Confused Budgies

[cynthz 0]

hi just wanted to know if anyone can explain my budgies weird behaviour. i had 2 males and one female. one of the males and the female are paired up and it seemed that the other one kept getting in between therefore i moved the male on the other side of the cage but he kept trying to get to the other side so i bought another female budgie for him to keep him company, its been 5 days but i noticed today that he was trying to attack her and no matter where she went he kept pecking at her acting all fiesty. he just seems to worried about the other female why is this should i swap the pairs? please help thanks heaps

[**Liv** 0]

Are they all in one cage or in separate cages??

[Neat 0]

Hiya, I would remove the NEW hen and put her in QUARANTINE MIN 30 DAYS first .....

 

and I would remove the 3rd wheel male and put him in another cage so that the bonded pair are in peace ...

[Elly 0]

Yes always quarantine, it is so important to never put in a bird straight away. Neat gave good advice that is what I would follow.

[**KAZ** 0]

It says in your profile you are a budgie breeder with three budgies. Now four it seems. Quarantine is paramount importance here as stated. The extra male is trying to win the female from the other male and trying to interfere with mating. Is there a nestbox in this cage with four budgies and how big is the cage ?

New budgie must be removed and quarantined. Extra male must be removed from the pair. Nestboxes ? and how many ? Age of budgies please ?

[cynthz 0]

hey thanks all for your replies. yeah i recently had 3 budgies but purchased another budgie so that the extra male would have company. im fairly new to the whole breeding thing as my budgies have never breeded.

the budgies are in a fairly large cage that is split in half so that they can't get from one side to the other. both sides have a nesting box and enough space to move around in. yeah i do believe the other male is trying to interfere with the couple. the couple is probably 3 years old and the other male would be about 2 years, time goes so fast i can't remember exactly how old also when i bought the new budgie i was told she was ready for breeding as i bought an adult budgie. okay i never knew about quarantine what do i do exactly does she have to be in a seperate cage or is it okay that she is with the male budgie. also is this why the male budgie seems to be attacking the her? thanks again for your help

[**Liv** 0]

Can you please provide a picture of your cage and/or the dimensions overall.

 

In regards to quarantine, your hen needs to be in a cage all on her own for 30 days and a mimimum of 5 meters away (or a different room) from other birds. It is always advised to worm and treat for mites in quarantine too.

 

Also could you please provide a picture of your new hen. we should be able to see if she is old enough to breed as budgies look like adults from as young as 12 weeks old. She needs to be 12 months old to breed safely.

 

By the way - Welcome to the forums

[the pie 0]

He may not be attacking but trying some 'moves' on her instead. If they have already been together than big chance its too late to quarantine anyway. But with quarantine you keep the new bird totally separate for 30 days to look for any illness'es appearing due to the stress of moving to a new home.

You can try to swap pairs but you may just get the same problems as you are now breaking up the pair, give it a bit of time they should come good- his affections will soon turn to the new bird if they havent already

[cynthz 0]

yeah i thought maybe that it was just his way of impressing her or something but he seemed aggressive and she seemed distressed but today their both calm each on a different perch away from each other. i will definetly get some photos just need my cameras battery to charge it went flat on me.

[**KAZ** 0]

When new budgies are brought home, apart from the issue of introduced diseases they may be carrying and that particular reason for quarantine. Stress brings out illness in birds. Stress is brought on by catching birds, moving birds, change of home, chamge of diet, change of pecking order with budgie friends in cages, BREEDING, and many other things. Stress by instantly putting a new bird down to breed can often result in birds getting sick and dying partway through the egglaying or raising of babies. Thats why the 30 days suggestion and elsewhere in the house.

[cynthz 0]

hey i want to show you some pics of the cage they are in and also what my new budgie looks like but not too sure how to add pics from a folder can anyone help thanks

[maesie 0]

Follow the links in my signature... any more problems, just ask!

[cynthz 0]

hey thanks for that

so here's the picture of my budgies home

and here the picture of the new addition to the family "mellow"

[**KAZ** 0]

This budgie looks too young to be breeding...just past its first moult I would say and needs to wait at least another 5 months before being in a cage with a nestbox.

[*libby* 0]

Totally agree with Kaz, very young bird indeed!

[cynthz 0]

okay thanks for letting me know, its funny that the guy who sold me th bird believed she was and i was about to buy a baby budgie and he told me that just give her three months and she will be fine for breeding and her cere had a hint of blue which made me believe he was trying to sell me a boy thats why i got an adult instead. but okay so another 5 months thats kool. so how old in age should they be when they can breed exactly. also i'll show you some pics of the other couple which i've had for more than three years but they haven't breeded yet. thanks

[*libby* 0]

They should be over 12 months old AT LEAST (for a general rule) Some times you can have exceptions, but not very often and not by much

[cynthz 0]

this is a picture of the long time couple bella and bello

 

and this is milo (the confused budgie or thirdwheel) with new friend mellow

[*libby* 0]

Great looking pairs

 

just wait a bit for mellow to be able to breed and all is well

[**KAZ** 0]

If there is a nestbox where the new hen is remove her from that cage, or remove the nestbox. Nestboxes force early breeding.

[cynthz 0]

i will definetly move it or cover the entrance up if thats fine, thanks

[**KAZ** 0]

i will definetly move it or cover the entrance up if thats fine, thanks

Seeing a nestbox is enough incentive to try and breed...best to remove it entirely.

[cynthz 0]

okay kool kool

[**KAZ** 0]

You have not removed the nestbox have you ? After being advised the new hen was too young ?

[cynthz 0]

hey i've read that when the hens cere turns brown then she is ready to breed is this necessarily true as the new hen mellow her cere is a dark brown?