Budgie Trying to Breed with Her Perches.

[CluckyCharms]

Hi,

I hope the title to this isn't too offensive, but there's really no other way to say it (that I know of). Our budgie, continually humps her perches. They are amazing perches (natural wood) that she's had since she was a baby. I've heard you're not supposed to have just 1 budgie due to the fact that they are very social creatures. I disagree with that because ours is allowed anywhere in the house she wants to go...mainly she's either on my head or shoulder - or in her open-top cage. She's a very happy bird - even if she is single! She's a year and a half now.

That being said, is there any way (other than getting a male) that I can stop her from humping her perches? I mean...she seems no worse for wear but I'm concerned she'll lose some feathers "down there" in time. Not only that but ...it is a bit unsightly to glance over and see her going to town on her perch (especially when the pastor and his wife are over for tea! *cough*)

Any way to stop the rubbing/humping (trying very hard to write this post in an inoffensive manner but it's not working)

[Edited to add information]

What we have tried already:

Removing the perches and replacing them with new ones
Result: She screams at the top of her lungs (screeches) until she gets her old ones back...this has gone on for two or three days at times, when we were trying to be sticklers. She screeched so much she made herself sick.

Removing the perches period - no perches
Same result

Giving her a stuffed bird (toy) - flung it around her cage and looked indignant.

Don't know what to do

 

[spikennipper]

Perhaps you can keep her out of the cage during the day with food and water outside? no sure fire way of stopping this though, she is in breeding condition and is letting you know! I have a pair and yes they are sociable but if you are in most of the day and she is kept occupied there is no problem having one though you could just get her a female friend rather than a male if you want? I had a male that did this until I gave in and allowed him to breed otherwise he would do this to everything! some birds are def worse than others

Would love to see a pic of your little one, here are mine

they are fun

 

[CluckyCharms]

Your little ones are adorable! Yeh, I've tried keeping her outside the cage, but then she flies to the cage and latches herself on to the outside of it...and screeches to be let back in to do heaven knows what to her perches.

This is her...she's a pill but we love her. She's definitely a spoiled little mama's girl. We did bring another girl home (same age as her) a few months back, hoping to sort of 'nip this behavior in the bud', but it didn't work out and we ended up having to rehome the other little one because they were so adamant that the other should perish. O_O

Ours is not surgically sexed and has not proven (laid eggs) female...but I'm 99.9% certain she is.

Her cere is pinkish/tan (these pictures are from when she was about 6 mos old)
She screeches a lot and doesn't really have any "pretty sing songs"
She's bossier than a mother hen and if things aren't exactly how she wants them to be, she chucks a fit.

(pretty certain she's female, lol)

We'll look into getting her a little friend again. I'm not sure what went wrong the last run...perhaps just did not introduce them properly. Thank you for your suggestion. I know she's a very happy bird with no 'cagemate' but...she probably would be a little happier even still with a friend. We may try again. =)

 

[Fly 2006]

I had this with my little bird but it was my arm that was the attraction, in that respect it was easier to stop as I just interupted the act and he was ok with it, when he first started doing it I wasn't sure what I should do about it and let him carry on, I kinda thought he needed to do it

anyway, I noticed his bottom was featherless and sore so I put a stop to it, he was also ( like you trying to be inoffensive! ) getting an end result on my sleeve

I don't know what to suggest to you about your budgie, it seems you have tried most things

 

[silkiechicken]

The behavior sounds like a boy, but my budgie breeding experience is limited. My girl budgie and cockatiel get excited, squat with wings out and tail upish and make noise. My single tiel girl will find things to rub her back under and we have to shoo her away from her object of affection. The female budgie is in a breeding pair, and well, they go to town so not sure what a frustrated boy or girl would look like.

To discourage breeding and... for the tiel, trying to mate with things, I make sure I put them to bed by 10 and don't wake them up till at least 8:30. Short day lengths and removal of nesting spots are suposed to help get them out of breeding condition. For the tiel, who's almost what I'd call a chronic egg layer, I am "mean" and have gone as far as restricting her diet to make her think there isn't enough food around to have a family. Of course, while doing that, I make sure she does get enough food to maintain weight. She will happily jump up and stand on a gram scale daily.

Good luck with your bird.

Oh, and as far as embarrassing... our tiel will get into a mating position in the presence of tall people and start chattering away, only to stop and very obviously look them head to toe... and repeat if you don't stop her.

