2 females together??

[MomofMango]

We had a found budgie choose us as a forever home. No one claimed her. She is now, Lady Penelope.

Now, another loose unclaimed one has become available and we've been looking for a friend for her. Seems a lot of people just let these little ones go.
She's a little blue female. We will isolate her and get a much bigger, neutral cage for the two upon them living together.


However, I've read horror stories and now I'm afraid. Can 2 ladies co-exist?

 

[Keet_Krazy]

I personally hate suggesting housing two girls together. Yes, they can get along, but those horror stories you read are real. I've had girls fight (and draw blood), but currently two of my girls have taken to mating (with the presence of a boy)
So basically it's a bit of a gamble, they get along... till they don't. If you're diligent and prepared you can make it work. If I only had a pair of females I'd probably opt for seperate cages, and let them share out of cage time.

 

[Greenhouseparrots]

I have a male and three females living together. The females feed each other sometimes and like to sit together and leave the male out. They are all allowed out of their cage for at least four hours a day, usually more so I think that helps. They do squabble but no-one has ever gotten hurt and it's just disputes over food and perches so I make sure they have plenty of bowls and perches.

I think it can work but it does depend on the bird. I've heard horror stories about female budgies but mine aren't like that at all so it really does depend

 

[MomofMango]

Thanks for the replies guys. I did adopt the little girl. We have her in a separate room in the house but we are hoping to allow them to socially interact outside the cage after her isolation period is over. We will have 2 cages in our big, sunny bonus room and allow them to mingle but be kept separate unless a miracle bonding happens.

This one has not been socialized like the other has.
With so many loose and unclaimed...I'm wondering if they're used in ceremonies like doves or something?

 

[Keet_Krazy]

Thanks for the replies guys. I did adopt the little girl. We have her in a separate room in the house but we are hoping to allow them to socially interact outside the cage after her isolation period is over. We will have 2 cages in our big, sunny bonus room and allow them to mingle but be kept separate unless a miracle bonding happens.

Definitely go along with their behaviour. Keep an eye out for hormones though, that generally is the issue a lot of the time
Congrats on your new baby!

 

[clark_conure]

yeah the girls get along in my flock of budgies. I wouldn't worry.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

yeah the girls get along in my flock of budgies. I wouldn't worry.

It really can't be predicted based solely on the budgies sex whether they will get along. Male budgies usually get along with other males but I had a sweet male budgie that only liked female cagemates. I would cautiously try to see if your two girls can share a cage after a getting to know each other period in separate cages. It may be fine. Not all female budgies are "bossy witches" to other females. However, if they don't get along you can't let them share a cage because the dominant female could injure the other one. It's also not unusual for a dominant female to injure a male cagemate. Cages birds cannot escape aggression as they do in the wild and it's very stressful for a bird to be bullied by a cagemate. As their custodians, it's our responsibility to protect them from each other, been it that means more cages than we had in mind.

 

[Greenhouseparrots]

It really can't be predicted based solely on the budgies sex whether they will get along. Male budgies usually get along with other males but I had a sweet male budgie that only liked female cagemates. I would cautiously try to see if your two girls can share a cage after a getting to know each other period in separate cages. It may be fine. Not all female budgies are "bossy witches" to other females. However, if they don't get along you can't let them share a cage because the dominant female could injure the other one. It's also not unusual for a dominant female to injure a male cagemate. Cages birds cannot escape aggression as they do in the wild and it's very stressful for a bird to be bullied by a cagemate. As their custodians, it's our responsibility to protect them from each other, been it that means more cages than we had in mind.

I agree, it mainly depends on the personality of the individual bird and the environment that they're in. I have no doubt that if I hadn't made sure to have loads of food bowls then my female budgie would have started attacking my male budgie as that's how her old cagemate died (before I got her, he starved to death and was also bullied by her since their owners didn't feed them enough). I'm surprised that they can share a cage now even but she doesn't show the aggression anymore. Still, if they showed signs of not getting along then I would separate them.

