Anyone who has ever observed budgies in their native Australia or with a responsible owner knows that this question is actually asked incorrectly. She suggests that keeping budgies alone is a viable option, but that it is ultimately a matter of personal taste whether to keep them alone or with other budgies. But that’s not the case. Discussing the advantages and disadvantages of keeping budgies alone is something that doesn’t work, because one can simply say: keeping budgies alone has no advantages, especially not for the bird in question. Budgies absolutely must have at least one partner. We will explain why this is so.
The varied social life of parrots – and what comes from it
In order to determine how animals – in general – can be raised in the most species-appropriate way possible, it is essential to examine their origins, their way of life, their instincts and needs. It is in the nature of things that it will never be possible to breed birds to satisfy all their natural needs, such as flying hundreds of kilometers or at breathtaking speeds, sleeping in flocks of hundreds of animals or roaming the prairies in search of food. But there are adjustments that we, as responsible pet owners, can make. Things that are within our control. And in the case of keeping parrots, that includes deciding whether to confine them and keep them alone or whether to give them a partner. And it is precisely for this reason that it makes sense to take a look at how budgies live in the wild.
In their native Australia, parrots live in sometimes huge flocks of several hundred individuals. Together they search for food and water. Within these flocks, two birds often form an intimate partnership that lasts for many years, often for life. They spend their days and nights together, warming, cleaning and feeding each other, playing with each other and constantly communicating. A budgie kept alone is deprived of all these basic needs. He has no one to behave with him in the typical budgie way. Imagine having no one around you your whole life to talk to and spend time with. A terrible idea? Well, also for the budgie.
What happens if you keep a budgie alone?
Keeping budgies alone sooner or later has consequences. Perhaps the affected budgie suffers in silence for years and resigns himself to his fate without anyone noticing his situation. In other cases, birds call loudly to other birds and develop behavioral problems such as feather plucking. However, one thing is clear: a budgie kept alone is never happy and content. Even as a human being, no matter how hard you try, you can never replace another human being. Humans and birds do not speak the same language, do not have the same repertoire of facial expressions and gestures, and do not have the same interests. You can’t run around the living room with your pet, bathe together or snuggle up next to him on the perch in the evening. It’s clear: a budgie needs a companion!
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Which combination is best?
A pair, i.e. a male (rooster) and a female (hen), as well as two males usually get along very well. The only thing to avoid is keeping two chickens, because they often don’t get along. If you raise a larger flock, you should make sure that the number of animals is uniform so that everyone can find a partner for themselves. Usually in adult animals the sexes can be recognized by the waxy skin – this is the skin above the scalp: in males it is blue, in females it is gray-brown. Determining sex can only be difficult in lutinos and albinos, that is, completely yellow or white birds. Here you can find out more about how to identify the sex of budgies.
Constantly refuse mirrors and mannequins!
The word has probably spread by now, but at this point it is appropriate to underline it once again: the mirrors in which the solitary budgie discovers a presumed companion of its own species, as well as fake birds made of plastic or other materials, do not replace a companion bird any more than a human being can. They are even dangerous and can lead to serious diseases. For example, many budgies develop goiter inflammation when they try to feed their «partner» in the form of a mirror or pacifier. The food regurgitated for the partner is repeatedly swallowed and regurgitated again because the mirror does not accept it. This causes irritation of the mucosa, which facilitates the proliferation of bacteria and viruses. Furthermore, the bird is obviously more than a little irritated by having a “partner” who never responds to him or interacts with him. Therefore, mirrors and bird dummies should be rejected in any case to avoid physical and psychological harm.
Important: Mirrors and bird dummies are considered contrary to animal welfare and should be avoided at all times.
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Tracking down the myths: Common “arguments” for keeping budgies alone
There are myths that have persisted for decades and that unfortunately many owners still use to justify keeping their budgies individually. However, they can all be refuted. Let’s take a closer look:
“Parrots become domesticated and learn to speak only if they are kept alone.”
