Can Budgies....

[Karnkate]

1. Talk (human language) with other birds being around? Most store owners say they habe to be kept alone in order to make them talk but from many budgie owners, they love socializing/birdie parties, am I correct?
2. Be kept peacefully with cockatiels? The "Parrots for Dummies" book says they can because they come from the same place (Australia) but I don't want to risk that without any confirmation.

 

[Mr Peepers]

I had a budgie that spoke or mimicked human speech... I got the budgie when it was a 10 week old chick so I placed him in a cage right beside my desk where I worked at home daily.. the chick was quarantined from my other budgies tiels and a canary for 30 days so I had lots of time to hang out with just him teaching him to mimic speech as well as play with me hands on.

He moved into the larger cage with 2 other budgies that never mimicked speech next to a cage where 2 tiels lived as well as next to a caged canary, all the birds flew free from their cages and hung out on a large play center together daily... I'm sure he continued to learn words because I still spent so much time with him every day I never stopped playing with him day to day and he chose to hang out with me by flying to my desk and playing with me because we had created a strong bond.

Its all about the time you give the bird that will make him a talker and a friendly playful hand tame budgie the more time you spend with the bird the more the bird learns and retains that behavior and knowledge even while its living around other birds.

 

[karen256]

They need to bond to people if you want them to learn more than a few words. And two budgies kept together will most likely bond to each other and have no real interest in learning to talk. But, once a budgie is tame and friendly, it can usually be introduced to another budgie and stay tame and interested in people.
I've only ever had one budgie at a time, but have other small birds, and that works quite well also. They provide companionship to each other, without bonding to each other as strongly as two budgies would. But, I have not had a budgie with a cockatiel specifically, and of course any two birds getting along depends on the individual personalities as well. Cockatiels are generally rather laid back birds, while budgies can be pretty hyper (and female budgies can sometimes be aggressive to other birds). They do have similar dietary needs, but a budgie might end up being too annoying for a cockatiel. My old budgie Pippin loved to pester and tease my conure, but she was very tolerant (and he made up for it by preening her neck for her).

 

[Skyler]

The late bad boy beloved budgie Skyler loved to get out of his cage and torment my tiel and my sun. He would land on every side of their cages and literally herd them into the center. The rare times I had my sun out on my shoulder and Skyler was out he would land on my other shoulder and launch an attack. I don't think Sky ever met a bird he didn't want to chase away with the exception of a female budgie. They do think they are as big and as fearless as an eagle.

 

[Lady Jane]

Video - New Video of Chipper | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum here is my little talker. Males talk well

 

[Lady Jane]

And one more.Pictures - Chipper is Doing His Thing | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum