Thoughts please...

[cassiesdad]

As many of you know, Harley,our male budgie,passed away this morning. Everyone here is devastated, my worry is about Harley's mate, Omega.
My thoughts are,as soon as Omega let's us know, are to get a pal for her. Budgies do better in multiples, so here's where I need your thoughts. Which gender should be Omega's next pal? She is definitely a girl and Harley was a boy...they were a bonded pair.
So, should I even get another budgie, and what gender? Thanks!

 

[peachypjm]

As many of you know, Harley,our male budgie,passed away this morning. Everyone here is devastated, my worry is about Harley's mate, Omega.
My thoughts are,as soon as Omega let's us know, are to get a pal for her. Budgies do better in multiples, so here's where I need your thoughts. Which gender should be Omega's next pal? She is definitely a girl and Harley was a boy...they were a bonded pair.
So, should I even get another budgie, and what gender? Thanks!

if she did well with a boy I think another boy should be okay, just make sure you watch her body language to the loss of her mate. Take time to grieve yourself as well, so sorry for your loss !

 

[camelotshadow]

So Sorry!
As you know females don't tend to get along with other females so your best getting another male.

 

[Ripshod]

I agree that male is preferable to female, the odds of them getting along are a lot better. You don't want a juvenile though. Adults barely tolerate juvenile imposters in their territory. Ideally you'd want an adult male of similar age so rescues or rehomes are the way to go.
As to whether you should get Omega a new buddy you really do need to follow your gut, you know Omega better than any of us.

 

[Sparkles99]

I'm interested in learning more about what you wrote about juvenile impostors being intolerable, Ripshod. Is this a female thing or a budgie thing? Does it matter if the budgie's been a parent before?

The reason being Winston loves Aurelius, who's definitely a baby & is clipped. They were in quarantine together. I didn't have another room. Eventually I put them together in the newly built flight cage, because they were miserable apart, always trying to get to each other. He immediately showed the baby where to eat, how to go from perch to perch, demoed advanced preening & in less than 5 minutes was feeding him.

Now he is an ex-breeder budgie, from her & another aviary before hers. Maybe that makes a difference, but the whole beak to beak feeding that Pistachio & Marzipan are only just starting to do once in a blue moon, he did with Aurelius immediately.

I honestly couldn't have found a more gentle cage mate. He's fully grown, fully flighted & that baby's clipped.

Just putting that out there. Rescues/ re-homes are great though! This could be a one off, being a sample size of one pair.

 

[Dona]

Oh no Bob, I missed this. I'm so very sorry. I'll defer to the budgie experts about adding a new friend.

 

[cassiesdad]

I agree that male is preferable to female, the odds of them getting along are a lot better. You don't want a juvenile though. Adults barely tolerate juvenile imposters in their territory. Ideally you'd want an adult male of similar age so rescues or rehomes are the way to go.
As to whether you should get Omega a new buddy you really do need to follow your gut, you know Omega better than any of us.

When Omega let's us know she's ready for a new pal, we'll help with the arrangements.
There is a local rescue that has a male budgie available for adoption the same age as Omega...I've begun looking it the situation...

 

[Sparkles99]

That sounds ideal! I am sorry to hear about your other budgie.

 

[JLcribber]

As many of you know, Harley,our male budgie,passed away this morning. Everyone here is devastated, my worry is about Harley's mate, Omega.
My thoughts are,as soon as Omega let's us know, are to get a pal for her. Budgies do better in multiples, so here's where I need your thoughts. Which gender should be Omega's next pal? She is definitely a girl and Harley was a boy...they were a bonded pair.
So, should I even get another budgie, and what gender? Thanks!

As close to the same bird as you can find. Age, gender and what I think is most important, colour. Instant friends and Buddys.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

I'm so sorry about Harley!

 

[Miss_sj]

I’m sorry to hear about this

 

[ParrotNuts]

I'm sorry to hear about Harley
I'd say get a male too, and being the same age will be even better....

 

[Mybluebird]

So sorry to hear about Harley - I missed that post.

I would agree with others that a male budgie is best. The budgie at the rescue sounds like a good option. In my humble opinion, if you get him now and put him in a 30 day quarantine, that will be just about the right amount of time to introduce Omega to a new friend.

 

[Lady Jane]

As close to the same bird as you can find. Age, gender and what I think is most important, colour. Instant friends and Buddys.

I totally agree with this suggestion.

 

[Dorcas George]

I’m so sorry about Harley. I’m rooting for the little rescue guy.

 

[Shezbug]

I’m so sorry about Harley. I’m rooting for the little rescue guy.

For anyone wanting to keep up... https://forums.avianavenue.com/index.php?threads/somethings-going-on-here.262065/

 

[Dorcas George]

For anyone wanting to keep up... https://forums.avianavenue.com/index.php?threads/somethings-going-on-here.262065/

YAY!

 

[Fergus Mom]

Oh I'm so sorry to hear that Harley has passed away! I just commented on the new baby Flake, and then saw this post.