Aggressive female budgie or just play?

[ilmatar]

Hi,

I'm not sure if there has already been a post on this, if so, I'm sorry for the repeat. We got two new budgies from the pet store a little over a month ago (one male and one female). I'm new to owning budgies and only had a single cockatiel as a child, so I'm really very limited in my experience with birds. I would say the female is probably around 5 to 6 months old and that the male maybe just one year or a bit younger. (I'm guessing by the striping near their ceres. The photos don't show them all that well, but the female's stripes go down almost all the way to the cere and the males are more recessed, like a bit behind the center eye area).
They have a relatively large cage with four different sized perches and 6 - 7 toys we rotate out.





What I'm really interested in knowing is if they are playing or fighting. I get the feeling that the female gets angry with the male and chases him off. Sometimes it seems she even chases him around the cage. (I often put in two bowls of food and there is one dish for water) She isn't starving him or anything, but every day he will go to eat some seeds from one bowl and she'll go and chase him away, so he'll go eat the fresh veggies in another bowl (that's hanging in another section of the cage) and she'll immediately fly to him and chase him off from there. (This goes on back and forth until they seem to 'squawk it out'). He often dances and head bobs while singing next to her while she eats and sometimes he will try to gently peck at her and she reacts lightning fast (like a snake striking) and bites at his head, which makes him fly away with a loud squawk. They do preen each other's heads each day and even eat from the same bowls sometimes without quarrelling. He also seems to be regurgitating food to her quite often as well. I'm just worried she's aggressive and maybe that they're incompatible. As these are the only two birds we have and we only have the one cage, I really don't want to have to separate them if this is normal behavior.

(PS: I have read that mirrors are also somewhat controversial; some like to use them, some hate them, but don't seem to notice any change in her behavior if it's there or not.)

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Pat H]

WELCOME to the Avenue!!

Never really had any budgies, so can't help... I hope they [mainly the female looks like] work out their difficulties.

 

[Zara]

maybe that they're incompatible

Maybe.
@Ripshod @Lori D Pert

There aren´t many toys in your cage. Maybe you could buy or make (DIY) some more.
Swap out some of the dowels for perches like the top one you have (the natural branch one), or cotton perches, small boing.

Have extra food and water bowls, you can put a pair up top and a pair down low.

 

[Pat H]

Just take into consideration WHERE you place the food and especially the water bowls UNDER the perches above them...

 

[Ripshod]

Younger budgies of any gender can be more boisterous than older birds because they haven't 'grown' into their natural instincts or behaviours yet. I think that's all this is. Feel free to provide two seed dishes and two veg dishes if you feel they need them but I think this'll just blow over as their bond grows. As you said - he isn't starving.

 

[ilmatar]

Maybe.
@Ripshod @Lori D Pert

There aren´t many toys in your cage. Maybe you could buy or make (DIY) some more.
Swap out some of the dowels for perches like the top one you have (the natural branch one), or cotton perches, small boing.

Have extra food and water bowls, you can put a pair up top and a pair down low.

These pics were taken before we had all the toys. Now there's quite a bit more. We only have two dowel perches at the moment and two natural ones (only one natural is shown here). We prefer to get the natural ones because they seem to be better for our feathered friends; we just haven't been able to replace all of them just yet. Thanks for the suggestion on placing some more feeding and drinking stations. We'll look into getting some more soon.

 

[ilmatar]

Just take into consideration WHERE you place the food and especially the water bowls UNDER the perches above them...

We change out the water several times a day. Initially this large dish was meant to try to get them to bathe, but we've since placed one on the wall of the cage so it doesn't get too dirty.

 

[ilmatar]

Younger budgies of any gender can be more boisterous than older birds because they haven't 'grown' into their natural instincts or behaviours yet. I think that's all this is. Feel free to provide two seed dishes and two veg dishes if you feel they need them but I think this'll just blow over as their bond grows. As you said - he isn't starving.

Thank you. I really hope this blows over really soon. I'm definitely going to look into getting some more dishes for them.

 

[Sparkles99]

 

[annafauna]

I have all budgie hens, and they love to bicker! They definitely do what you describe, chasing each other away from food dishes, etc. But it never gets serious (they'll peck at each other, but there's never any biting), and it's clear that they like living together. From what I've heard and experienced, it seems like this is just normal budgie hen behavior. I'm not sure if hens will treat a bonded mate differently, but the fact that they'll preen each other sounds like a good sign to me.

