Need general advice about keeping a male & female

[kitty]

Hi

I have some questions about our current set up.

We have a ferplast record 4 & a male and female both under 4 mos.
Both are hand tame, and basically friendly.

The male is very vocal and we want to encourage him to human bond and perhaps talk! we have noticed the wo bids seem fixated on each other (lol) and we have seen the male regurgitating and feeding the female.

We do not want to breed them, are we best to house them seperate? or can we keep them together and hope to have them bond with the humans in the home and for the male to eventually speak?

The other option is I think we can return the female for perhaps another male.. would this be a better option?

Thanks for any advice given.

[Marianne Marlow]

Welcome.

If you do not provide them with a nestbox then they are unlikely to breed.

They are obviously bonded to eachother. There is no need to do something as drastic as to return the female.

[barrieshutt]

I have them breeding on the aviary floor Marianne , where theres a will theres a way .lol

[Marianne Marlow]

May 28, 2012 7:51:27 GMT barrieshutt said:

I have them breeding on the aviary floor Marianne , where theres a will theres a way .lol

That's very odd Barrie. You mean that they are laying fertile eggs?

Hector and Abbie are at it all the time but they are not breeding.

[barrieshutt]

May 28, 2012 7:54:36 GMT Marianne Marlow said:

May 28, 2012 7:51:27 GMT barrieshutt said:

I have them breeding on the aviary floor Marianne , where theres a will theres a way .lol

That's very odd Barrie. You mean that they are laying fertile eggs?

Hector and Abbie are at it all the time but they are not breeding.

its not odd Marianne its just they are in tip top breeding condition and yes the eggs are fertile

[Marianne Marlow]

Is this likely with pet birds though?

[Rachael Kellett]

I have four males and two females sharing a cage and have been for about two years. Both females are in breeding condition, but they have never laid any eggs. If you don't provide them with a nest box then they will be fine. The hen may lay eggs, it happens, but you can simply remove them There is no reason why you cannot keep them together

[kitty]

Does it affect the birds ability to bond with it's human? I have another cage I can house them seperately.

[Hezz]

I feel that now the birds have bonded, separating them will achieve nothing. All you will do is upset two birds for the sake of a wishful human interaction. The more time and effort you spend with them, the more likely they are to interact with you, but you cannot "force" the birds to bond with you. The same goes for the cock and talking. Not all budgies are talkers, and nothing you do will make one who isn't into one who is.

Why not allow two happy birds to enjoy their friendship?

Separate cages will not make or break human bonding.

[kitty]

We just figured since they have only lived together a week seperating them would not be an issue, they are both very young as well.
Everything I have read elsewhere on the net has indicated that the male will not be as likely to talk with being housed with another budgie in the same house.

So I don't know.. but thanks for your advice anyhow.

[robert]

Same thing I always read as well but I wouldn't put cute mimicking over a bird's happiness, but a talking budgie was never my priority, up to you. I have a pair that have bonded and I like the fact that they won't be lonely when I'm out of the house. It's hard enough to keep them off me anyway, would hate to think of them being more bonded to me.

[kitty]

I apologize if I am offending people.. we have only owned larger birds before so I am really only 100% with the specifics regarding larger parrots.

Yes the goal is to have a human centric bird, who hopefully will be as outgoing as possible.
Our animals are never alone, we are a household of 6 and someone is ALWAYS here.

We have elected to rehome the female with a local friend, we honestly thought she was a male at time of aquisition.

Thanks again.

[Hezz]

No apology needed, Kitty, and I am sure no one is offended. Being budgie-lovers, we probably can't follow your reason for getting rid of the female, but your decision, and already made.

BUT!!!! There is no guarantee that your male is going to be a talker. Some do, some don't, some a little, some a lot.

A lot of people make the mistake as first-time budgie owners, of getting two birds together and then wondering why they, the humans, take second place in the budgies' eyes. Budgies are a flock bird and will always firstly look for their own kind for company. And two males can bond just as strongly as male and female.