Ask Lafeber

Should I rehome my younger female budgie?

What is best for my female budgie? She is 3 months old and constantly harassed by displays of courtship by my 9-month-old male budgie. They are in a divided 61-in double cage and the male has been screeching every day to be at her. They regurgitate through the great but she often wants her own space and gets aggressive with him. Just having them separated in the double cage isn’t enough. If I take one out the other one wants to come out. Can they get used to this until she is older or should I rehome her for her best interest?

Hi,

She is of course too young to breed. But budgies are capable of breeding long before they are actually ready to care for eggs or chicks. When a young female is exposed to an older male, it can trigger egg laying and she would be at a high risk of becoming egg bound. She shouldn’t be around a male until she is closer to two years old. This gives her time to finish developing physically and mentally. Forming and laying each egg is a strain on a hen’s health. If the cage has a solid piece that slides between the cages to make a visual barrier, that might help. You could try separate cages with some space between them. Another problem is their obsession with each other. As they mature, they may form a mate bond if they are out together enough. That can cause confusion when you are handling them, and could result in them attacking each other or biting you. You could end up with one or both of them no longer wanting to be handled.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda