each other which is fine for the moment, who knows what the future may bring ! Take it a day at the time for now.

 

[Fergus Mom]

Honey is an amazing wee girl I am glad I have her love her, she is so precious. Thankfully she has started eating well today and being her usual sassy self. We have each other which is fine for the moment, who knows what the future may bring ! Take it a day at the time for now.

Yaaaaaay Honey! I am so sorry for yours and Honey's loss, and hopefully she will continue to improve as time goes along. Grief hits us all hard, and we do need to take time.

 

[Budgie mum]

Morning from myself and Honey, she is listening to Banco the budgie on youtube this helps her hearing her feathered friend. she has a play list all of her own. We both miss our boy, but we need time.