Should I get another budgie?

[Emelline75]

Hi all, I'm curious as to what to do.

I had two female budgies who were sisters, in seperate cages of course but the cages were always pretty near to each other. They would often make noises back and forth to eachother. Often I would get one budgie out and she would fly to the others cage to 'sing' and preen their feathers through the cage bars, I thought it was so sweet but I never let them out at the same time because I heard they will fight.

Unfortunately, a few days ago one of them passed away through the night. I took my other budgie and other pets to the veterinarian as soon as I could to make sure it wasn't something that spreads, but they are all okay. I'm curious as, should I get another budgie now?

My budgie now, she seems fine, she is drinking and eating well, commonly makes chirping noises, still likes to play but she is just a lot quieter now. Sometimes she just sits there and looks like she doesn't know what to do. A few times, maybe like 3 times now, she will suddenly freak out and start chirping loudly and flapping her wings, she will calm down when I go to her but it's worrying me a lot. Any advice is really appreciated! I want to make sure my little girl is happy and healthy and lives a long life, that unfortunately her sister couldn't have.

 

[fiddlejen]

Bugdies are very-much-so flock birds.

If you plan to tame & train your lone budge, and think she will be amenable to it, and are going to give her Lots of one-on-one attention --as if she was a much larger, demanding type of parrot-- then leaving her as a singleton would be okay.

Otherwise, yes, she probably needs a companion.

Mine are a boy and a girl. I think this combination is least likely to fight although of course you'll always have to watch out for fights, but basically if you get a Boy take precautions to make them less likely to breed, like, don't give them much shreddables or anything they might mistake for a nest or nestbox, etc. (Also of course no hidey-huts ever).

And lastly. Don't get another budgie IF you doN't want it. This is always true for any bird. But as long as you're open to it, as you are -- BUDGIES are one of the few parrots for which it Does make sense to "get another bird for my bird." (Most other parrots - No.)

Also, Are you near any SPCA's? My local Petstores have lovely non-tame budgies (... last time I popped in there was one in particular that I would've loved to get... I could see her happy personality in just a few moments watching.... haha when I got my own, I had no clue. NOW that I've had mine awhile and NOT in market for another, I can see all I Would've looked for... I was so fortunate to get tiny babies but I had NO clue and so could not take advantage of their babyhood!) Anyways my local SPCA ALWays has sweet, young-looking budgies posted as available. I assume people got them at petstore as "easy" pets, decided they were too much trouble or something, and brought them in.

So, just putting a word in -- IF you're gonna go ahead and get a budgie and IF you're near an SPCA, maybe check with them and see if they have a lonely budgie that catches your heart?

 

[fiddlejen]

Oh correction. IF you continue to keep them in separate cages, the gender obviously does not matter, since they cannot physically fight. Mine are both in one cage together -- when they're in the cage, but now with work-from-home they are Out more than In.

If you're able, when you go to get another, observe them a while before choosing one. Don't be too random, make sure you're getting one that you want. Especially if you pray about if first, this is gonna be the best way to get another who is a budgie both for you and for your current budgie.

I wish you both the best!

(Oh, and I'm sorry for the loss of your other little friend, too.)