Having decided to get a budgie and after all of the fun of getting the cage, food bowl, toys and seed ready, it can be a huge disappointment when you bring your new budgie home and he sits there silently on his food bowl not chirping at all.
The good news is that your budgie is not chirping because he is new – but don’t worry, this is a situation that should change soon.
Why Is My Budgie Not Chirping (In Detail)
The reason why your budgie is amazingly quiet and not chirping is because he is not feeling safe in his new surroundings nor confident of you as his new owner.
Budgies are by nature really sociable and love nothing more than to chirp, sing and interact with other birds and humans.
The problem is that everything that was familiar has changed dramatically and he has to get to know his new surroundings and you as his new owner.
The change can be even greater for a young budgie because he had the companionship of his brothers and sisters in the nesting box and his parents were there to protect him.
If you find your new budgie sitting on the floor or on the edge of the food bowl he is trying to recapture the sense of security he had in the nesting box.
At this stage, he is feeling defensive and watching everything and certainly doesn’t want to sit on a perch in his cage as this would make him feel really vulnerable.
Question is, how do you get your budgie to you know chirp and be itself
I’m sure you’ve seen other budgies chirping away and you want the same from your cute little birdie
Let’s find out how you can help your budgie to start chirping
How To Help Your Budgie Start To Chirp
When you bring your new budgie home, you must try and make him relaxed and feeling secure.
Where is the bird cage?
If it is in the middle of the room, move it so it stands against a wall as this will feel more secure to your budgie.
Cover the back and sides with a towel or cloth as this will make the cage feel smaller and cozier like his old nesting box.
At night time, cover the cage completely as this will again make your new little bird feel safer and more secure.
It could take your budgie a couple of weeks to feel comfortable in his his new home but you can help him to do so.
It is best to be calm and quiet around your bird while they settle in and to avoid any loud voices and music.
Let your bird really get used to having you around.
Is Your Budgie a Baby?
If your new budgie is still really young – about four weeks- this is probably the reason why your budgie is quiet.
Young budgies usually don’t make much noise.
As budgies mature they begin to chirp.
The reason baby birds are quiet is because in the wild they would not want to attract any predators.
In their new home with you, your young budgie will be missing the security of protection of his parents.
Once your budgie starts to grow and mature, they will begin to chirp more and will be more confident to explore.
Once your budgie has grown they will definitely be noisier and you might start wishing for quiet moments!
Could Your Budgie Be ill?
If your budgie has been in his new home for a few weeks and he has remained incredibly quiet, there is the chance that your budgie could be ill.
Here are some of the indicators to watch out
- If his feathers are all fluffed
- If he is continuing to sit on the bottom of his cage or on a food bowl.
- Check if his droppings look any different
- Is your budgie being sick?
If you think that your budgie could be ill it is best that you get him checked out by an avian Vet so that your budgie can be given the correct treatment.
The other important thing to check is whether your budgie is injured in any way – is his leg trailing or is his wing hanging at an awkward angle.
Cute Ways To Bond With a New Budgie
There are a number of ways to encourage your budgie to feel confident and settled in his new home and these are all cute ways to bond with a new budgie
- When you are around your bird, keep your voice low and friendly, soft speech is really important during the early days with your new pet.
- Doing everything slowly is really important as sudden movements can startle your budgie.
- Give your new budgie his favorite food
- Spend time talking with and socializing your new budgie
- As your budgie gains in confidence you can very gently start to play with
- Above all, be really patient as each bird is individual and will take a different amount of time to settle.
The most important point to remember is that you must give your budgie time to settle into his new abode, mature a little and gain confidence.
Once this has happened, your home will be filled with happy chirping.
Related article you may find interesting – New budgie not eating and what you should do