This is probably the most frequently used alleged argument for keeping animals alone. And unfortunately this myth persists. Two things can be said in this regard:
- It is not true! The docility of budgies and their ability to speak does not depend on whether they are kept alone or in pairs/flocks. Whether your budgie becomes docile depends on its individual character and your behavior. If you spend a lot of time with your pets, respect their needs and treat them sensitively, there is a good chance that budgies will become domesticated. Whether you are alone or in a group makes no difference. If, for example, one budgie in a group is docile and climbs onto your hand, the others will usually follow. So it can also be an advantage in terms of docility to raise more animals. Speech is also independent of the number of birds. Some budgies repeat single words, others do not. This is a completely individual matter and has nothing to do with whether or not they have a bird partner.
- Even if it were true, and it is not, that only parrots kept alone become domesticated, this is no reason to deprive them of a social partner. In this way we put our own desires above the animal’s well-being and knowingly ignore its needs. So, since we want to enjoy a few minutes of docility a day, our bird must vegetate alone the rest of the time. This is a situation that should not be tolerated. After all, don’t we want our pets to be happy?
«My budgie doesn’t get along with anyone else»
The assumption that the budgie kept alone will not get along with any other birds is also a common reason to continue leaving it alone. In essence, it may happen that a bird left alone for years has somehow «forgotten» how to interact with other birds of its species. Perhaps then he will vehemently defend his home from the alleged intruder. Sometimes it takes several tries before it works. But it’s worth it and your bird will thank you with much more joie de vivre and satisfaction!
In most cases the problem is not that the budgie doesn’t get along with anyone else, but rather that the introduction to another budgie was handled incorrectly. Especially when socializing budgies that have been left alone for a long time, you must be careful not to «break down the door», that is, not to suddenly put a companion in the cage of your only child. Here he can react with defensive behavior. So some empathy is necessary. When it comes to socialization, it is generally good for animals to be around the same age. Additionally, two males or a pair (hen/rooster) should be kept, as two hens often do not get along. You can do socialization in stages, first keeping both birds in a separate cage but being able to see and hear each other. Your only child will get used to each other’s presence and will eventually appreciate it. Before bringing them together, it is necessary to carefully clean the cage and furnishings and replace the bedding. Redesign the interior a bit. This way, your bird will not recognize the cage as “his” territory and will not defend it so vehemently. Then both birds arrive together in their new home. Soon they will get used to each other, and the bird, which was previously kept alone, will blossom and enjoy life.
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“Two birds are too loud and create more confusion”
To some extent this may be true, because communicative animals talk to each other a lot. And obviously two birds make more of a mess than one. However, if you want to raise birds, you have to deal with the fact that they sing, chatter and produce soil. If you don’t want it, other pets are more suitable. No one would think of keeping a dog if they didn’t want to go for a walk. There are some animal husbandry requirements that must be met. If you don’t want it, that’s absolutely fine, but you should avoid buying animals.
“I have always kept the budgies alone and they have all grown old”
Also a phrase you hear often. But just because something has “always” been done this way or that doesn’t mean it’s automatically right, good, or useful. Fortunately, we humans learn and can adapt our behavior to new knowledge. Although keeping budgies alone was once a common practice, we now know that this may not be in the animals’ best interests and that budgies kept alone are unhappy and often sick. The argument that a budgie ages particularly when kept alone says nothing about whether it has been well for this long period of time. This cannot be taken for granted, because a life without companions inevitably leads to loneliness. The arguments that want to «prove» the opposite are nothing more than an attempt to mask the individual’s attitude towards himself. A little self-reflection is needed here to do better next time!
Conclusion
Keeping budgies alone is not an option. If you want to keep social birds like budgies, you need to be prepared to meet their basic needs. And that definitely includes at least one social partner. A pair (hen and rooster) or two roosters usually get along without problems. Birds that have been kept alone for a long time may have initial difficulty socializing. But it’s worth it and will give your budgie a big boost in zest for life. When your pets bury their heads in their feathers after an exciting day, snuggled up close to each other, you’ll know you did everything right!
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