 

[ilmatar]

Thank you for your comment! =) Yes, they preen each other - often more than once a day and like to sit close to each other in their 'quieter' times of day.

 

[Lady Jane]

Lady budgies are bossy, especially as they mature and begin to have hormone stimulations. I think it is a matter of understanding their instinctual behaviors, just as long as they do not get into a fight that injures each other.
If that happens be prepared to separate them for a while. Since they are bonding are you prepared to understand if the female lays eggs what to do? Of course its always possible that they do not mate.

 

[ilmatar]

Thanks for your input! Yes, if the female does lay eggs we will learn about how to take care of her and the little ones. We understood there was a possibility of them mating. (I read somewhere that if you don't offer them a place where they can nest that they won't want to mate. Is that true?)

 

[Sunni Tiel]

Thanks for your input! Yes, if the female does lay eggs we will learn about how to take care of her and the little ones. We understood there was a possibility of them mating. (I read somewhere that if you don't offer them a place where they can nest that they won't want to mate. Is that true?)

You have to be COMPLETELY ready to raise chicks if you keep the eggs. It is A LOT of work, costs A LOT of money and it's HARD to keep them alive. Please don't make breeding a last minute decision, if you do breed then make sure you have a large cage, the proper diet, A LOT of research, and all other supplies. The best thing to do if they lay eggs now is to break the eggs before any life forms and replace them with dummy eggs.

They will be less encouraged to mate if there aren't any nest boxes or nest material, but it's still a possibility. You can also limit daylight and make sure they are getting 12 hours of sleep.

Your budgies are adorable!

 

[Lady Jane]

@PoukieBear has a good write up on the trials and tribulations of raising birds. The world does not need more budgies until the homeless ones find a loving place to live.

 

[Zara]

I read somewhere that if you don't offer them a place where they can nest that they won't want to mate. Is that true?

A pair of budgies will likely mate if they feel like it, regardless of nest, regardless of gender.
Mating is fine, keeps them happy. If any eggs appear, just remove them. Simple as that. Budgies don´t need dummy eggs (unless using for breeding purposes).

 

[PoukieBear]

Welcome to the forums, and congrats on your new little feathered friends.

From what I can see from your cage, it appears to be a little on the small side for two budgies. Budgies do better in a cage that is longer and wider, rather than a tall cage. If you can, please think about purchasing a better suited cage for your little ones. Keep this one as an extra, since you will need to separate your birds down the road.

Since you have no experience with budgies, DO NOT let them breed. You should be doing all you can to prevent them from laying eggs and raising chicks.


How to prevent breeding and egg laying.

1) Reduce Daylight Hours.
- Cover the cage so your bird(s) only gets 8 hours of daylight per day.

Why? Budgies naturally breed in the summertime when days are longer. This allows them more time to forage for food to feed their growing clutch of chicks. By reducing daylight hours, you will also reduce hormones that trigger a bird wanting to breed.


2) Do not Overfeed.
- Do not completely fill up your bird(s) food dish, or feed high fat/high protein foods.

Why? Budgies naturally breed when food is plentiful and easy to find. Budgies only need 1.5 teaspoons of seed per day. The rest of their diet should be vegetables and pellets.



3) Re-arrange the cage frequently.
- Move perches, rotate toys, rearrange ladders and swings, move food and water dishes. You can even move the entire cage to a new location in your house if you have the space to do so.

Why? Budgies will only want to breed when they feel safe and comfortable and have a stable environment. By changing things up frequently, you can reduce the chances of breeding behaviour.



4) Remove any potential nesting spots.
- Make sure there are no nest box, coconut shells, happy huts, grass baskets, pottery bowls, or anything else that is not meant for a budgie’s cage that could be mistaken for a nesting spot.

Why? Budgies can be opportunistic breeders and may use items that you think are unlikely nesting spots.



5) Do not stroke or pet your budgie’s back, wings, rump.
- If you want to touch your budgie, give it some loving scritches at the head and neck area. You need to avoid stroking your budgie’s back.

Why? Stroking a budgie’s back is like molesting your bird. It’s part of the mating process and should be avoided at all costs.



6) Separate Male and Female birds.
- Place your male and female birds in their own respective cages, or use a cage divider to separate them.

