budgies fighting over food

[blumuffin]

So I refilled & cleaned my two budgie's food bowl today.
Mango is being very protective over it and not letting Muffin get to it. They are throwing all of the carrots out of the bowl (they don't like them) but eating the lettuce and seeds.

I had to give Mango somemillet just to distract him enough to let Muffin eat! Mango keeps jumping onto the swing where Muffin is so that Muffin is on the food bowl, then as soo as Muffin takes one bite, Mango jumps and makes Muffin get off. Just so he can sit there for a moment, throw a few carrots out, eat a few seeds, then start it all over again!

I want to add a second food bowl but there's no place to add them as the cage has designated places to put them and the other ones are too low.

Now, about 15 mins after I fill the bowl, Mango's being a bit less possesive. But he does block the way to the bowl and cake Muffin off while doing it.

And that's on top of all the other things Mango fights about!

Is there ANY way I can get Mango to stop being so possesive over food?

Also: I figured out how to make sure Muffin is getting veggies too. Cut them up really small and put a lot  in there. That should work, right?

EDIT: By fighting i do *not* mean rolling around on the floor/causing physical harm to eachother. I just mean pecking at eachother's beaks (not in the way like asking for food, but quick and aggressive.)

[clt80]

Solution is for them to have their own feeding pots. Preferably on seperate sides of their cage.

You can buy feeding pots that clip or slide onto the bars of the cage from pet stores, or online.

[blumuffin]

I have two that would go on the side of of the cage. But the cage is bad so the bars are only vertical expect for in places where a food bowl can't go.

But I think they are okay now. I'm planning on grating up carrots into almost powder with some lettuce too and whatever else I can find and mixing it in with all the seed, so if Mango wants to eat all of it, hell have to eat all the seed. He probably won't even see it.

I'm hoping to have more places to clip fruit once they're in their better cage. But with COVID-19 I don't think we can get a person to the house in order to measure the walls, to get my new room together, so there's a place for the cage to go. It might be a little later than anticipated, maybe Feb 2021, but I'm in Ireland so we're not being totally swamped so there's still a chance it'll get alright by November. Or we'll all be covered in hand sanatizer and hoarding toilet roles. It could go either way.

And yes, I was contemplating trying to put the other food bowl in. But it's very close to the floor, and budgies don't eat really near the floor, so I'd doubt he'd eat from there.

Thanks anyway!

[Hezz]

Two budgies always need two food dishes. clt80 has already said this.

[clt80]

Do you have a picture of your cage?

[Hezz]

Mar 21, 2020 6:20:04 GMT clt80 said:

Do you have a picture of your cage?

Photos have been posted before. The cage is small for two birds and they don't come out for exercise. Until the cage issue is resolved or the birds come out to fly around and get away from each other, the situation isn't going to change.

[clt80]

Oh that's rather sad for the budgies.

[blumuffin]

I feel terrible. It's so sad i feel so cruel. But I have no idea how to get them out without them stepping up. Usually you can avoid this problem by just leaving the door open but this cage it's really hard to get it to stay open because the door opens vertically and I have to secure it with tape. But i'm going to keep trying to get them to step up. Even just onto the millet. But it might take too long.

[clt80]

I'm sorry, that wasn't my intention. What about a bigger cage for them? A second hand one so it's cheaper than buying new. Or a seperate cage for when they need time out from one another? Just whilst you are taming them?

[blumuffin]

i already have a bigger cage for them (like the size of what you'd keep a macaw in) and i've had it since early december or late nov last year. my parents said i could put it up but when it arrived they had changed their minds.

i have to get the room moved around in order to fit the new cage in. but with the coronavirus noone can come and do it.

and i don't know how to get them into a seperate cage. i dont even think i have room for them.

I'm just worried if it gets too out of control that i'll never be able to house my two budgies together again.

and no it's okay, i wasn't too hurt. i was feeling terrible about it before, but im honestly doing everything i can.

i left the door open for two hours today with a lot of millet beside the door but they showed no interest whatsoever in even going near the door. oh well, better luck next time i guess.

[blumuffin]

Mar 21, 2020 5:48:12 GMT Hezz said:

Two budgies always need two food dishes. clt80 has already said this.

i've never actually heard this before. is there any reason why they would need two if they weren't aggressive/protectived, or is this just when they're acting up?