Every budgie owner will need to know how long do budgies live?
It’s a part of the responsibility of being a pet owner.
I’ll dive into this topic and several others to answer your concerns or questions.
Let’s make sure you know everything needed to keep your budgie happy and healthy.
READ MORE: How Do Budgies Sleep?
Table of Contents
How Long Does a Budgie Live?
Every budgie owner needs to be aware of the average budgie lifespan. It’ll help you prepare for the commitment of owning budgies.
Average Lifespan of a Budgie
Budgies often live anywhere between “five and eight years in the wild.” [1] But the answer to how long do budgie parakeets live within captivity is longer, lasting from 5 to 10 years.
@katiesuebailey Parker is our 10 year old Budgie who loves Lennon our 4 year old Jenday very much #birdtok #birdtiktok #conuresoftiktok #budgiesoftiktok #jendayconure ♬ autumn – Wun Two
However, it’s not uncommon for a budgie to live well past the 10-year mark. Some even reach 15 years with proper attention and care when in captivity.
Common Health Issues
Of course, specific health problems can significantly reduce a pet budgie’s life expectancy. One of the more common issues for these birds is tumors.
These tumors often grow within budgies quickly because of their rapid metabolism [2]. In most cases, they develop because of careless breeding.
@budgiebreeding How to tell if your budgie is sick or showing sick symptoms‼️‼️ #budgiebreeding #foryoupage #xyzbca #birdsoftiktok #fyp #4upage #famous #viral #budgie ♬ Drive Forever – Remix – Sergio Valentino
If tumors develop, they’ll likely be ovarian, testicular, adrenal, fatty, or kidney tumors. These types are known for being seen within budgies commonly.
Tumors aren’t the only frequent health problem for budgies [3]. Owners need to be familiar with and prepare for the following issues:
- Polyomavirus
- Psittacosis
- Cnemodocoptes mites
READ MORE: Baby Budgie Growth Stages
3 Factors that Influence Budgies Lifespan
We want to ensure our favorite birds make it to the 10-year mark as budgie owners. This section will help out by discussing three factors that influence a budgie’s lifespan:
1. Genetics
Genetics is one of the more frustrating factors that affect the budgie bird’s lifespan. After all, there’s nothing you can do to influence its overall effects.
Instead, it depends mostly on breeding, which isn’t always great. Some breeders are only focused on producing as many parakeets as humanly possible.
Of course, this action is influenced solely by greed and profit. So these breeders are unlikely to check their budgie for problems, causing a high increase in birth defects and genetic diseases.
Selective breeding also plays a role in a budgie’s lifespan. For instance, breeders have to select specific desired traits and breed them back [4] to each other when stabilizing their lines.
Due to this, it means the breeding birds are related to each other. It’s a method to ensure the offspring have a specific desired trait.
It’s worth noting that some breeding back isn’t a problem for the offspring’s health. But if a breeder takes it too far, unwanted birth defects might start showing up.
2. Care
Several general care factors will significantly impact your bird’s lifespan and health. Some of the more obvious ones include:
@siblingbudgies For their safety and happiness💕 please always do research before getting a pet #budgies #parakeet #petbird #budgiesoftiktok #fyp #parati ♬ Steven Universe – L.Dre
- Air quality (avoid smoking, using perfumes, candles, non-stick pans, matches, etc.)
- Stress levels
- Cage environment and size
- Amount of mental and physical stimulation
- Dangerous levels of their toys (only use budgie-approved options)
- Safety of their flying areas
If you want more information about caring for a budgie, check out our article “How to Care for a Budgie.”
3. Diet
In most cases, captive budgies are raised on a food diet consisting of mixed seeds. But wild budgies have adapted to a diet with a lot more variation:
- Dried seeds
- Freshly sprouted seeds
- Leaves
- Fruits
- Vegetables
Sadly, a diet consisting of only dry seeds can lead to budgie obesity. In addition, it can become highly problematic when combined with a small cage that doesn’t allow much exercise.
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Your budgie will likely love seeds, but they’ll need more to live a healthy life. It would be best to try and give them a varied diet [5] with the following:
- Quality pellet food as a stable
- Fresh veggies
- Fresh fruits (please keep them in moderation)
- Cuttlebone
- Mineral block
- All kinds of freshly sprouted seeds
Moreover, traditional seeds like millet are acceptable but shouldn’t be the majority. It’s also vital to be patient with budgie and pellet as they can be a little picky.
One last thing to remember is your budgie needs multiple fresh water sources. It would be best if you refilled them on a daily basis.
ALSO CHECK: Plants to Put in a Budgie Cage
Symptoms of Stress
The most common sign of a stressed-out “bird is feather picking” [6]. Your bird will pluck their feathers when feeling overwhelmed by stress.
If your budgie’s stressed, it could preen to try and remove a non-existent irritant. But it also might feel the need to tear, gnaw, and shred at items, including themselves, leading to:
- Infections
- Damaged skin
- Broken feathers
The most common reason behind feather picking is lack of stimulation. Your budgie could be so bored or lonely that it has nothing to do but harm itself.
@bluethebudgie_ Signs showing your budgie is stressed! ✌🏻💛#fyp #foryou #pleaseblowup #staysafe #foryoupage ♬ They Call Me Tiago (Her Name Is Margo) – Tiagz
Furthermore, boredom can lead to stress by itself and cause various other symptoms. If ignored, the plucking will escalate to more severe forms of self-mutilation (skin chewing).
Skin chewing will often result in wounds, irritated skin, and bald spots. The chewing can reach the bird’s bones and muscles in more severe cases.
