Pet budgie owners are always wondering what do budgies like in their cage?
After all, they want their favorite bird to feel as comfortable as possible.
It’s something that I dive further into here in my guide.
You’ll soon know everything needed to build the perfect budgie cage environment.
Table of Contents
What Do Budgies Like in Their Cage?
Aside from food bowls and fresh water bowls, constructing the perfect budgie cage will require several items. I’ll discuss some of my favorite ones below, so you know where to start:
#1 Foraging Toys
The first item is foraging toys, which help create a more stimulated eating process. In other words, these toys will make your budgie have to think to get their food.
Foraging toys will also show you that budgies are “highly intelligent” [1]. Plus, it’ll provide some insight into how quickly they’re learning to get the food.
I should note that foraging toys come in several types, as well. Some owners even make them at home using certain fruits.
Are you looking for more information about budgie safe fruits? Look no further than our article, “What Fruit Do Budgies Eat?”
Look at these toys!
@londonbirds Allowing your pet to pick their toys > #fyp #birdtok #parrot #birdtoys #parakeet #umbrellacockatoo #macaw #petsoftiktok #cockatoo #budgie #parakeet
♬ Body (Remix) [feat. ArrDee, E1 (3×3), ZT (3×3), Bugzy Malone, Buni, Fivio Foreign & Darkoo] – Tion Wayne & Russ Millions
#2 Rope Perches and Toys
Roper perches and toys are a must for every budgie cage. These items allow budgies to climb up, down, and around their budgie cages easily.
Most pet owners consider them necessary to create a comfy environment for their budgie. Of course, it also doesn’t hurt that rope perches and toys are very affordable.
Watch this video for more tips!
@thebudgieacademy Reply to @lirizell_13 also check out other stuff in my Amazon store! #birdtok #parrotsoftiktok #tielsoftiktok #budgiesoftiktok #parakeetsoftiktok ♬ 1,2,3,4 (One, Two, Three, Four) – Fun Elektro Mix – Funbeat
#3 Swings
Swings are a common source of entertainment for budgies. If you don’t place any swings inside the cage, your budgie will be sitting on one side.
These swings help keep a budgie balanced, which is very important. Both male and female budgies require a lot of balance when mating.
If you’re looking for more information on how budgies mate, check out our article “Do Budgies Mate for Life?” It’ll answer all your questions.
Do you want to make a swing for your pet budgie but don’t know how? Check out this tutorial vid!
#4 Perches
A budgie cage will is not complete without perches. These components are essential cage accessories to ensuring a budgie remains a healthy and happy bird.
For instance, wild budgies fall asleep while sitting on perches during the night. Therefore, it’s best to replicate this environment within the cage.
You can even take a step further by making a perch using a branch from a tree. In any case, perches are a necessary commodity inside these enclosures.
Check out this quick guide on how to choose the perches for your budgies.
@thebudgieacademy How to choose the right kind of perches for your pet budgie! #greenscreen #budgiesoftiktok #petsoftiktok #parrotsoftiktok #bird #shopping #check ♬ original sound – Budgie/Parakeet Care&Training
#5 Jungle Gyms
There are jungle gyms available for budgies. Pretty cool in my opinion! Pet owners can expect these jungle gyms to include all the previously mentioned budgie toys in a single package.
I’d also recommend using them when pet parakeets are tame enough to fly free within a room.
Check out this DIY jungle gym for your pet budgie for an inspirational idea!
#6 Mirror
Placing a budgie mirror inside a cage is a way of keeping happy parakeets [2]. After all, a mirror will help keep lone birds company.
How does a mirror offer this sense of companionship? Well, it makes a budgie feel like there’s another one inside the cage bars by showing its reflection.
The budgie will then make sounds and fly around, interacting with the reflection. It’s a little trick to overcome the loneliness a single budgie feels when it doesn’t have a friend.
I know, it seems a little cruel as it does create a false sense of companionship. But it’s better than letting your budgie feel lonely if you can’t afford to get them a friend.
However, if your budgie does start having an unhealthy relationship with the mirror [3], it’s best to remove it. Here’s a list of some warning signs:
- Fighting with mirror
- Feeding the mirror
- Exhibiting signs of stress
But there’s a simple way to avoid the mirror debate: adding another budgie. Our next section will cover how to do it and whether it’s a good idea?
Check this fun video!
@fchasan When u see the mirror for the first time #fyp #budgie #mirror ♬ this is what falling in love feels like – JVKE
READ MORE: How to Train a Budgie
Adding Another Budgie to Your Cage
It’s always a better idea to get two budgies rather than one. These animals thrive with a friend and need companionship.
Domestic budgies are known for being very “highly social bird.”[4] As a result, their health can suffer considerably without a friend to keep the budgie happy.
A single, lonely budgie will get lonely and bored. So it’ll act out and become stressed, leading to actions such as self-mutilation and feather plucking.
How Many Budgies Can Live Together?
