# Budgie Fighting



## BudgiesAndHusky (Dec 24, 2015)

So ive gotten 2 budgies like 3-4 months ago. Zeus And Horizon ! Since I've gotten them I've seen them fight like CRAZY ! I don't know why though they just don't stop. In absolutely rare times like only 2-3 times they've Fed each other but then 5-6 seconds later they start fighting again. :S! I have a good sized cage like large! They have 2 food bowls, 1 water bowl cause they don't drink much. And many toys and perches. Horizon the female just keeps Biting at Zeus :S... More often He doesn't fight back though. He's always trying to feed or preen her, shes more of a fighting bully type. Will they ever make up and for how long will this happen for? I can't afford to just buy them different cages with supplies in both cages and I have no permission from my parents to do so. One time horizon bit Zeus he had a scar on top of his head, But he had his first moult so It disappeared afterwards. But I cant see them fighting again and again. They're Both 6 months old. Any Solutions? Please Help!


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## Riovedo (Oct 22, 2015)

I think your only solution is to house them separately....for their safety I think it's a must. Do you let them out of the cage? If so you could allow them playtime in neutral territory once they have their own cages. I've gotten very good deals on cages online through Petco and Amazon.


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## BudgiesAndHusky (Dec 24, 2015)

That's actually another thing - letting them out of the cage! I'm still taming them and I dont know if they'll get scared afterwards and them ill have a huge setback on taming them  . Also, My mom wouldn't allow me getting another cage, Because we have almost no other spot to place them in and we have kids in the house too. I picked the spot safest for my budgies and I have no other place.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Hi and :welcome: to Talk Budgies --

You asked for advice and the best advice you are going to receive on the forum is to separate the two budgies immediately. 
Giving reasons why you "can't" do so will not negate the fact that the best thing for the budgies' health and well-being is to house them separately.

Anytime blood has been drawn by a bird, that bird needs to be caged separately.

I'm surprised the male has survived 3-4 months. 
If you don't take action the poor thing may not be so fortunate the next time.

Owning pets means you must take the responsibility for their health and well being.

Talk to your parents regarding the necessity of separating the budgies.
Ask your parents to advance you the funds for a second cage and help you find a place to put it.
Offer to do extra chores to pay them back.

Save any money you earn and or get as a gift and start an emergency fund so you will have it in case either budgie ever needs to be seen by an Avian Vet.

It's up to you to do what is in the best interest of your budgies. 
If you absolute can not separate them and give them the care they need, 
then I would suggest rehoming one of them to a place where it will receive the proper care, love and attention it deserves.

I wish you the best of luck in your discussion with your parents.

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## BudgiesAndHusky (Dec 24, 2015)

Ok thanks for the feedback. I have my dad to convince my mom about getting another cage. Thanks This helped very much


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## Riovedo (Oct 22, 2015)

Good luck!


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## BudgiesAndHusky (Dec 24, 2015)

Thank You very much!


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Please give us an update in this thread after the conversation and let us know how things go. 
I'm sending lots of positive thoughts that you'll soon have the two budgies in separate cages.

Best wishes!*


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Hello and :welcome: to the forums!

I agree completely with all advice given  Please keep us posted on your budgies! I hope everything turns out well.

If you have any other questions after reading the links Deborah has provided, please do ask and we'd be happy to help. 

Hope to see you around and good luck! :wave:


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## BudgiesAndHusky (Dec 24, 2015)

My Friend has 4 Lovebirds, and Ive thought and talked to her about keeping Zeus for a day, just to buy the cage and supplies and getting everything set up so that the next day I can put Zeus in there and have them separated  She said sure she has had many birds in the past and she has a couple of cages but theyre too small, so I m buying one myself . I read online as well that if you put 2 separate cages together (Side by side) they might talk to each other through their cages and become friendly towards one another is that true


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

That's great! I'm so glad you're getting Zeus his own cage and I'm sure he'll be much happier 
Yes, once they are in separate cages you can still put them next to each other and they can talk through the bars. 

However, if you notice either Zeus or Horizon getting too distressed, you may have to move them to different rooms so that they don't become panicked trying to reach each other. Although Horizon is abusing him, they still share a bond. 

Best of luck and keep us posted when they're both settled


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## sweettreat (Jan 3, 2014)

I hope your Dad was able to convince your Mom about another cage. I had the same problem with my two males.
I did separate them but put the cages side by side. Now they are sharing one cage. They still do have tifs but not the extent as before.
I found out the mirrors were making my one male guarding the mirrors. So out all the mirrors came. Life with my birds has be come what I wanted it to be. Happy!
So the two cage thing might not be a permanent. Just a bump in the road to roll over.
Good luck.  Please keep us in formed on how its going.:budgie:


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*I'm very glad to hear you are getting Zeus his own cage. 
It's very important you keep the two separated permanently as far as their housing goes since the female has shown extreme aggression toward Zeus in the past.

