Parakeet Quarrels

User Question
I have two budgies. I bought one blue bird (trouble) and then bought an albino bird (mischief) as a companion when i started back at school. I got Trouble used to handling over the summer holidays as I had time to spend training. I then got mischeif and introduced them to eachother, in separate cages, slowly. They lived together for a month or so with no problems and then they started having fights over toys, food and the purch. Their cage is full of toys, ropes and different textured purches as they have a cage similar to the one in your picture that i saw. Mischeif is a younger bird, I think she's female but I'm not 100% sure as she's albino and Trouble is definitley a boy. Mischeif is a very active, noisey, playful bird where as trouble is more quiet.

I was wondering what you would do and if you have any advice as they now fight over everything, even when they are out of the cage they try to know eachother off the purch! Should I try reintroducing them? When ever i take one away they make a big fuss, even if ones climbing on the cage while the other one is in it.

Lisa's Answer
It sounds like you did a GREAT job of introducing them properly so that isn't a problem at all. It sounds like they are just getting cranky, as toddlers sometimes do. It's like having two three-year-olds in the same room. Sometimes they play nicely and sometimes they pull each others' hair. You can only do the best you can - have different toys, a big cage, two food dishes. But just as with toddlers, even if you have lots of toys sometimes they are going to fight over the exact same toy, just to be cranky.

Birds have a "pecking order" which is how they figure out who is the boss. It sounds like your keets are going through that. Hopefully once they settle that discussion and one of them comes out as the boss, they will be friendly again. I wouldn't worry about it unless one of them starts to actually harm the other one (pecking and drawing blood for example). If that happens, I would separate them and give them some space.

All Questions in this Category

List of Parakeet Question Categories

NOTE: Because of the huge volume of incoming questions, I no longer answer them one by one. Instead, we have created a live, free Parakeet Forum which is very active, where people are online 24 hours a day to help you with your parakeet related questions. If you have any questions about parakeet care - or simply want to share your parakeet stories and photos - please join us!

Parakeet Forum