AboutJennifer Expertise I can answer questions about budgerigars (aka parakeets) concerning housing, feeding, taming, suitable toys ect. I cannot answer questions about breeding and about medical problems. If you suspect that your bird is sick, please see an avian vet with it ASAP.
Experience
Experience in the area I have kept budgies for the last twenty years and I've done a lot of research on them. If I don't know the answer to a question right away, I have a lot of resources and knowledagble people I can ask to answer it.
Expert: Jennifer Date: 7/1/2008 Subject: preventing regurgitating
Question I have a 2 year old male budgerigar. It used to regurgitated in a mirror, in a wheel, mostly plastic toys so I took them out of the cage. Now, he's regurgitating in his own wooden swing and then eats back. I took to a vet that he's healthy, no problems but that's a typical breeding behavior. Due to several different reasons, I'm not able to get another bird now. I was wondering if there are any tips, special type of food, maybe even a medication, to prevent this from happening. I know it's a natural thing for them but it's I have to clean up the places all the time and it's nasty to look at. Is there anything I can do to stop it at least for some time? Thanks in advance.
Answer Dear caroline,
thank you for your question.
You won't be able to rpevent this from happening. It's a good thing that you took out the mirror because mirrors and plastic birds make this behaviour even worse. It's a normal behaviour for two birds who like each other (not neccessarily a real couple, often two males or two females will do it, too), but with a single bird it can turn into a stereotypical behaviour very fast. It's a sign of loneliness and it can cause crop infections because the bird keeps regurgitaing and swallowing the food while normally the partner would eat it.
The only way to stop this or turn it into a normal behaviour is indeed a second bird. It's best if the bird is about the same age, but it doesn't need to be a female, male budgies get along with each other very well.
I hope I was of some help to you
Jennifer
