when is best to get 2nd budgie

[witzend]

Hi - I always thought I might get 2 budgies but wanted to get ONE to start with and tame him up before introducing a 2nd one. However my questions at this very early stage are:

1. Does it matter what age 2nd budgie be in relation to 1st one - older/younger/same? (it might mean I trame a 2nd one at the same time as the 1st!!
2. Does size matter - Razzle is of the smaller variety - would it matter if I got a larger 'english' or 'exhibition' one?

 

[GaleriaGila]

Welllllllllllllllllllllllllllll... if Razzle is as sweet as she sounds, I might think twice before getting another.
Just things to think about...
*If you get a boy, are you prepared for eggs/babies?
*You never know if they'll get along, really...
*They might always bond to the extent that they aren't so interested in you...
*Twice the birds are twice the expense, etc.

Just my thoughts.
Good for you for reaching out and being open-minded.

 

[LordTriggs]

Pretty much everything Gail said, I am an avid fan of a singular bird home

What I would say is best regarding a second bird is always and I mean always wait until the first goes through puberty. That's when the majority of parrots get taken to a rescue. If you go through the puberty stage no sweat and you would like another bird then sure. BUT! plan for the worst, hope for the best bit pessimistic I know but it means you can only get either what you expected or become pleasantly surprised

 

[witzend]

What's puberty in budgie age? Is there an optimum age for 1st one to be b4 getting a 2nd?

 

[reeb]

In my opinion it is a wonderful idea to keep two budgies. They are very social parrots and do well in pairs. The only consideration is that female budgies do not typically get along with other females, whereas males get along with both males and females. Over the years I have only had one case where a male budgie did not get along with his cage mate.

Having a male and a female does not automatically mean that the female will lay eggs. They will only lay if they have a place to lay - i.e. a nesting box. If there is no nesting box then you shouldn't have a problem. A female may (very VERY rarely) lay an egg somewhere in the cage (this has never actually happened to me), and in that case you can easily remove it.

In terms of age, two young budgies will be more likely to get along (so, under 1 year for example), however I have introduced older budgies to one another many times in the past and have rarely experienced major issues - it is just something to keep in mind.

Keeping show/English budgies with small budgies is a big debate. I have always kept them together (I have 8 shows in my flock, and they have always lived with the others). Some people say that it is inadvisable due to their larger size, but I have never had any issues with shows dominating the smaller birds. If anything, shows tend to have much more mellow personalities than ordinary budgies. This is all just my experience though, so I would take this with a pinch of salt. I guess to be safe it would make sense to get a small budgie, however if you want a show then you must just consider all the pros and cons of keeping them together.

When introducing your budgies (after you have quarantined the new one for about 3-4 weeks), keep their cages next to each other and watch how they react. Then introduce them in a neutral environment outside of the cage. I would then either get a larger cage and set it up or redecorate one of the cages you already have (that is an appropriate size for two budgies) with new toys so that it is new for both of your birds when they move in together.

Good luck! While the others are right that you never know if your birds will get along, I would still take the risk as it is really lovely having more than one bird.

 

[witzend]

Thanks

In terms of age, two young budgies will be more likely to get along - do you think the 1st budgie should be older or about the same age?

 

[reeb]

Thanks

In terms of age, two young budgies will be more likely to get along - do you think the 1st budgie should be older or about the same age?

I have had a lot of success in the past introducing new younger budgies to older budgies. I think that, if your budgie is already a couple years old, it is better to get a youngster, as youngsters are more adaptable.