Why? If they can’t mate, they can’t breed.



What happens if my bird accidentally lays an egg?

Don’t panic. Simply remove the egg from the cage and throw it out. You do not need to replace it with a fake egg! An average clutch for a budgie is 4-6 eggs, and she will not continue to lay eggs if you keep removing them. Budgies can’t count, and her body is not capable of producing an unlimited number of eggs.

 

[ilmatar]

Welcome to the forums, and congrats on your new little feathered friends.

From what I can see from your cage, it appears to be a little on the small side for two budgies. Budgies do better in a cage that is longer and wider, rather than a tall cage. If you can, please think about purchasing a better suited cage for your little ones. Keep this one as an extra, since you will need to separate your birds down the road.

Since you have no experience with budgies, DO NOT let them breed. You should be doing all you can to prevent them from laying eggs and raising chicks.


How to prevent breeding and egg laying.

1) Reduce Daylight Hours.
- Cover the cage so your bird(s) only gets 8 hours of daylight per day.

Why? Budgies naturally breed in the summertime when days are longer. This allows them more time to forage for food to feed their growing clutch of chicks. By reducing daylight hours, you will also reduce hormones that trigger a bird wanting to breed.


2) Do not Overfeed.
- Do not completely fill up your bird(s) food dish, or feed high fat/high protein foods.

Why? Budgies naturally breed when food is plentiful and easy to find. Budgies only need 1.5 teaspoons of seed per day. The rest of their diet should be vegetables and pellets.



3) Re-arrange the cage frequently.
- Move perches, rotate toys, rearrange ladders and swings, move food and water dishes. You can even move the entire cage to a new location in your house if you have the space to do so.

Why? Budgies will only want to breed when they feel safe and comfortable and have a stable environment. By changing things up frequently, you can reduce the chances of breeding behaviour.



4) Remove any potential nesting spots.
- Make sure there are no nest box, coconut shells, happy huts, grass baskets, pottery bowls, or anything else that is not meant for a budgie’s cage that could be mistaken for a nesting spot.

Why? Budgies can be opportunistic breeders and may use items that you think are unlikely nesting spots.



5) Do not stroke or pet your budgie’s back, wings, rump.
- If you want to touch your budgie, give it some loving scritches at the head and neck area. You need to avoid stroking your budgie’s back.

Why? Stroking a budgie’s back is like molesting your bird. It’s part of the mating process and should be avoided at all costs.



6) Separate Male and Female birds.
- Place your male and female birds in their own respective cages, or use a cage divider to separate them.

Why? If they can’t mate, they can’t breed.



What happens if my bird accidentally lays an egg?

Don’t panic. Simply remove the egg from the cage and throw it out. You do not need to replace it with a fake egg! An average clutch for a budgie is 4-6 eggs, and she will not continue to lay eggs if you keep removing them. Budgies can’t count, and her body is not capable of producing an unlimited number of eggs.

Thanks for such an informative post! Yes, I have heard that there are lots of budgies on the planet, and that's why we aren't specifically wanting to breed them (aside from being inexperienced and lacking the equipment). I didn't think a hen would let me anywhere near eggs if she laid them that's why I really didn't think of the simple solution of removing them. I'll do that if any eggs appear.
Yes, the cage is higher than it is long, but they have a lot of room to jump from perch to perch and can even fly a little back and forth. If we ever do decide to get another cage, we'll try to get an even larger and wider one.
We have been keeping them in darkness between 11 and 12 hours each night and regularly rotate perches and toys in the cage to keep things from getting too boring for them (I didn't know this also discourages breeding!)
I can't get pellets where I live, so I have to stick with seeds, but I do give them a wide variety of fresh veggies daily.

 

[ilmatar]

A pair of budgies will likely mate if they feel like it, regardless of nest, regardless of gender.
Mating is fine, keeps them happy. If any eggs appear, just remove them. Simple as that. Budgies don´t need dummy eggs (unless using for breeding purposes).

Thank you. I'll take out any eggs if they appear.

 

[ilmatar]

@PoukieBear has a good write up on the trials and tribulations of raising birds. The world does not need more budgies until the homeless ones find a loving place to live.

I agree that there are a lot of budgies that need loving homes, so I don't really think we will be breeding them. Some others here are saying just to remove any eggs that appear and all will be well.