New Budgie Girl - question

[Greencheek Lee]

My husband rebuilds after fires. He came disturbed one day, "there is a single budgie in a large cage in the backyard all by itself, she's terrified I can only imagine cats, coons and rats trying to get to her at night". The owners weren't around so he had to leave her for another day. Finally got to meet the owner, there was a fire about 8 months before and where they were staying since then didn't allow pets so they would stop by daily to change the food and water. There were 7 other budgies but someone left the door cracked and all the others escaped, not sure why this one didn't. We offered to foster her - it was in the high 90's during the day already and hubby expressed how concerned he was for her. They obviously didn't know much about birds and agreed to let us take her. Took about a week before my husband decided she wasn't going back and convinced the owner to relinquish. Poor thing was so traumatized it took weeks before she even made any noise!

After quarantine I got her a new cage, and have her in the area we spend the most time. It's going to be slow before she trusts enough to step up so I can let her out, and my boys are terrified of the noise she makes sometimes. I have 3 green cheeks. I know a couple green cheek/budgie friends and I'd never house them together but I'm hoping she can befriend one of the boys. If she doesn't I'll have to get her a budgie friend. She's about a year old, doesn't know how to play with toys and hasn't taken a bath yet. I want her to come out and stretch her wings and have a friend. Question is, if it doesn't work out with the GCC's, what % of two girl budgies get along? I really don't want to have babies, or mess with freezing fertilized eggs.

It's been 15 years since I had a budgie. Both were single birds and bonded to me, back then I didn't know as much as I do now. Any advice?

 

[Olliebirb]

I have never had any female budgies so I can't answer your question but I'm so glad your husband found her and y'all were able to save her! So horrible how some people treat animals like they don't have feelings

 

[RainbowFlo]

I also don't have much advice but thank you for taking this poor baby in! I'm sure she'll be forever grateful We need more people like you in the world! Hope all goes well

 

[BirdWorld]

Yes, two girl budgies can get along, but this is what I guess would happen: female budgies are more territorial, so when housed with a male, they want to be dominant. The males don’t care, but since another female would feel the same way they might fight for dominance. This doesn’t always have to happen, though. And since you’d need to quarantine any new bird, you’ll need to get another cage anyway. Maybe place the cages close to each other and see if the budgies communicate and/or seem to like each other? My friend has two female budgies that get along great outside of the cage, but inside cages they will bite each other to blood.

 

[Shezbug]

@Ripshod @PoukieBear @Lady Jane

I personally would just get a male and boil any eggs so you do not have unwanted babies. Hopefully one of the members I tagged for you can give you some better help

 

[AussieBird]

I think you should get a male buddy just to be safe.
I personally have never had a budgie lay an egg without a nest box, this could just be me.

 

[Ripshod]

This poor thing has been outside for 8 months? No wonder she's frightened, anything and everything would have been trying to get her. You're right, this little one is going to need lots of TLC to get over that.
She needs to be in an area away from you cheekies. Let her hear them but not so close. Play youtube vids of pairs or small aviaries of budgies and see how she reacts. If she starts calling to them then get her a budgie buddy. I recommend a male, females tend to get territorial and fight unless they have a really large cage. Don't introduce them straight away. Have the cages in the same room but some distance between them. Let the male fly in the room and see how they react to each other, take small steps and see how it goes.
Don't worry about eggs. Conditions need to be right for egg laying and you can control their environment to avoid it. Any eggs that are laid can be easily and quickly dealt with.
Remember, there's no rush.

 

[Lady Jane]

I really cant add much to what @Ripshod has written. I second keeping budgie away from GCC. These two species do not mix well. Budgie can get injured. Thanks so much for rescuing this little one. May we see a photo of her? If you have any remaining questions you know where to go!

 

[Greencheek Lee]

Thanks all for your help. I'm worried about eggs 'cause my previous budgie kept laying eggs and getting prolapsed. I'd take her to the vet, get stiched up, she'd pull them out, we'd go back in. Then a couple weeks later we'd repeat the cycle. So I'm egg shy.


She's getting better, the GCC's leave her be, no-one seems to know they are a bird

 

[Lori D Pert]

Thanks all for your help. I'm worried about eggs 'cause my previous budgie kept laying eggs and getting prolapsed. I'd take her to the vet, get stiched up, she'd pull them out, we'd go back in. Then a couple weeks later we'd repeat the cycle. So I'm egg shy.


She's getting better, the GCC's leave her be, no-one seems to know they are a bird

Yep, I had a female budgie many years ago that was a chronic layer. A sole budgie who had bonded with my son and would start a new clutch everytime she abandoned the last one. I honestly think getting a male would be the best answer. You can always swap out the eggs if it even comes to that. Apart from that there are many ways to discourage laying. Kudos to you for giving this little girl a home.

 

[PoukieBear]

I see no issues with getting another female budgie, especially since there is no male present. I keep all my females in a separate flight cage than the males and I have never had any issues with them bickering. In fact, they tend to choose a best friend just like the males do.