Budgies are popular pets.
They are small, have a cheerful and have a really sociable personality and are relatively inexpensive to keep.
They often form deep bonds with their owner and also with each other.
You probably have one budgie already and are thinking whether a second budgie will be double the pleasure….
Budgies are often kept in pairs or even trios.
Understandably, a single budgie owner may eventually wonder if it would be a good idea to get a second budgie as it will certainly change the dynamics.
True, the challenges of owning two budgies must be taken into account, but having a second budgie is often a great idea..
Why?
Because…
The dynamics can certainly change if you introduce a second budgie.
If your bird is already firmly attached to you, he will want to continue interacting with you and enjoying the time he has with you.
A second budgie may bond more closely with your first bird, which is preferable.
With lots of time and patience it is possible to tame and build a relationship with the second bird too.
Is It a Good Idea To Get a Second Budgie?
Budgies are sociable and really love company.
Although they may well have bonded with you as their human owners, in reality, because they are flock birds, they do prefer the company of another feathered companion.
Few budgies, given the choice, would prefer to live on their own.
Young budgies will interact with many different birds, but slightly older budgies like to choose a mate and once they have, they only have contact with their mate.
Once they have bonded with another bird, they are not as willing to be tamed.
Perfect For When You Are Away
Budgies are flock birds, but when they don’t have a flock, they will view you as their flock, which is a huge honor, but makes things tricky when responsibilities take you away from home.
Having two budgies is the perfect solution as they will keep each other company and will thoroughly enjoy chatting, singing and playing together.
Two budgies together will never be lonely.
Related article you may find interesting – Can you keep two budgies in one cage?
Can You Introduce a Second Budgie? (Possible Ways)
It is relatively straight forward to introduce a second budgie, but thought must be given to the aim of your project!
It is not a good idea to keep two males together.
There are exceptions to the rule, where they will be able to bond but this is very rare.
It is far more usual for them to fight and cause injury to each other.
Two females together does work and of course, a male and female definitely works, but do you want baby budgies?
It is usually easier to introduce a young budgie to an older one as they will always feel naturally protective towards him.
Is the cage you have large enough for two budgies?
They need space in their cage to be able to fly and to have several different perches to sit on.
They will also need room enough on the cage floor to play with their toys.
If they do have a disagreement, they will need room to be away from each other.
You should check out my awesome recommendations in my article Best large cage for budgies
Do You Have To Quarantine a New Budgie?
It is essential to quarantine a new bird for a number of reasons.
The most important reason is that it the budgie could well be carrying a disease that you do not want passed to your first budgie.
To ensure that this does not happen, it is best to quarantine the new budgie in a completely different cage and room for 30 days.
This is the recommended time to establish that your new budgie is in good health.
Once the quarantine period is over, it is important to take things slowly in a number of stages to ensure that the two budgies are confident of each other.
- Don’t treat the new bird any differently from the established, first budgie.
- Start by moving the two bird cages closer. After each day, move the new budgie in his cage a little closer to the first budgie.
- Let your first budgie out as usual and let him explore the new cage if he wants to. .
- Try putting your two budgies in the same cage during the day
- If all goes well during the day, let your second budgie have a sleepover with your first budgie.
Can You Bond With 2 Budgies?
It is certainly possible to have a good relationship with both of your budgies but in reality, you will be second in the pecking order (excuse the pun!).
Your budgie will definitely view the second budgie as his soul mate and will not be quite as affectionate with you.
Having said that, if you give your birds plenty of time you can develop a very good relationship and they will both view you as No 1 human!
Are Two Budgies Better Than One?
Budgies love to sing and chatter through the day and although they love their human, few of them would choose to live on their own in their cage – two budgies definitely win!!
