Budgie Behavior - Mean bird or just being a female?

[crissy]

Greetings from Chicago!

There doesn't appear to be a board specified for Budgie behavior and trust our situation might fall under this 'health' category.  This post may be a little winded, but I want to give you the most background and information I can.  Thank you for being patient and reading on.

We were given two American Budgies (M & F) from a friend nearly 4 months ago, but since they did nothing but fight, we figured they were a bad match and incompatible and gave the male to our friend (and it is reported that he is quite playful and happy living alone).  We kept the female, Berta.  We know no other history about her, other than she is young (under a year) and came from our local pet shop and was purchased by our friend for her Grandchildren who showed no interest in them.  She is a little skittish and hand shy, but otherwise a good little Budgie.  Bites like a piranha when captured for transport, so I now use a net (I was concerned she might injure herself fleeing from my hand in the cage). 

Since giving away the male, Berta had been alone in her cage for 2 months before we decided to give her a new friend, a male English Budgie named Bentley (pictured on my avatar).  When we bought Bentley from the local breeder, we were told that the
English Budgies (I understand they're also known as Exhibition Budgies)
have a different demeanor than American Budgies; more subdued, refined and quiet.  I would say that is probably true of Bentley, but we've only had him 3 weeks.  He was hand fed and is finger tame and is very gentle.

Before introducing them into the same cage, we housed them separately for 10 days and they could see one another and chattered during that time.  A few days before putting them in the same cage, I placed their cages next to one another and watched Berta trying to play with Bentley close to his side of her cage - she was definitely interested in him and playing.  Bentley would sidle up towards her side of his cage and chatter and look a bit interested too. 

Once they were put together in the same cage (a huge new one, I might add), it was almost immediate that Berta started to treat Bentley much the same as she did the other male that we gave away.  My husband started calling her "Predator" because it was like she sought Bentley out and started picking at him physically by pecking him on the head, or pulling his tail, or biting his rump or pulling his wing feathers.  This would happen every now and then, out of the blue for no apparent reason.  There were at least 2 of everything in the cage, (two water stations, four big perches, two swings, six toys, three food stations, but no mirrors).  Poor Bentley wouldn't fight back at first, maybe he was never assaulted like that before, but I gave it two days to see if maybe they were just adjusting.  I stayed home the whole time as much as I could and observed.  There were moments they'd sit next to one another peacefully on the same perch... then WHAM, she'd peck him in the head and make a sort of chatter noise at him.  Then there were other times that lasted 10 or so minutes where Berta would just pick and pick at him, pulling his tail and wings over and over again.  He wanted no part of it and tried to get away and then after a bit he'd chatter back and try to peck back at her.  I was so worried she'd turn him mean!! 

Bottom line, after 2 days I had enough and separated them, leaving Bentley in the extra large cage and put Berta in one of the slightly smaller cages.  She is quite happy by herself, I must say!  Now she's playing and chattering and she's again acting all silly as if trying to play with Bentley through the cages.  Bentley is his old self too, I must say he seems more relaxed for certain.  He's not playful in the least but he does sit near her side of his cage and chatters to her.

So it's like they make motions they want to be together, but she just picks and fights and is downright mean to him and he wasn't happy with that at all.  Again, I'm concerned she will make him mean.

Any insight for me here?  I appreciate all replies as I'm not familiar with Budgie behavior.  Is Berta's behavior typical for females?  Should Berta be an only bird?  Did I do the right thing by separating them again?  Did I do something wrong?  Or is Bentley just a snob?  (lol) 

Thank you in advance!

Crissy, Berta & Bentley
(and the 3 Shelties)

[lousette]

Hello and welcome. I am new to the forum and a new budgie owner so afraid I cannot help, but there are some very knowledgeable members on there and they are sure to have some good advice. She sounds a bit territorial to me. From what I have read on here the females can be really territorial and they say it is much harder to introduce a new budgie into a resident female's cage than the other way around.

Good luck!

[crissy]

Thanks Lousette - we're both new to this forum. Welcome!
I look forward to other replies too, but you make sense that females might be territorial. That is why I purchased a different, new and larger cage for them when I put them together. I even placed it in a different space within the family room. So maybe all that henpecking was her way of telling Bentley to 'scram'. Another friend of mine was thinking maybe it was Berta's way of trying to get him to play with her.

Something I didn't mention in my original post - Bentley is going through a molt right now.

Thank you,
Crissy

[Hezz]

You really do need to be careful introducing another bird into a single hen's cage. Berta sounds like a typical female budgie in that she is the ruler of the roost, and everyone MUST know! Her age isn't helping either. She is at a terrible teen stage and may stay that way for some time. My hen went through a similar thing in her first year, or even longer. Both male birds always had bent tail feathers - she would sneak up behind or underneath them and *NIP*.

Her bad behaviour won't rub off on Bentley. It is good that he isn't completely letting her dominate him You don't have to worry about that. If she is just "being mean" but not going to the extent of causing harm, as in bleeding, I would try them together again, but leave Bentley an escape route - maybe access to the other cage, so he can have time away from her if he wants. But before you do that, why not allow them time out of the cage, free flying time, together and see how things go?

[catcaluian]

Got issues with my female Sandra , both came from the same place at the same times....but today she won't stop yelling at my male ....the good thing is she won't but him but just squawks in his face. If I where in his feet I'd give her a peck. How long does this go on for

[mizloco]

So glad I've got two boys these girls seem hard work

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