Budgie Is Acting Strange

Budgies are exquisite pets that are fun, loving, and affectionate.

Some budgies can even be trained to mimic human speech.

But, there are times, mainly with first-time pet parents, when you will find them utterly confused about their budgie’s behavior.

You’ll even find pet guardians frantically searching the internet why their budgie is acting strange.

Well, budgies are sturdy creatures.

But, they are sensitive to any external changes in their environment, not just physically but also psychologically.

So, you will witness that your birdie is depicting certain behaviors that are entirely uncharacteristic and obnoxious. 

Now, you may not understand what could get your feathered friend to react so strongly about changes when you can’t see or haven’t made any changes to the environment.

Let’s take an in-depth look at the dynamics of this somewhat bewildering yet small problem.

Here’s what you’re going to discover in this article

  • What your budgies are acting weird
  • How to know if something is wrong with your budgie
  • Signs of a bad budgie

Sound interesting?

Great!

Let’s get started

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Why Is My Budgie Going Crazy?

If you’ve had a budgie for a while and you find it acting strangely out of the blue, your birdie may be going through hormonal changes.

Yes, budgies can act weird when there is a shift of hormones in their bodies so due to the rise in estrogen and testosterone levels, both male and female budgies act differently. 

According to Samuel Vaughn, DMV, Dip. ABVP from the Veterinary Associates Stonefield from Louisville, Kentucky, states that you will often see female budgies show more weird behaviors due to hormonal changes than the male budgie or other birds.

If your bird is refusing to allow you to put a hand into its cage on a fine summer day without any reason, there’s a chance it is ready to mate. 

Chrys Meatyard claims that a single hormonal budgie might be found trying to mate with its human, a bird’s toy, a perch, or anything else.

Bonded budgies will likely mate and lay eggs. 

A single female will even go so far as laying infertile eggs. 

Talking about budgie eggs, here’s some related articles you may be interested in

Can I touch my budgies eggs?

Budgie eggs not hatching

When to remove unhatched budgie eggs?

Female Budgie Hormonal Behavior (Signs To Look Out For) 

You will notice certain behaviors in your hormonal budgies such as:-

  • Aggression – Budgies will hiss or refuse to let their owners put their hands into the cage, even for cleaning up. And, yes, female budgies do get nastier during their hormonal changes. 
  • Courtship – Single female budgies will squat on perches, spread their wings, and coo to get the attention of male budgies. A favorite toy, owner, mirrors, or nesting boxes inside the cage can make your female budgie want to mate. So, it helps to ease its fervor by taking away any mirrors close to the cage and removing any nesting boxes from the cage.
  • Regurgitation – Budgies who are exceedingly attached to their owners may regurgitate for them. This is a sign of affection. But, if you don’t appreciate your bird’s actions, then you should make attempts to refocus your bird’s attention to something else. For example, you can put the bird back into its cage and direct it towards another point of interest. (Related article – Why does my budgie spit at me?)

You should, however, never punish your budgie.

You see, regurgitation is an instinct for birds, and male budgies feed female budgies during the matching season and hatchling during the nesting period. 

  • Masturbation – If you’ve witnessed your bird squatting on a perch and rubbing itself against a perch, the cage floor, or your finger, then your bird is demonstrating perfectly normal hormonal activity. 

According to Mike Rankin, Chairman of the Budgerigar Association of America, you can scratch your bird’s head which will induce the preening process and distract your bird from the mating cycle.

  • Nesting – If your bird is preparing to lay eggs, it’ll do so without a nesting box as well. You see, budgies lay eggs in the wild wherever they feel it’s safe to do so. So, you might find eggs in the food or water bowls or even the cage floor if your female is ready to lay eggs. Some female budgies preparing to lay eggs don’t enjoy their owner’s company during the four-six weeks of the period.

How Do I Know If Something Is Wrong With My Budgie?

Well, if you are concerned about your budgie’s health, then you can simply take a look at some of the telltale signs of illnesses.

If your budgie is stressed or unwell, you will find that your bird is resorting to biting, screaming more, and decreased vocalization.

The more stressed your birdie is, the more significant its behavioral changes are going to be.

If your bird is feather picking, self-mutilating, or experiencing decreased appetite with associated watery poop, then it is a sure shot sign of a sick or stressed bird.

Furthermore, excessive toe-tapping, head bobbing, or pacing are also clear indications of a bird under severe stress.

If your bird is exhibiting feather fluffing, then it is an unhappy bird too.

What Are Signs Of a Sad Budgie?

It is entirely normal for your birdie to express sadness or grief.

Much like humans, birds show apparent signs of bereavement.

If your budgie has recently lost its partner or you’ve given up your bird to another owner, then they may witness your bird showing a drastic change in its behavior.  

A sad budgie will often display several signs of grief such as feather plucking, voice variations, aggressive behavior, loss of appetite, change in sleeping patterns, and biting.

You might notice that your budgie repeatedly calls out for its partner.

It will be a harrowing experience for you and your bird.

But, you do need to let your bird go through its grieving period and give it space.

You will need to show extra support by spending more time with your bird and providing it with more love.

Wrapping Up

Budgies are pretty cool pets, and it is a ton of fun to have these amazing birds in one’s home.

You have to understand that birds, much like humans, go through emotional, physical, and hormonal changes that can work towards their changed behaviors.

However, pet parents of budgies need to accept these changes and work to make their pets feel as safe and loved as possible. 

You see, the greater the bond between owner and budgie, the easier it will be for you to comprehend the alterations in your bird’s mannerisms and cater to its physical as well as emotional needs.

Have a read of my article – How to take care of a budgie for some awesome tips!

We at birdcageshere.com write about bird health and diet however it should not be taken as medical advice. For advice on your bird you need to seek out an avian vet. The information you find on birdcageshere.com is for educational purposes only. At birdcageshere.com we are not liable for any information that you may find on here. Birdcageshere is NOT a substitute for professional medical advice about your bird.