Aside from feather plucking and self-mutilation, there are a few other notable stress signs. You’ll need to keep an eye out for these, as well:
- Repetitive behavior
- Stress bars
- Loss of appetite
- Change in vocalization
- Fear
How to Avoid Stress
Thankfully, there are ways to help avoid causing budgie stress. If you follow these guidelines, I fully confident stress won’t be an issue for your parakeets.
Remove Potential Stressors
Parakeets are known for being stressed out by various things. It could be a new pet, person, or a change in scenery. Removing this issue or changing it back can help keep them calm.
If your budgie is stressed out by a poor diet, providing a sense of normality can reduce it. It’s essential to remember these birds are less adaptive to stress when already sick.
I’d also recommend trying to remove any loud noises, pungent odors, and bright lights. All of these parts can cause a budgie serious stress.
Providing Suitable Environment
One of the more crucial ways to avoid stress is providing a suitable environment. In other words, make sure their cage isn’t overcrowded.
@thebudgieacademy If I had to buy another cage…#budgiesoftiktok #parakeetsoftiktok #parakeet #parrotsoftiktok #budgie #birdtok ♬ Memories (In the Style of Maroon 5) [Karaoke Version] – Instrumental King
It’s also essential to ensure they’ve got everything needed for a well-built birdcage. These components include:
- Nesting areas
- Visual barriers
- Nesting areas
- Toys
You should consult our article “What Do Budgies like in their Cage.” It’ll walk you through what accessories your budgie needs inside their cage.
Give More Enrichment
As I mentioned earlier, boredom [6] is a common stressor for budgies. You can solve this issue by providing them with a larger cage, more attention, or enrichment, such as:
- A new, improved diet with more variation
- Multiple perches hung at several different levels.
- More room to explore or fly
- Provide them with puzzles, climbing, rope, or bell toys.
Behavior Training
As with any pet, behavior training [7] is crucial for parakeets. You’ll need to teach them the foundational behaviors, such as stepping up, staying in place, and coming when called.
This training can help you manage stressful situations. It can make them feel a lot more comfortable with whatever would stress them out usually.
Check out this video on how to train a budgie.
Soothe And Reward The Budgie
Sadly, some stressors aren’t removable. If you do encounter a stressful situation, there are ways to soothe your budgie and help them through it:
- Spending additional time with them, so they feel safe even with the stressor.
- Offering them a treat every time they encounter a stressor, such as a new person or environment
- Please provide them with a strict schedule for mealtimes and bedtimes.
Do Budgies Die From Loneliness?
Budgies can die from being lonely, but it’s often not a result of being sad. Instead, it comes from a function of lacking a grooming partner.
@valkyrieamputee My boy is missing his love. Breaks my heart. 😭 #sad #loss #greif #budgiesoftiktok #budgies #rest #PCInsidersReport #cowboybebop #fyp ♬ Easy On Me – Adele
They require constant attention from other budgies to keep their skin and feathers in good health. As a result, the lack of one makes it more difficult and often leads to illness or death.
FAQs
Are There Certain Budgies That Last Longer?
Certain budgies do last longer than other types. The monk parakeet and plain parakeet often have longer lifespans than a budgerigar. [5]
How does care for a budgie affect lifespan?
The care of a budgie can affect its lifespan significantly. If you provide them with enough stimulation and a proper environment, they’ll have a better chance of hitting that 10-year mark.
Conclusion
I hope our discussions about how long do budgies live answered your questions. But if you have any more concerns or issues, please let me know in the comment section.
I’ll make sure to answer each post as soon as possible. Thanks for reading!
How long do budgies live? Let us know your thoughts on this topic below!
Resources
- 1. Parakeet Lifecycle | Biology and Lifecycle | Parakeets | Guide | Omlet US [Internet]. www.omlet.us. [cited 2022 Mar 1]. Available from: https://www.omlet.us/guide/parakeets/biology_and_lifecycle/parakeet_lifecycle/
- 2. Tumors Lipomas In Birds | VCA Animal Hospitals [Internet]. vcahospitals.com. [cited 2022 Mar 1]. Available from: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/tumors—lipomas-in-birds
- 3. Common Conditions Of Birds | VCA Animal Hospitals [Internet]. vcahospitals.com. [cited 2022 Mar 1]. Available from: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/common-conditions-of-birds#:~:text=Budgerigars%2C%20or%20budgies%2C%20commonly%20develop
- 4. Breeding_back [Internet]. www.bionity.com. [cited 2022 Mar 1]. Available from: https://www.bionity.com/en/encyclopedia/Breeding_back.html
- 5. Parakeet (budgerigar) care [Internet]. Animal Humane Society. 2018. Available from: https://www.animalhumanesociety.org/adoption/parakeet-budgerigar-care
- 6. How to Help If Your Pet Bird Is Stressed [Internet]. The Spruce Pets. [cited 2022 Mar 1]. Available from: https://www.thesprucepets.com/signs-of-stress-in-pet-birds-390437#:~:text=Feather%20Picking%20and%20Self%20Mutilation&text=Another%20common%20sign%20of%20stress
- 7. Training Your Budgie: How To Tame a Parakeet [Internet]. Hari. [cited 2022 Mar 1]. Available from: https://hari.ca/avian-care/behavior-training/training-budgie-tame-parakeet/
Barry Stingmore is a British content writer living in Fuerteventura, Spain. An animal lover at heart, he shares his home with a dog and four rescue cats and has a passion for writing about animals big and small.
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