Budgies can have more than one friend, as well. However, the maximum number for a regular pet owner would be four domesticated parakeets in a single cage.
In this situation, these birds will communicate and play together. You’ll even find them serenading each other.
But I have to warn you that it can become rather noisy inside a home. So please, think about whether your house can handle the noise level of four domesticated parakeets.
Should You Get a Second Budgie?
There’s no reason not to get a second budgie if you can afford it [5]. It’ll only improve your first budgie’s life if they’re introduced properly.
Some people reading this article are now asking themselves, how do you introduce a second budgie properly? Well, there’s no need to fret as I go through the process in the next section.
Anyone who’s concerned about cage size for these two birds should look at our article, “How to Size Bird Cage for Budgies?”
How to Introduce a New Budgie?
Introducing a new budgie to your old one can be a stressful experience. But the following steps will make the entire process straightforward and painless:
1. Don’t Treat Your First Budgie Differently.
It’s essential to keep treating the first budgie the same. In other words, please provide them with the same level of attention.
You’ll also want to keep the newcomer separated but keep the cages close. Both cages need to be within hearing distance of one another.
As a result, neither bird will feel threatened by the other. It’ll then allow them to get used to each other’s while keeping each bird safe.
2. Bring the Cages Together
After one day, move both cages close together. You’ll want to place them right next to each other for the best results.
The birds will likely try to climb their respective cages, trying to reach each other. After all, they want to examine and inspect the other bird.
But don’t let them out or put them into a single bird cage yet. It’ll likely end with them fighting, which defeats the entire purpose of this process.
3. Let Your First Budgie Out
After two or three days, you can let the tame budgie out to explore. Then, it’ll fly over to the newcomer and land on its cage to investigate.
If it’s capable of reaching food or a toy, it’ll probably play with it or eat it. The bird’s actions indicate it’s trying to set a pecking order.
It would be best to allow this to happen as it’ll be beneficial to both birds. But I’d recommend keeping an eye out to ensure neither bird ends up hurting the other.
Furthermore, putting a vegetable or piece of fruit between the cage’s bar wouldn’t hurt. It’ll allow both pet budgies to eat from it, creating a bonding experience and establishing the pecking order.
4. Attempt to Use One Cage During the Day
If things go well, allow the pet birds to spend the day together in one cage. A reasonable time frame for this trial run will be about a week or a couple of weeks.
But at this point, don’t let them sleep together. You’ll also want to keep an eye out for any fights during these daytime hangouts.
Your pet birds will still fight. But if feathers start flying or they’re rolling around squeaking at each other on the cage floor, you must take action.
In these cases, extend their separation and re-evaluate the situation.
5. Time for a Sleepover
If there aren’t any further problems after a couple of days, allow them to stay inside a single cage at night.
FAQs
Do budgies like mirrors in their cage?
Budgies like mirrors in their cages because it can help with their loneliness. But it can lead to a dangerous obsession with the mirror, so owners have to be careful. [2]
What do budgies like to play with?
Budgies like to play with other budgies, foraging toys, rope toys, swings, and similar items. So it’s essential owners provide them with a variety of toys to get them enough physical and mental stimulation.
Conclusion
I hope my guide about what do budgies like in their cages answered your questions. But if you have a few more, don’t hesitate to use the comment section.
I’d love to continue the conversation and answer any of your concerns. Thanks for reading!
Have you figure out what kind of item your pet budgie likes? Please share with us down in the comments!
Resources
- 1. Intelligence games for Budgies | MaxiZoo [Internet]. [cited 2022 Mar 2]. Available from: https://maxizoo.ie/intelligence-games-for-budgies/#:~:text=Budgerigars%20are%20considered%20to%20be
- 2. Parakeet Mirror Behavior | Parakeet Behaviour | Parakeets | Guide [Internet]. www.omlet.us. [cited 2022 Mar 2]. Available from: https://www.omlet.us/guide/parakeets/parakeet_behaviour/mirror_behavior/
- 3. My bird got obsessed with mirrors [Internet]. Lafeber® Pet Birds. [cited 2022 Mar 2]. Available from: https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/questions/my-bird-got-obsessed-with-mirrors/
- 4. Budgerigars – Bush Heritage Australia [Internet]. Bush Heritage Australia. 2019. Available from: https://www.bushheritage.org.au/species/budgerigars
- 5. Can you keep a budgie alone? [Internet]. Quora. 2021 [cited 2022 Mar 2]. Available from: https://www.quora.com/Can-you-keep-a-budgie-alone
Alina Hartley is a small-town girl with a ginormous love of bearded dragons. It all started with Winchester, a baby bearded who was abandoned at the shelter by his former owners because of a birth defect that caused one front leg to be shorter than the other. Alina originally went to the shelter looking for a guinea pig, but one look at Winchester and it was love at first sight. From that day on, Alina has dedicated her life to learning everything she can about bearded dragons. She loves helping new beardie parents start their incredible journey with these magnificent reptiles.
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