Ask Lafeber

Grass parakeets

Hi , I have two female grass parakeets, unsure of age as they was given to me . Although the lady said they were a year old . They were ok for a couple of months and now one seems to be picking on the other one . I ignored this for a while and just kept watch and telling them to behave . But one morning blood was drawn . Since then they have been to separate cages either next to each other or near . Would I be able to put them together again or are they best left separate? I’d hate to think of them lonely but equally it was awful watching them chasing each other around the cage .

Hi Felicity,

You didn’t mention if these are budgies or another grass parakeet, but either way, I don’t think the birds should be caged together again. I always say that sparring is harmless and normal, even if it gets loud or looks physical. But when feathers start getting pulled out or blood is drawn, it’s time to separate the birds. When there is a lot of chasing going on, this is also too stressful for the bird that is being chased and is usually a warning sign that they are not getting along. Female budgies can get very territorial and can be surprisingly vicious. The aggressor will try to pin the other bird down, and if she succeeds, she can kill the other bird within minutes. A serious or fatal injury can occur before you have time to step in. If you decide to get males, you still need to be wary of the more aggressive female. If she has become too territorial of her cage, even a male may not be welcomed.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda