Hi everyone, I'm a some-time lurker, first-time poster. I've glanced over the forums here in the past, but I've finally decided to join up as we have a little behavioural problem with our Beaker which is something I've never come across before, so I apologise if this is a bit longwinded!

 

Last year my beloved Pippin of eight years passed away due to cancer, and I got a new budgie from a friend in November. His name is Beaker, and he's a gorgeous little thing - not too friendly with people, but he does chirp and chatter when you talk to him. He flies around the lounge room quite happily and always goes back to his cage when he's tired or hungry.

 

So far so good, except in his second week of life in our flat, one of our two bonded house-bunnies passed away suddenly. Since Kyoko died, Beaker has really taken to Rubi, our other rabbit. At first we thought this was really sweet and amazing, as if he was looking after his furred companion in his greiving period, but now, two months later, Beaker appears to have bonded with Rubi. He follows him around everywhere, spends a lot of time in the rabbit's hutch, grooms him around the face, and yesterday I caught him regurgitating for him. He even tries to sleep snuggled up to the rabbit. There's no denying it, it is really cute to watch, but the poor rabbit really doesn't like the extra attention. Beaker chews his whiskers (ouch), nibbles his nose (ouch), pulls food out of his mouth when he's trying to eat (hey!), and pecks him around the face and the rump when he doesn't like where the rabbit is sitting. Beaker has free run in the lounge, but Rubi only is allowed out when my housemate and I are home to supervise, and Beaker will even run on the floor and chase Rubi when he is out of the hutch. Rubi is such a shy, quiet little bunny, he doesn't thump, growl, nip or get upset but does appear to be quiet harrassed and tries to get away from the bird as much as he can.

 

We are thinking of getting another budgie in the hope that Beaker will turn his attention to a more appropriate companion (since he doesn't appear interested in bonding with people - my last two budgies were bonded with me). I've never kept two budgies at a time, and I'm not sure about introducing another bird and how one goes about it. My friend has offered me a 'runner budgie' (born with wing defects), who would be about the same age, or a little younger than Beaker.

 

Does anyone have any experience with budgies who have bonded inappropriately? Or with 'runner budgies'? Would introducing another bird be a benefit or cause chaos?

 

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!!

That's so sweet! May we have some pictures, pretty please! :fear

yes we love pics . Thank you for sharing. My Pretty had a misguided love for a long time until we got Merlin. I was our 2 cats Max and Mollii

I think introducing a bird would be a good idea. Runner budgies are fine. I have one and she acts just like a normal budgie, but with clipped wings.

Thanks for your comments - a second budgie is definitely sounding like a good idea. Unfortunately my camera is broken and because my phone isn't compatible with my computer I can't transfer the photos I have on there. I'll see if I can borrow my housemate's camera and get some happy snaps next time they're being cute.

 

Does anyone know anything about 'runner budgies'? My friend sent me some photos and they're sweet little things so it does look like the way to go. My main concern is any extra health problems or dangers in having a bird that can't fly.

:rip: There shouldn't be any dangers of a "runner" unless you have a dog, cat or other people stomping about that might not be aware and step on him.

For those of you wanting to see the two of them together, I've put some photos up in the Budgie Pictures forum (link here ).

 

We will be getting one of the runners (probably the little blue one. My friend also has a blue and white dominant pied, but apparently the blue one has a better temprement), his/her name will be Bunsen (naturally) and my housemate is now freaking out about the prospect of trying to fit in another bird cage into our modest apartment (the rabbit's hutch already takes up a good portion of the lounge room).

 

I am worried that Beaker is now refusing to fly, and doesn't appear to fly back to his cage - when he tries he doesn't have enough strength and flops on the floor. He's happy to climb everywhere else, and scales all three levels of the rabbit's hutch with ease, he's just not interested in using his wings at all. We're trying to encourage him to fly more, but that just seems to be met with a load of angry dolphin babble back at us. My fear is that with a runner he'll have even less incentive to fly, but I'm hoping he's just going through his teenage period of rebelliousness, and return to doing big figure eights of the room once more.