Separate New Budgies For Bonding?

[maddawg]

Hello! New budgie owner here. I have gotten very mixed signals about whether or not to tame a pair of budgies separately or together. More specifically, if it’s possible to bond with both birds while they reside in the same cage.

My decision to start this bird journey with two budgies was made out of a concern for not being able to sufficiently mimic flock behavior. In all honesty, I didn’t want one bird to be lonely or miss out on a natural flocking instinct. 

I’ve had these boys (both aged under 3-4 months) for just shy of two days. They share a 30inch flight cage. The research I’ve done on proper care and taming etc. said that is is perfectly possible to tame two young male budgies at the same time. I am willing to go the extra mile that it requires to tame two at once. However, whether it be new-pet-jitters or good old fashioned over-information, now that I finally have the pets I’ve always wanted, I’m unsure of whether or not I will be able to really form a good bond with both birds as I’d like to.

I’d like to ask those of you with experience on the matter for help. Getting a second cage is not ideal, but definitely doable if it would help with the bonding process and overall life quality of these birds. That being said, my main question is this:

Can I keep them separate until they are tame/after a good bond has been set, and then rejoin them in the 30inch flight cage, or is this unnecessary and I should simply proceed with regular taming methods while they share a cage?

If the best course of action is, in fact, to separate them until I’ve sufficiently bonded with both, what is the recommended minimum cage size for a single budgie as per the community’s suggestions? I only ask because sellers of such things are often prone to misleading information. Also on that note, is the 30 inch cage too large to keep one of the birds in while the other stays in a smaller cage?

Thanks in advance for any and all help you can offer.

[Hezz]

All separating them now will do is have them calling to each other, trying to get to each other and you will have no chance of getting a look in. Seriously, I doubt you will form a bond with them both. They may become tame and trainable over time as they learn to trust but they will bond with each other and you will just be another member of the flock. That is not a bad thing, but might not be what you were after.

With taming you will probably find that one bird is more adventurous and bold than the other. If you work with this bird initially the other will gradually come around to acceptance as well. You will need a lot of patience and persistence but it can work.

[maddawg]

Ah, I see. While mildly unfortunate that I won’t be able to bond very deeply with both, I’ll just be happy as a third-wheel member of the flock 😂 Honestly though, so long as they’re happy and comfortable, I’m just as pleased to have them as part of my household. There’s already a standout for boldness between the two, so I’ll keep most, but not all, of the attention on him. I’m guessing that the post made on taming applies to two birds as well?

Thanks so much for the reply, and if there are any extra tips that you can impart upon this novice, I’m begging, be my guest! It’s one thing to watch YouTube and read articles all the live long day, but it means nothing without the word of experience.

[Hezz]

In this scenario my motto is expect nothing, hope for anything. Any little step forward towards being accepted and not seen as a threat is good but don't throw in the towel if things are different tomorrow. This will be a long journey and a lot of patience will be required. You will have to be constant in your approaches, continuing day after day, month after month, don't stop because you can't see any changes in their attitude to you. They may be miniscule but they will be there, gradually becoming accustomed to you and your presence. Bribery in this scenario is allowed, usually in the form of millet (spray). Hang a small piece in the cage to start with to make sure they are familiar with it and once you see they are eating it remove it and use only as a training tool. Must budgies can't resist a bobble off a spray of millet even when held by human hands.

Whatever you do, don't cover your hands or wear gloves as some will advise, even if they do start to bite. They need to know you are you not some manufactured fabric. Once they have learnt to trust you and they are happy to come to your hand, you might find that they will nibble on your skin. Remember that their beak is their tactile point, not having hands, so to touch it will be with their beaks. A bite is a very different thing and if any bird bites try to understand why. There will be a reason. Learning to read their body language will help you avoid many bites.

[Deleted]

I agree with Hezz on all points there, she's very experienced in these matters, and second the point on body language. Bites often come with a warnig, but the subtlety varies and sometimes it is a case of eyeing up how they're positioned.

My tame budgie rarely bit once we learned to trust one another properly, but he would not accept being touched by a finger to step up. Usually he would move away, but if he was comfy with a leg tucked up he would bite. So I learned not to disturb him, and to offer a finger from a hop away, which he would usually accept unless he was settled.

More recently, I was attempting to play with Yuki, not 100% sure if he was in the mood but he was half playing along. I attempted to ruffle his cheek feathers with my finger tip and he gave me a firm bop on the nail with his beak to tell me off. If I had persisted he may have moved away or he may have gotten annoyed and bitten.