Change of behaviour

[blue48]

BertieB's behaviour has changed towards me.  He used to sit in the door of his cage and call to me, meaning he wanted attention.  He would step on my finger with his trademark friendly nip (not a bite) on my finger and we'd spend some quality time together playing for anything up to 1/2 hour.

Now he still sits in the door and calls, but when I go over he turns his back and just goes back into his cage.  Occcasionally he will step up but within a couple of minutes he flies off.

He's not ill - eating, drinking, droppings normal.  Plays in and around his cage and chatters all day.  He's just being weird with me. 

Nothing has happened.  I haven't been well so maybe given him a little less attention than usual, and I've been out more as I've been having some tests, but apart from that I can't think of anything that has been different.

He turned 1 year old yesterday.  I hope this doesn't mark a new stage of his life where he wants less human contact

[Hezz]

It could be as simple as you have been giving him less time so he has adapted his behaviour to be less needy. Is he playing with his toys more, or are you simply being given the cold shoulder? Budgies can be sulky little gits at times, especially those with firm human bonds. While we should be careful not to anthropomorphize, it is hard not to when we see our budgies showing seemingly such human traits as payback for not giving "me" enough attention.

[blue48]

I did wonder if he was sulking Hezz, but really, I have still been giving him attention though less than usual. Even now, he's calling and looking at me. I'm trying to deal with it by just going over and talking without initiating contact, but I get halfway across the room and back into his cage he goes. I think he is giving me the cold shoulder.

I bought him some new toys which he likes. He's playing with his toys as usual, just not with me. He won't even fly across the room to his pink plastic swing, which he has always loved. I miss our close bond.

I'm going back to basics with the talking, singing and playing it by ear.  He will still let me give him a little beak rub when he feels like it so I know he hasn't suddenly become scared of me.

[tweetiepiesmom]

Interesting blue48. My Tweetie Pie also turned one year old in Aug and I saw a shift in his personality, different from BertieB's but still a change. Buddy will be a year old in Nov.

[blue48]

Strange! Now I'm back to wondering if it's companionship of his own kind he wants - again. There's nowhere I could quarantine a second bird without putting it in the spare bedroom, but as I live in a flat there would only be one room between and BertieB would know it was there. I wouldn't feel right putting a new bird on his own in the bedroom, even popping in and out all day I'd feel I was neglecting him and I'm not sure if I could bear a month of calling back and forth. BertieB would go bonkers!

[tweetiepiesmom]

My house is the "great room" concept - one big room that is kitchen/living/dining/den. My vet asked me how many heating vents I had in the ceiling between where Buddy would be and where Tweetie Pie is when I needed to quarantine Buddy when I first brought him home last Feb. There are three and she said that was good enough to put one bird at one end of the room and the other at the far end. That worked for me and yes, I was running between the two and they were calling out to each other. I think that actually made putting them together easier since they had already heard each other. That may not work for you or somebody else but it worked for me.

[Hezz]

They will always know that there is another bird in the house and the calling back and forth is part of what you have to deal with when quarantining, and yes, it does usually make the meet and greet quite exciting - to finally get to meet the one they have been "talking" to for the past month.

[blue48]

The jury is still out on second bud or not. I just can't make up my mind. I have the second cage all prepared for residence, but went snooping round the pet shop a few days ago and the cages were empty. I think it will probably end up as a spur of the moment decision. There is only one pet shop I would buy from, the other one in town is not one I rate highly.

[jellybean]

I understand your dilemma blue48.

My first budgie Charlie was a lone bird and totally bonded to me, I loved that little guy.

When he passed away I was heartbroken, I still feel the tears as I write this and he's dead 7 years.

Then, after 6 months I decided to get another bird, when I went to the breeder he had 2 little boys who were brothers, only a day between them, I was sold.

They would interact with me, but were never bonded with me as Charlie was, I didn't care, all I wanted was for them to be happy together, and if I could fit in somewhere, then I was happy.

Then Max passed away, and I said "that's it, no more birds" but I saw how sad Ben was on his own, so I bought Sam.

Now, Sam is again, different from all the rest 😁 he would play with me ALL day with toys and mirrors, he's always looking for attention and head rubs.
But he also does interact with Ben, not as much as Max, but they get on, and on the whole live together with no problems.

So, having one or two is always a lottery as to how it turns out.

[blue48]

Thanks for that jellybean. Obviously the relationship between birds is quite complex, as is the relationship between birds and humans, and you are right to describe it as a lottery. My breeder friend said at the very beginning that BertieB might not want another bud sharing either his home or me, who knows.

Today is big cage clean day, so I'm going for a big rearrangement of perches, toys and feeders. I'm looking forward to that. At the moment he's having his after-breakfast doze

[tweetiepiesmom]

blue48 as you say, if you get another it'll be a spur of the moment decision. You'll see one that captures your heart. If not, it sounds like BertieB is happy. He may just be going through a "phase" that he'll get over.

[blue48]

I may have found the problem and I'm sure many of you will roll your eyes at me

I bought a new pack of toys, just for the round pink swing that he loves and which I keep breaking when he throws it on the floor and I step on it. Eack pack includes a mirror so I put one in his cage, something I've not done before. I usually clip one to the outside of the cage for an hour or two every day. I've just realised how much time he's spending in his cage with the mirror, so I've taken it out.

Let's see what happens, but do you think that could be the reason he's turned away from me?

[willowsmum]

I love you Mum, but just not as much as I love that gorgeous green birdie over there