You may give Zeus and Horizon very closely monitored out-of-cage playtime together but if Horizon starts bullying him during play-time they will need to be separated immediately.

Keeping the cages side-by-side may work out just fine for you.

Please let us know when you have Zeus' new cage and he's moved in! :wave:*


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## BudgiesAndHusky (Dec 24, 2015)

I just got Zeus separated, I have both cages together just a bit of a gap (Just to make sure they don't bite through the cages or anything). Zeus is actually quite scared of the new cage because I got a different design, same size but a bit different. But I'm sure He'll get used to the cage cause he still is in the same environment  (The room). I wanted to ask another thing .... I've been wanting to let them out of their cage and my parents say its ok as well, but the problem is that I have a ceiling fan and ill have to turn it on when they're out, so will they actually go to the light bulb cause they can get burnt :scare:. Another thing is will they be too scared to even get out of the cage when I do open it up and if they do will they lose trust in me seeing me in person (Like bigger, In person)? I'm a really cautious person I guess . Also ill have to take them into another room to open the cage (Because of My Husky - Love him - ) ill take the cage into the other room for 3 days for them to get used to.

LoveGreenBudgie if they bond or become friendlier to one another I might let them stay in the same cage again, Because it will be Loads of fun to see them bonding and playing again. Also they'll be happy to see each other again (Hopefully). Secondly, I wanted to ask (I ask a lot of questions Lol ) Why was Horizon even biting Zeus in the first place, she had everything in her cage to keep her happy even a friend - Zeus, So why was she so violent with him?


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*
You should not even consider ever housing Zeus and Horizon together in the future.

Poor little Zeus sounds like a very timid budgie and Horizon has already proven how aggressive she can be. 
Zeus has already spent 3-4 months being bullied and intimidated. 

If you put the two of them in a confined space (cage) together you will simply be asking for trouble. Any budgie that has drawn blood from another has shown it is aggressive enough to kill the other bird should it wish to do so.

You need to ensure you have a bird-safe room before letting your budgie(s) out of the cage.
Ceiling fans must be off, all other animals safely secured in a different area of the house, windows and mirrors, covered, etc. 
It would be best for you to give your budgies individual out-of-cage time rather than allowing them to play together. (See aluz's post above - she gives you excellent information!)

Realize that getting the budgie(s) back in the cage while they are untamed is not going to be easy and you will lose whatever trust you've managed to build with them if you must "catch" them to return them to the cage.

Additionally, there is no guarantee that when you open the cage, either one will want to come out. You should never force either of them to do so. Allow them to make the choice on their own.

Working on Positive Reinforcement training with them is your best option.
http://talkbudgies.com/training-bonding/237105-using-positive-reinforcement-training.html*


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## aluz (Jul 24, 2011)

I agree with a permanent housing separation in this case. Relentless bullying that has been consistently going on for months will not be solved nor magically disappear with temporary separation. 
I will list the few major red flags that call for permanent separation: the moment blood has been drawn during a fight; when feathers have been violently plucked out of the victim's neck/head area; when there is heavy pecking on the head, the area close to the eye and on the feet area; last but not least, when you see two budgies locked in fight at the bottom of the cage. In these situations, zero tolerance measures must be implemented, not to mention bullying that lasts for months in a row which can have a serious impact on the bullied budgie's mental state. 
You must realize and come to terms with the fact that your Horizon has more of a violent and aggressive temperament and for your Zeus' mental and physical health it's best to keep them separated.

Given their history together, out of cage play time may do more harm than good and can actually promote the dysfunctional interaction between the two and lead to further aggression.


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## HarryBird (Mar 14, 2015)

BudgiesAndHusky said:


> I wanted to ask another thing .... I've been wanting to let them out of their cage and my parents say its ok as well, but the problem is that I have a ceiling fan and ill have to turn it on when they're out, so will they actually go to the light bulb cause they can get burnt


 Please don't let your budgies out while you have the ceiling fan turned on. Getting whacked by the blades is a fairly common cause of death in pet budgies, and hot light bulbs won't make it any safer.


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## BudgiesAndHusky (Dec 24, 2015)

I should probably wait before they are fully tamed to let them out, right now they can be fed in-cage and step on my finger but not on command, they are partially tamed. Thanks for the great feedback this helps ALOT!


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