# Best companion for female budgie



## Tanoposc (Sep 28, 2021)

Hello, I'm a total newbie to budgies. I rescued a budgie that was outside and after a month I haven't found the owner. I'm getting ready to try to re-home her. I took her to the vet and they're pretty sure it's a female.

I know to be very careful in finding her a new home, she isn't going anywhere without me going to the home first to check it out.

I'm concerned because I've read that finding a suitable companion for a female might be hard. Apparently they're territorial and bossy? 

My impression is that she's not a people bird. She's not going to jump on your finger and sit on your shoulder and ride around on you. I've heard of people finding friendly birds that do that right away, but even after a month, she's still rather nervous around me. 

She needs to go to a home where people aren't going to mind that she's not into people. And of course that means she needs a bird companion.

We have an excellent no-kill shelter, but I'm afraid that if they aren't careful placing her, owners may be dissatisfied with her and do something stupid like let her loose outside. Who knows, maybe that's why she was outside in the first place. 

So what is the best situation for a female like this? I get the impression I should avoid placing her with a single female. Is a single male her best bet? But she might be harassed by his advances. How troublesome is that? 

Would she be better off being placed into a group of budgies, where there are 3 or more already, and adding her would be at least 4?

One person offered to take her, but they have a bonded male-female pair and I think that two's company, three's a crowd. I don't want her being left out, or worse, ganged up on.

Another person has a five-month-old bird that they think is a female, and they have a household full of animals. I think she's nervous so I don't know if that would be so great either. And the female thing again.

I'm probably being too picky but I would love advice on what arrangement might be best for her. 

Thank you.


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## wmcburke (Sep 30, 2021)

Welcome and thank you for rescuing this budgie. She, if she is indeed that gender, is lucky to have found you. And you are not being too picky at all. You're doing the right thing and going about it the right way. I wouldn't have placed a bird in any of those homes either.

First things first, was the vet an avian vet? If not, you could post a photo of the budgie and we could confirm 'her' gender. Did the vet have any notions about her age?

The most important thing for a new owner to accept is that if she is joining another bird or a flock, she must be quarantined at first. And if she is going to be an only bird, that the new owner has the time to be her primary companion.

Who gets along with whom in budgie-land is hard to predict. It is true hens can be bossy and intolerant. But conversely two hens have been known to live together in harmony for years and years. And sometimes a new hen who joins an established flock is low on the totem pole and gets along just fine. For possible new owners who have other budgies, I'd asked if they have ever introduced a new bird to the flock and are they prepared to house her separately if it doesn't work out.

But first, let's make sure she's a she.


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Great advice above. I agree completely. Thanks for rescuing her!


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Thank you for rescuing her!
You are doing perfectly well in being choosy about where and to whom you are willing to re-home her.
Never hesitate to ask a prospective owner every question which concerns you prior to rehoming her!
wmcburke has given you excellent advice.

In addition to your concerns, I'd be concerned about:
1) Size cage the budgie will occupy
2) What will it be fed
3) Does the prospective owner have the funds and will they ensure it gets medical care if/when needed
4) Do they have any intention to breed this bird (if yes, then that is a definite no to rehoming to them!)
5) Are there other animals in the house.
6) Will the budgie be given out-of-cage time? If so, do they have a bird-safe room?
7) Have they ever owned budgies before?
8) Do they have an Avian Vet
9) Some budgies are actually happier as an "only bird" if the owner spends time interacting with them.
This does not mean the bird needs to be held or "tamed". Only that the owner spends time near the cage talking, singing and reading to the budgie on a regular and consistent basis every day.

The purpose of this forum is to promote the BEST PRACTICES in the care of budgies for their optimal Health and Well-Being*

*Locating an Avian Veterinarian*

*A Healthy Diet for your Budgie*
*Quality Seed Mix*
*CuttleBones, Mineral Blocks and Manu Clay Roses*
*Safe Foods for Budgies*
*The Truth about GRIT*

*Please take the time to read through the Site Guidelines, the FAQs, the Budgie Articles and all of the Stickies located at the top of each section of the forum.
Truly, the very BEST advice anyone can offer you is to take the time to read ALL of the stickies throughout the various Talk Budgie forums as well as the Budgie Articles we have posted.
(Stickies are threads “stuck” at the top of each forum sub-section)*

*These are great resources for Talk Budgie members and have a wealth of reliable information which will assist you to learn the best practices in caring for your budgies for their optimal health and well-being.*

*SITE GUIDELINES*
*Posting on the Forums*
*Let's Talk Budgies!*
*FAQ*
*Articles*
*Be Prepared for Veterinary Care Expense*
*Avian First Aid*
*Quarantine IS Necessary!*
*A heartfelt plea to forum members new and old*
*Tips For Discouraging Breeding*
*Before You Ever Consider Breeding Your Budgies*
*Guidance for Breeding Advice Threads*
*Cage sizes.*
*Essentials to a Great Cage*
*Dangers to Pet Birds*
*Resource Directory*


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## vrabec (Oct 8, 2021)

This seems to happen a lot, in the last month I've been here, so many people are in my same situation! I am both sad and very happy about this, ultimately it means that there's a chance my childhood budgies may have found new homes after they got out


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*As wmcburke suggested, please post a picture of her when you get a chance so we can determine for sure if the budgie is a female.
A full-frontal picture of the cere taken in natural light with no flash and no direct sunlight will allow us to make that determination for you.*


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## Tanoposc (Sep 28, 2021)

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Thank you for all of the replies.

Yes, it was an avian vet. Here are some pictures of her. 

To follow up on the quarantine issue, she's been with me for over a month with no other birds. Does whoever takes her then have to quarantine her again?

And less importantly, how do I reply to a message without quoting everything the previous person said? What a tremendous waste of storage space! 😮


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*She is beautiful and deserves a safe and loving forever home. She is more than a year old. 

Thank you for all you are doing for her. 
I would remove the mirror from her cage. Mirrors can lead to aggressive and or territorial behavior. Some budgies become obsessed with their reflection and some will regurgitate to it to the point of malnutrition. 

You don’t need to quote a post when replying. It’s obvious from the train of the thread.  
Since she’s got a clear bill of health she would not have to be quarantined at the new owners premises. However, she should not simply be put into a cage with another budgie.

Introducing Two Budgies *


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## Tanoposc (Sep 28, 2021)

Thank you for confirming her gender. 

So what would be the best kind of companion for her? Male, female, becoming a fourth in a group of three? If she goes to a household with a female only, should I make a big deal out of them having a really big cage because females need more room? I really don't want her to be in a situation where she has to be housed in a separate cage permanently. Sort of defeats the purpose of trying to find her a companion. She obviously wants one; she keeps chirping at the sparrows that she hears outside.


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## srirachaseahawk (Sep 5, 2021)

Tanoposc said:


> Thank you for confirming her gender.
> 
> So what would be the best kind of companion for her? Male, female, becoming a fourth in a group of three? If she goes to a household with a female only, should I make a big deal out of them having a really big cage because females need more room? I really don't want her to be in a situation where she has to be housed in a separate cage permanently. Sort of defeats the purpose of trying to find her a companion. She obviously wants one; she keeps chirping at the sparrows that she hears outside.


Do not get a Male for her.
It will just bring up all sorts of complexities that you don't need. Same sex pairs are best, as they can be just as close as an opposite sex pair.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*I would look for someone with a single female who is willing to provide a large flight cage. 
That would be the best option for her. *


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