Agressive Behavior

[Phantom]

I have a 2 year old male(I'm assuming) lovebird who has been seeming lonely, so I bought a young female parakeet. I've tried putting them on top of the same cage to get acquainted, under close supervision, of course; but, although the parakeet seems somewhat enthusiastic, my lovebird has been making aggressive moves towards her, such as trying to bite her. This isn't unusual; my lovebird has also weasled his way into my sister's hamster cage and threatened the hamster. Is there any way to make them get along, or should I return the parakeet to the pet store?

[Elle]

I've has lovebirds and budgies on two seperate occasions and I can tell you that you will forever have to watch them and can never trust your lovebird to be around the budgie. Lovebirds are a lot more aggressive than budgies are by nature and will most likely try to protect their territory.
Injuries can happen fast. It has happened in my house and I kow will happen again, unfortunately.
Depending on the bird's personalities, they might learn to tolerate each other. I've had one lovebird who tolerated the budgies after the loss of her companion. But as soon as another lovebird was introduced, she decided that her relationship with the budgies could never work.
I am not one to return a bird to a petstore. That is something you will have to decide. If you have not quarantined the budgie yet, please do so for the health of your birds. While my budgies were in quarantine, I had them tested for polyamavirus since budgies can be carriers and can transmit it to lovebirds. Budgies will not necessarly display symptoms.

Even if you decide to return the budgie to the store and get another lovebird, it is not garanteed that they will accept each other.

[carrier]

Please, take the below advice very carefully!!!!


A few weeks ago there was a tragic post in the emergency section regarding a budgie that suffered terrible injuries to his/her beak by a lovebird and as a result had to be euthanized.:very_sad:

I would avoid putting them together at all costs, as the poor budgie won't stand a chance against the power of a biting, territorial lovebird.

[Mummieeva]

I would let them be friends from their cages. I had budgies and lovebirds both and they never got along safely out of the cage. So I just gave them out of cage time at different times.




Steph

[Phantom]

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to keep the budgie, but put her in a different room. Guess my lovebird isn't going to get a friend for a while.

[thebubbleking]

Dont give up hope on a friend for your lovie!
Visit a breeder or reputable petstore and watch some lovies to see how they interact with each other and pick one thats sociable.
Visit more then one day because personalitys change.
Also if you get a halfbreed lovebird (example,half ficher half peachfaced) all eggs will be sterile so they have all the benifits of a bonded pair without babies:D
But all that being said lovies need love from you and time with you and would rather spend time with you then any ol bird:D