 

[bboy]

Is your bird definitely a female...
A way to check is the look at the top of their bill and if it is:
brown it is a female
Or blue is a male
If the female beak is biscuit colour she is ready to bread
If it is possible could I have a pic of her face on
Hope this helped

 

[Red-tailed Hawk]

It's a light thing. Too much light and the sex drive goes up. I had that problem with a male cockatiel and his lady. How much light do you give them? Cover them more and the drive will disappear. It's just their bodies slipping into mating mode when the light hours are higher. It's the same as when you want to boost the egg production with chicken or ducks in winter you expose them to artificial light to extend the day hours. Cover your bird's cage and have it sleep in in the morning and go to bed early at night so it's body thinks it is winter and not breeding season. Also, interupting it trains it not to do it, at least when you are around. I agree with silkiechicken. Sounds like a boy. Females don't hump because their female parts aren't in the same area. Also, if their is a mess left behind, that's male bird mojo. Cere sexing is not accurate in all birds. I have a female the avian vet and I both thought was male, and the opposite with a male. The blood tests came back and everyone was surprised by the results. The cere thing just isn't 100% accurate, I've had several parakeets/budgies over the years and sometimes the cere is accurate and sometimes it's not. If you really want to know for sure take them to the vet and have them do a blood test. It's cheap and easy. But if you just want to make it settle down, cover it's cage and limit the light to less hours. It'll simmer down

 

[Lola2]

Hi,

I hope the title to this isn't too offensive, but there's really no other way to say it (that I know of). Our budgie, continually humps her perches. They are amazing perches (natural wood) that she's had since she was a baby. I've heard you're not supposed to have just 1 budgie due to the fact that they are very social creatures. I disagree with that because ours is allowed anywhere in the house she wants to go...mainly she's either on my head or shoulder - or in her open-top cage. She's a very happy bird - even if she is single! She's a year and a half now.

That being said, is there any way (other than getting a male) that I can stop her from humping her perches? I mean...she seems no worse for wear but I'm concerned she'll lose some feathers "down there" in time. Not only that but ...it is a bit unsightly to glance over and see her going to town on her perch (especially when the pastor and his wife are over for tea! *cough*)

Any way to stop the rubbing/humping (trying very hard to write this post in an inoffensive manner but it's not working)

[Edited to add information]

What we have tried already:

Removing the perches and replacing them with new ones
Result: She screams at the top of her lungs (screeches) until she gets her old ones back...this has gone on for two or three days at times, when we were trying to be sticklers. She screeched so much she made herself sick.

Removing the perches period - no perches
Same result

Giving her a stuffed bird (toy) - flung it around her cage and looked indignant.

Don't know what to do

I know this is an old post, but it came up in a search I did, since I'm having same problem with my little rescue budgies. I have been depressed these last couple days, but when I read your post (& these others), I can't tell you what a wonderful laugh I have had!!! Not laughing at the problem, but at how funny and congeneial you & others have "described the behavior" of your budgies!! Thank you so much for lifting my spirits!! I have taken the suggestions from this thread and elsewhere...Thank You!! You and the others here, should write, and/ or publish your writings, it's hilarious!! Thanks again & Best wishes for you & your feathered babies!!

 

[Lola2]

The behavior sounds like a boy, but my budgie breeding experience is limited. My girl budgie and cockatiel get excited, squat with wings out and tail upish and make noise. My single tiel girl will find things to rub her back under and we have to shoo her away from her object of affection. The female budgie is in a breeding pair, and well, they go to town so not sure what a frustrated boy or girl would look like.

To discourage breeding and... for the tiel, trying to mate with things, I make sure I put them to bed by 10 and don't wake them up till at least 8:30. Short day lengths and removal of nesting spots are suposed to help get them out of breeding condition. For the tiel, who's almost what I'd call a chronic egg layer, I am "mean" and have gone as far as restricting her diet to make her think there isn't enough food around to have a family. Of course, while doing that, I make sure she does get enough food to maintain weight. She will happily jump up and stand on a gram scale daily.

Good luck with your bird.

Oh, and as far as embarrassing... our tiel will get into a mating position in the presence of tall people and start chattering away, only to stop and very obviously look them head to toe... and repeat if you don't stop her.

The behavior sounds like a boy, but my budgie breeding experience is limited. My girl budgie and cockatiel get excited, squat with wings out and tail upish and make noise. My single tiel girl will find things to rub her back under and we have to shoo her away from her object of affection. The female budgie is in a breeding pair, and well, they go to town so not sure what a frustrated boy or girl would look like.

To discourage breeding and... for the tiel, trying to mate with things, I make sure I put them to bed by 10 and don't wake them up till at least 8:30. Short day lengths and removal of nesting spots are suposed to help get them out of breeding condition. For the tiel, who's almost what I'd call a chronic egg layer, I am "mean" and have gone as far as restricting her diet to make her think there isn't enough food around to have a family. Of course, while doing that, I make sure she does get enough food to maintain weight. She will happily jump up and stand on a gram scale daily.

Good luck with your bird.

Oh, and as far as embarrassing... our tiel will get into a mating position in the presence of tall people and start chattering away, only to stop and very obviously look them head to toe... and repeat if you don't stop her.

Thanks for the info and making me laugh to tears! I have the same problem with my rescue budgies...Thanks!!

 

[duncan5]

Sexual behavior is a part of animal behavior. Is it really a "problem"or do we, as humans, just find this behavior embarrassing? A healthy bird will pick a mate, it will pick an organic creature as a mate or an inanimate object. Unless she's hurting herself I wouldn't worry about it.