 

[RingneckRave]

However, I've read horror stories and now I'm afraid. Can 2 ladies co-exist?

It's not a life or death situation as made out to be. Budgies have a reputation of being more likely to bond than some other parrots species.

Most of the time budgies can get along well, regardless of gender, they just need time to get used to each other. Proper introduction (after quarantine) would involve supervising their interactions as they greet each other in a place they're less familiar with so that they don't feel as if one is intruding their territory. Other factors- such as ensuring the cage is of decent size and I'd also suggest adding an extra food bowl, will help.

Regardless, sometimes individuals just don't get along. If they are not getting along well, then that's reasonable to house them alone/separate. Personally I'm a believer in if they will benefit from a friend, it's worth giving it a go. I doubted my ringnecks would get along since they were hand-raised and well, ringnecks, but months later they were finally ready to be housed together, they still have disagreements and bite tails but nothing dangerous or aggressive. But that's just in my experience.

And good luck with your new friend, hopefully they get along!

 

[Keet_Krazy]

It's not a life or death situation as made out to be. Budgies have a reputation of being more likely to bond than some other parrots species.

This can be dangerous information. Unless you've had to deal with budgies that don't get along please be extremely cautious with what you go around saying. It may seem harsh but budgies can and do kill each other. Last time my budgies fought I was at work, if there hadn't been people home who heard the commotion and split them up I do believe I would have lost a budgie because I wouldn't have been home for another 6 or more hours. These girls had been getting along perfectly for the preceding five months.
Yes, I'll always take the more paranoid side because I'd hate to see someone lose a bird because people were telling them it'd be completely fine.

 

[RingneckRave]

This can be dangerous information. Unless you've had to deal with budgies that don't get along please be extremely cautious with what you go around saying. It may seem harsh but budgies can and do kill each other. Last time my budgies fought I was at work, if there hadn't been people home who heard the commotion and split them up I do believe I would have lost a budgie because I wouldn't have been home for another 6 or more hours. These girls had been getting along perfectly for the preceding five months.
Yes, I'll always take the more paranoid side because I'd hate to see someone lose a bird because people were telling them it'd be completely fine.

Oh dear, I'm terribly sorry to hear that, sounds scary
Can I ask, what happened?

 

[Keet_Krazy]

Oh dear, I'm terribly sorry to hear that, sounds scary
Can I ask, what happened?

What caused it was likely hormones (which female budgies  will have with or without the presence of a male). My flock is also imbalanced, 3 girls to 2 boys, because my elderly budgie passed away (five month before the fight) so new bonds were being formed between some of the budgies. After the five months was probably when they were finally settled into their new flock dynamics and so the girls got a little nesty.
My English girl received bites to her foot (which had potential to swell under her legband), and a bite to her wing. Her wing was very tender for a few days but thankfully everything was minor due to the quick intervention.

 

[MomofMango]

Just wanted to update!!!

The two girls live side by side in separate cages.
The new blue one, Willow, is not socialized at all. She clearly has never been handled like Lady Penelope. We are going slow and she's definitely calmed down vs flying around like a mad woman everytime you enter the cage. Today I had the cage open, with my hand in it trying to get her more used to me, and she flew out.
Lady Penelope was already out, and it was their first time bonding together outside the cage.

My husband was heart broken......because Lady Penelope instantly took to this new bird and no longer wanted a single thing to do with him LOL! They were gently pruning each other and flying all around the room from place to place. It was adorable. They seemed to enjoy each other.

It was quite the adventure trying to get them both back, but Lady Penelope finally stepped up onto his hand after a couple of hours, and gave him kisses, so my husband *may* recover.
Willow had to be tricked with one of the plush bird tunnels we had and millet.

We are not putting them together or even risking it for some time until we get a very large cage when we come back from out if town and we can monitor them around the clock.