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Do Budgies Need to be in Pairs? Can’t They Live Alone?

Do Budgies Need to be in Pairs

Budgies are talkative, social, and love to interact. They could feel lonely if kept alone. So you probably don’t want to leave your dear pet alone and see it sad & depressed!

Do budgies need to be in pairs? Yes, a pair of budgies fare much better than a single one. The selection of a companion budgie should be based on the space in the cage and their gender. Female parakeets are highly territorial and dominating, so if you already have a female budgie, consider a male companion. Similarly, if you’ve got a male budgie and the cage has enough space, it’s better to choose a female one. But if the area is compact, you might’ve to go with another male companion.

Since providing interactive habitat for your budgie is essential, you must keep them in pairs. To know more about how to keep your parakeet happy with a companion, check out the article here.

Why Do Budgies Need to Be in Pairs

You can’t be by your budgie all the time. Since we’ve got a lot of work to do all day, it’s hard to interact with the budgie as much as it should be done. Imagine how they live their life in the wild. A budgie often lives as a part of a large flock. They raise chicks, squabble, and groom each other regularly. 

It makes them feel safe and stress-free, which translates into flourishing health. When you have a pet budgie, you definitely want it to be happy and live life naturally. The best way to be natural for them is to bond with their own kind.

Why Do Budgies Need to Be in Pairs

Many wonders keeping budgies in a pair will mean you’ll get less attention as they’ll devote more attention to each other. But training them before putting them together can solve the issue. You’ll find enough affection from them that can make you happy as an owner.

But you’ve to consider a few things if you’re supposed to keep your parakeets in pairs, such as

  • Getting a giant bird cage
  • Making a good combination based on their gender
  • Providing adequate food arrangements
  • Ensuring a healthy and playful environment, and so on. 

We’ll find out more about these things later, but for now, you can be sure about one thing is that don’t leave your budgie single unless you want to see it getting depressed and unhappy.

What Genders of Budgies Get Along Best

We already said hens are more dominating and territorial (learn more about this behavior here). So you should avoid putting two female parakeets together. On the other hand, if you already have a male budgie, you can pair it with a male or a female companion. Males are friendlier and more social, and you’ll hardly find them fighting.

What Genders of Budgies Get Along Best

But if you’re looking to pair a male budgie with a female one, there are a few things you need to consider. 

  1. You’ll need to have enough space so they don’t fight over.
  2. There’ll be a chance that they’ll breed and give birth to chicks. So you’ve to be prepared to handle the lucky clutch of eggs and the chicks that can be produced. 
See also:  How Often Do Budgies Molt? Does It Require Extra Care?

You can consult a vet to ensure the female budgie doesn’t have any complications while laying eggs, and the chick that hatch can be in good health. But if you’re not prepared to welcome some chicks at the moment, pairing budgies of the same sex is a better idea for you.

How To Train & Introduce The Budgies With Each Other?

Before introducing the new companion to your budgie, take some precautionary steps. 

How To Train & Introduce The Budgies With Each Other
  • Firstly make sure the new budgie is healthy by visiting the vet. 
  • Once you’ve got the clean bill from the vet, manage a separate cage for the new member where you can give them the primary grooming. This period of quarantine can help the training process see why quarantine is important while introducing a new bird).
  • Place the existing budgies cage and new cage next to each other. It’ll help them to get familiar with each other and the conditions.
  • After a few days, they should be ready to get along. So you can get the new budgie to pay a visit to the old cage with the existing budgie. Get them used to with a few visits like this. Once they enjoy themselves, you can permanently shift the new budgie with your existing budgie.
  • This gradual training will also ensure that both parakeets have a personal relationship with you as an owner.

Also read: Pregnant Dead Budgie

Provide Safe Housing, Food, and a Playful Environment

Buy the largest cage possible to keep your couple budgies so they can move comfortably around. Parakeets tend to fly back and forth, so you’ll need a cage with more length than their height. The cage’s bar spacing should be ¼ inch so they can climb around easily and not get stuck in the bars. Don’t use bamboo cages as they can chew through them.

Provide Safe Housing, Food, and a Playful Environment

To ensure they eat conveniently:

  1. Put two bird food cups and water dishes.
  2. Give them a balanced diet in adequate amounts.
  3. Clean the food stations and the cage properly with newspaper or plain paper towels.
  4. Provide a minimum of two bird-safe toys. It’ll help enrich the environment so your couple parakeets can amuse themselves. Budgies love mirrors, especially the budgie boy who serenades his image and taps the beaks to the reflection to enjoy it for hours.
See also:  How Often Do Budgies Poop? Can You Potty Train It? (Poop Chart)

What Are the Disadvantages of Keeping Budgies in a Pair

There are a few disadvantages of keeping budgies in pairs, but most of them could be quickly dealt with.

Budgies in a Pair
  • Since they have fragile health, you’ve to take more care of a parakeet pair than a single parakeet. You’ve to supply adequate food, keep their environment clean and playful, and make sure they don’t fight.
  • Keeping budgies of opposite sexes poses the chance of breeding even when you aren’t ready.
  • A paired budgie might devote their attention to each other. So you might get less attention than you would’ve expected.

FAQs

If you’re still left with queries, here are some FAQs answered below.

1. What If The Companion Budgies Die?

Budgies become very close to their mates, so when a friend dies, they’re often seen to mourn and grief. They can even become depressed and stop living everyday life. If the companion dies, you must take the budgie to the vet to see if their health is fine. Also, try introducing it to new mates and enrich the environment as much as possible.

2. How Quickly Can Two Budgies Bond?

After a few training days, the two budgies can bond within one week of staying together in one cage.

Related: Budgie Tail Bobbing

Final Words

Since budgies are friendly birds, they make the best-feathered friends for any pet lover. But every animal loves the companionship of its own kind. And for social birds like budgies, you can’t risk them leaving alone, especially if you’re someone with a hectic daily schedule. 

You might get less attention than before, but you don’t mind seeing a beautiful pair of playful budgies. A little bit of extra care can keep the pair of birds happy. And when you pass through some beautiful moments with your happy pair of budgies, all your extra effort will seem worth it.

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Peter Kaestner

Hi there, my name is Peter Kaestner and I am the owner of Birdsauthority.com. As a avid bird watcher and enthusiast with a passion for ornithology, I want to share my knowledge and experience with other bird lovers through this blog. As someone who regularly participates in bird-related forums and groups online, I am dedicated to helping others learn more about these amazing creatures. However, it's important to note that while I am happy to share my expertise and advice, it is always crucial to consult with an avian veterinarian before making any decisions that could potentially impact your bird's health or well-being. Your bird's health and happiness should always be your top priority, and consulting with a professional is the best way to ensure that you are making informed decisions on their behalf. I hope that through my blog, I can help make a positive difference in the lives of birds and the people who care for them. Whether you are an experienced bird owner or just starting out, I encourage you to use this resource as a way to learn more about these fascinating animals and how to provide them with the best possible care.View Author posts