First, a bit of background: I have 4 budgies, 2 male, 2 female. The oldest female Charlie is around 6-7 years, the oldest male Flash is 3, then there's the babies: Petey (10 months) and CP Shazza ( 8 months). I normally keep them in 2 different cages (3 at the moment, but we'll get to that), and three of them are related (Flash is the father to both Petey and Shazza, but from different clutches). They get along reasonably well, although the older ones don't have much patience for the noisy younger ones (that's just life though isn't it!).

 

Anyway, I've been noticing some changes in my boy Petey's behaviour recently. He's been getting a little more frisky with his toys and more "assertively chatty" to my other budgies, but I just figured it was 'budgie adolescence' or something like that.

 

The past few times I've let them all out, when it was time for bed they ended up pairing up with 2 boys in one cage and 2 girls in another. Seemed odd, but I'm happy to let them choose where they sleep. The girls seemed happy enough with that arrangement, but Petey was getting overly aggressive towards his dad, Flash. Flash is a gentle old soul so I kept an eye on them and when it wasn't easing up after a week I split them up and put the oldest male and female together, and put Petey in a cage with his younger sister.

 

I thought they'd have fun playing together, and originally she was the one I thought would be the meany, because for such a young bird, until now she's 'ruled the roost' so to speak. Well, tonight I was trying to play with them (Petey was doing his best to ignore me and impress CP Shazza), and to my horror, Petey started mounting her WHILE SHE WAS ON MY FINGER!! I couldn't believe he was trying to mate for one, but while I had my hand in there ?!!

 

I was shocked to say the least, and she wasn't too impressed with him either, so I put him in the spare cage for now. He was a bit miffed - until he saw that I'd put in his first love: his dangly bell toy. Now he's happy(ish), but still putting on a bit of a song and dance. Meanwhile she's doing something odd in her seed tray ...

 

So, over to you guys, my amazing resource of breeding and pet-ownership experts; a few questions:

 

1) Is this normal??! (I thought about posting this anonymously as a guest; its that weird to me! I'll be very embarrassed if it turns out he was just preening her in a whole new way )

 

2) Aren't they *far* too young to be thinking about this kind of thing?

 

3) I think I know the answer to this one, but it seems that birds don't recognise family members the way people do? Will he mate with anything as long as it'll let him? (By The Way, I have no intention of breeding these birds, but we'd rather not see them trying while having our dinner [as hubby said earlier tonight!])

 

3) My birds don't like to be on their own (sometimes they all squeeze into one cage just to be together) so I'm feeling a bit bad that he's all on his lonesome at the moment - should I just ignore the humping and let them be?

 

4) Please tell me this has happened to you!

 

Do I release Petey from his solitary confinement and let him play grown ups with his sister because budgies don't know any better?

 

At least my older birds are doing just fine, they're behaving the way normal budgies should: being destructive, making a mess, chirping louder than Desparate Housewives ...

) Is this normal??! (I thought about posting this anonymously as a guest; its that weird to me! I'll be very embarrassed if it turns out he was just preening her in a whole new way ) it is okay...budgies can do odd things and I say yes it is normal. 2) Aren't they *far* too young to be thinking about this kind of thing?

 

3) I think I know the answer to this one, but it seems that birds don't recognise family members the way people do? Will he mate with anything as long as it'll let him? (By The Way, I have no intention of breeding these birds, but we'd rather not see them trying while having our dinner [as hubby said earlier tonight!]) ** Yes they will mate, they haven't have a clue anymore they are siblings and if they do don't care and should not be breed. They should be over the age of at least 12 months many experience breeders wait 15-18 months.

 

3) My birds don't like to be on their own (sometimes they all squeeze into one cage just to be together) so I'm feeling a bit bad that he's all on his lonesome at the moment - should I just ignore the humping and let them be? **Budgies can have recreational sex but if you don't want a clutch with his sister I would stop it yes.

 

4) Please tell me this has happened to you! Can't say not a breeder

 

Do I release Petey from his solitary confinement and let him play grown ups with his sister because budgies don't know any better? No I don't think that is right to let him play like this with his sister, again if you have a clutch what will you do if she lays eggs? Sister/Brother relationships in a sexual manner should be avoided.

 

These are my personal views.

Edited June 11, 200718 yr by Elly

They are birds,If you don`t want them to breed,thats easy,don`t put a nest in the cage.Throw a sheet over the cage & they can preform in private.

Very funny! Its the idea of him doing it on my hand that disturbs me the most! As much as I love to be part of their feathered family, that's just taking things too far!

Leanne, due to their young ages, hers especially I would keep them separate. Young and inexperienced hens can have problems like becoming egg bound.

 

 

Feathers.

Thanks Feathers, will do. I've been watching him for the past hour and he seems to have forgotten all about her and is trying his best to impress his bell, so I'm not feeling as bad about separating him anymore.

 

I just never expected them to behave like this if I wasn't providing them with a breeding environment (i.e. a nest box).

 

Silly little buggers.

Young male budgies at about that age are like young adolescent human males... they go through a very hormonal stage

 

 

Feathers.

My aviary birds always have recreational sex, regardless of if they're related or not.

 

In the house, lets just say i've spent the last THREE days listening to Blinkie's ducky toy jingle and he holds it and humps his rope perch. THREE DAYS!!!! I've been putting them to bed earlier, i recently rearranged the cage, and it's just got worse. He's reached a new low in that he no longer cares if it's a rope perch he's humping or if it's his preferred toy he's holding - he'll hump sticks and cage bars aswell. I haven't seen him this turned on since i adopted your grey babies, Leanne, and he met the girls. :(Laughing out loud):

Edited June 12, 200718 yr by Bea

Jeez they're funny critters aren't they!

 

Thanks guys, now I know my boy isn't a weirdo, he's just a randy teenager like the rest of them

 

But for now I think I'll spare poor Cinnamon Princess the harrassment and let him hump his toys instead