Does a budgerigar need a pair?

Budgerigars are native to Australia. In the wild, these birds usually live no more than four years. Everywhere they are pursued by danger – predators, drought. Parrots have to travel huge distances in search of water, food, safe places to raise chicks. What helps them overcome these difficulties? Responsiveness, mutual assistance and team spirit.

Wavy in nature live in huge flocks. One parrot can instantly warn a thousand parrots about the approach of a bird of prey. But even in such a large company, the budgerigar will find its soul mate and will not confuse the color of its plumage with any other.

Domestic budgerigars are very different from wild ones. But they have ancient instincts in common. In megacities, wavy birds that have flown away from their owners are trying to stray into flocks with other birds and survive according to the precepts of sunny Australia. How are things at home? Do parrots need the company of their relatives?

At home, budgerigars live much longer, from 5 to 15 years. A caring owner has a parrot protected from natural disasters, the need to spend all his energy searching for food and escaping from predators.

The long-liver-record holder among the wavy lived for 21 years. Why such a spread in numbers? Much depends on genetics, individual characteristics, quality of content. For example, if the parents of your feathered pet are from the same owner, they may be relatives. Their offspring do not have the best heredity. It is desirable that the feathered father and mother of your wavy friend be from different cities.

Proper care and healthy nutrition are the basis for the well-being and longevity of a feathered companion. Organize the space in the cage so that the parrot has a place to climb, play, walk and play around.

Budgerigars live a long time if the owners sincerely and kindly communicate with them every day. Remember that the budgerigar is talking. Refrain from swearing in his presence. It is better to teach your feathered friend to call you by name, say hello, wish good morning, make compliments. With such an interlocutor, you will forget about boredom and despondency. But loneliness and boredom will not benefit the bird. If you are often away from home and the parrot is on its own, consider finding a companion for it.

Even the most caring and sociable owner in the world cannot replace a budgerigar to communicate with his own kind. Surveys on thematic resources and forums show that most wavy lovers keep one parrot. Although living with another parrot is more natural for this species.

Does a budgerigar need a pair? Let’s consider two situations. You spend a lot of time at home and love to communicate with your pet. Then one budgerigar will suit you perfectly. You can have a conversation with him every time you have a free minute. And he never gets bored!

Option two. Nobody is home from early morning until late at night. A lonely parrot will feel abandoned, may become depressed. A sure sign of the onset of depression is when the parrot begins to pluck its feathers. Then he certainly needs a friend or girlfriend. They will be able to spend time together, play, communicate and not feel abandoned.

But keeping budgerigars in pairs means there will be more noise from feathered friends. They will need a large cage so that both can spread their wings in it at the same time and not hit the bars. Any toy for parrots you will need in two copies. These birds are very jealous and can start a quarrel over a toy. Equip two feeders or a large feeder for two so that none of the pets feel left out.   

If a male and female budgerigar are paired, sooner or later they will want to have chicks. To do this, a pair of parrots must have a house in a cage, and protein food must be present in the diet. If breeding wavy is not included in your plans, you should immediately choose your friend of the same sex for your ward. It’s easy to distinguish. Wax – part of the skin at the base of the beak – in males is sky blue. And in females – pale brown.

Experts unanimously declare that wavy couples live longer. The presence of a parrot friend (or girlfriend) nearby contributes to the longevity of the pet. But there are many other factors that also affect life expectancy. So it cannot be said with certainty that a parrot that has a pair will definitely live two or three years longer than a single budgie.

Finding the right budgie mate is another way to make your pet bird’s life happier and longer.

How to choose a pair for a budgerigar? If you initially choose a pair of parrots, take a closer look at their behavior in the cage. Often budgerigars find love or lifelong friendships at the pet store. Don’t separate these couples. If you need one parrot, look for someone who keeps to himself. This is a sign – it is you who will save the wavy from loneliness.

Please note that the simultaneous appearance of a pair of budgerigars in the house usually leads to the fact that they are poorly tamed. Why should they strengthen friendship with the owners, if they have so much fun together? To avoid this situation, first get a feathered boy and establish communication with him. After some time, you can start looking after his girlfriend or friend.

If you decide to choose a friend or lady of the heart for your feathered pet, follow simple rules. It is better if both parrots are similar in color. Consider the temperament and age of your ward. Active and energetic need the same companions. If your parrot is quiet and melancholic, it will make an excellent company for budgies with a similar character. In a heterosexual pair, the male should be two to three years older than the female. Otherwise, an adult feathered lady will begin to tyrannize the youth.

The main thing is to give the parrots time to get to know each other, to get accustomed to each other. After the purchase, endure two to three weeks of quarantine. Let the parrots live in different rooms. Set their cages on the same level, put the cages side by side for a few days. Start taming the second parrot, and then place the second parrot in a large cage with the first one. Breeders argue that it is better to add a female to a male than vice versa.

We wish your parrots strong friendship, happiness and longevity!