I know it's possible and even probable to be able to keep multiple tame budgies but i really really need reassurance. Ever since i bred Blinkie a year ago i've been toying with the idea of getting him a budgie friend. I've been schooled at home for the first year of Blinkie's life so a friend wasn't really important however now i'm back in regular school he's alone during the day (never for more than 4-5 hrs, i have a great timetable) and although this doesn't appear to worry him in the slightest it does make me feel a little bad. I've put of breeding Blinkie a buddy for so long simply because i'm TERRIFIED of losing my bond with Blinkie. It's only just Autumn now so if i was to set up a pair of budgies for breeding now then i would have feathered babies by Winter, no probs. And besides, we have heating so it never gets too cold here. Anyway, anytime i've introduced Blinkie to another budgie he's sort of gone ecstatic and just smothered the poor thing either trying to grab it and wrestle it like a toy or beak tapping it in such a way that i'm sure the other budgie would have been left with a headache. :(Laughing out loud): Do you think that this behaviour would calm down after a short while of being with another budgie? And most importantly do you think Blinkie would stay tame? My plan would be to mimic what i did with Blinkie as a baby with another baby: handle from a young age, help feed it, etc. And then for a time after it left the nest i would probably keep it in it's own cage in my room. Once i was satisfied that it was ridiculously bonded to me i would move it's cage beside Blinkie's cage and then begin to have them out for play time together although i'd still have individual time for both of them. Then hopefully once Blinkie gets over the excitement of a budgie friend i'd be able to have them both in Blinkie's cage and still have tame budgies......what do you think? I realise i've just written a TON of stuff and probably lost your interest long ago but do you think my paln would work????

I think, Una would be able to help with the behaviour since Apple was like that to Munchie first off. Just remember what you are talking about will take almost a year and in that time Blinks will still be alone for that time.

It wouldn't take a year....would it? I don't mean i'll keep the new baby on it's own for a year, just until it's bonded to me super well.....which for mr Stink took probably a month or 2.

that is what I was thinking Nerwen, give Una a PM because she really would probably know best. I would think though he would stay pretty bonded to you, but he would certainly bond with the other budgie too, so it may not be as strong as it is now.

It's not a bad plan Bea.. but I think that at this point Blinkie would be more reluctant to accept a friend than Apple was. When Munch was introduced Apple was still just a baby himself. Probably given time, Blink would warm up to the idea/new friend.. but he could also become very protective of his things/favorite person. I think you'd want a different cage if your plan was to have them both in one. Budgies aren't really as territorial some birds, but you never know.

Well Bea, I did not have many problems with Tweety and Buster. They still bonded with me,unless they were in a hormonal season at the same time as each other, then sometimes they prefered each other to me. But that was only for a day or two then they would come looking for me, sometimes alone , and sometimes together.

Now Buster has gone, and Tweety is alone, she just Dive-bombs everone like a kamakaze pilot until she is tired then she is back to 'my baby'

Cindy

I'll PM Una now. This afternoon my friend helped me to set up my breeding cages so i now have 2 pairs set up in my bedroom - Jasper + Akala, Bobbi (or Budgie )+ Lemon. I'm certain i'll change my mind as to whether or not Blinkie will get a friend about a million times before i get babies but i really would like Blinkie to have a birdie buddy to hang out with while i'm not around. HurdyBirdy, i'll start with them both in separate cages so if things go wrong i can always keep them separate. I'm hoping that if i get the baby to a point where he's dying to be out whenever he sees me (like Blinkie does) then after the initial excitement of having another budgie both of them will settle down and still love me.....that's what i hope anyway. In the end the only reasons Blinkie doesn't have a feathered buddy already is because i worry about losing my bond with him but really that's not a good enough reason, i think that if i can't be there for him all the time he should have at least a friend living next to him if not with him.

Bea, Blinks loves your puppy by the looks of your photos so I reckon he seems like a friendly sort of chap! I'm sure with your excellent taming skills and Blinkie's lovely personality you'll be able to do it! He might be a bit jealous at first but I'm confident if anyone can do it, you can do it! Good luck!

a year might be a bit of an overguess, but 3-4 months to breed (one clutch) another 2-3 to bond with the bird then from one to two months for the birds to settle down, that's around 9 months already.

 

I'm not saying this is a bad idea, just to remind you that it's not going to fix the problem right now.

Yeah i know it's not an instant fix, if i wanted an instant fix i'd probably just got to the pet shop......like i said i would i'm already having second thoughts, i guess i'll just make up my mind for certain when and if i end up with babies.

Una didn't lose her bond with Apple Bea, and Apple was with the new one right from the first day. I think your underestimating Blinkie's love for you

Yes, Blinks seems like a very social fella so maybe a buddy would work, or not? Don't know about the differences in species but my rescue lovie Phoebe was kept apart from other birds in the rescue as she was a "killer", and nobody else human could much handle her either.Wouldn't you know that after I have had my rescue lovie Mango for almost two months, they are the best of friends, they are smashed close to each other on my shoulder as I write this (well as close as they can get with Phoebe in collar again due to her mutilating issues). Never would cage them together but birds, as well as people, can apparently change. My gut reaction is that Blinkie would get along with somebody else.

Just thought i'd update you all on my plans. I've rethought the breeding idea so rather than breed lots of babies to possibly not get a male to tame for Blinkie starting tomorrow i'm going to got searching in pet shops and breeders (if i can find any) for a young male budgie. I'm hoping that i'll find one at my favourite pet shop, the last few times i've been there they've had a separate cage with young budgies that haven't yet been in an aviary situation so that's what i'd like to get if at all possible.

have you thought about a rescued one?

I would but the RSPCA never has budgies and i don't know of any other rescue places around here.

have you checked pet finders, in your area the rescues usually post there or the avian rescuse website, it has different rescues too.

No, haven't checked those, i really want a baby.....wouldn't a rescue budgie be likely to be an adult and unsettled?

Today's the day i go looking for a Blinkie friend. I'm very excited although i get this feeling that there won't be any babies.