just introduced new budgie to old budgie

[jacquio]

We have just intoduced a new budgie to our existing bird, Have done all the things like quarantine, setting cages next to one another and then letting our older budgie go into cage with our new bird, At first they seemed to get on ok but after 2 days wilma our older budgie to pecking and screeching at Fred the new one. They have two bowls of food but will insist on eating out of one and Wilma again takes a peck at Fred, After a while they quieten down for a bit and then it starts all over again. Are they ok together?

[Deleted]

They might just be trying to sort out their hierarchy. Keep an eye on them and make sure that Wilma isn't causing Fred to bleed when she pecks him. Sadly I have no actual experience of introducing birds, so I can't give you any other advice, but I'm sure the more experienced members will help

[Hezz]

i would keep them in their separate cages still, and allow them out together under supervision. If this all seems to go well, given a week, or more, then while not putting either in the other's cage, monitor whether they do in fact venture into the other's cage. If they are going to be housed together, once you have allowed them to become very comfortable with the other's presence, then on cage cleaning day completely rearrange the cage, change over toys, preferably with new ones. Adding another bird, be it male or female, to an existing single hen can cause serious ructions, especially if the first hen is a bossy one. Kep a very close eye on them once they are housed together.

I never rush this part of things. I think it is much better to allow the birds to sort themselves out before they are all caged together, and always together under supervision. Once they are housed together, if there are problems, the new bird has nowhere to escape to.