Budgie and Lovebird Problem.

[MrPine]

Alright, so I’m fairly new to being a bird owner. I have several budgies for about a year now. One of my budgies is extremely bonded to me. He flys onto my shoulders anytime I arrive home. He says several phrases and gives me kisses and what not.

Here’s my problem. I recently received a young lovebird from someone. I’ve read elsewhere that budgies don’t normally get along. The day I brought him in my budgies instantly became afraid of the kitchen (That’s where I’m currently keeping the lovebird.) I don’t have the option to get rid of either one (and frankly I wouldn’t want to.)
Yes, they live in separate cages. But I would want them to both be out at the same time. My budgies already have free reign of the house, and I would like it to stay that way.

My oldest budgie is a little over a year old, while the youngest is about 4 months. I’m guessing the lovebird is a couple months old. I would greatly appreciate any suggestions on how I could raise the lovebird so that he would get along with my other birds.
Thanks,
Ryan

 

[Masquerade]

I do have some experience with budgies and lovebirds so here's what I can offer. Although they're similar in size the two couldn't be much more different. I would consider budgies to be more of a passive breed, but lovebirds are aggressive and will let you know it. Their bodies are a lot stockier than budgies and their beaks are a lot bigger, so they can do a lot of damage to a budgie. Lovebirds, at least my two, also love feet and biting them, and will look for any opportunity to nip another bird's toes.

The only way you're going to be able to have them out together is if you're there to supervise the entire time. If it came to a physical fight the lovebird would always win and they could do serious damage to your budgie. I ended up having to rehome my budgies because even though I was there to supervise, my lovebird would just terrorise the other birds. My lovebird isn't nasty, I just think it's in his nature to be aggressive and territorial. I now have two lovebirds, and though I love budgies I know I couldn't get any more while I still have the lovies.

Basically you're going to have to keep them separate out of the cage, or just be there the entire time they're out and watch them like a hawk.

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

Cover the top of your lovebird's cage so he can't bite the feet of the budgies who will eventually land on it. It is easy for a lovie to break a budgie's toe as well as lacerate it. Belle PFLB bit Cookie Monster Tiel's toe and it took it forever to heal with me using TAO cream on it daily. All my Tiels and Budgies have learned NOT to walk in Belle's cage. Otherwise they get along OK, with the budgie flock (all 3 of them) bullying the tiels away from food and then the Belle bullying the tiels and budgies away from food she wants. Lots of bullying around here although there are twelve feeding stations available and each flock has its own cage.

I manage everyone by making sure they have lots of food in their cages as well as in the feeding stations.