Expert: Christopher Emory - 4/20/2011

Question
hi i have a famale budgie but her mate died, the next day after her mate died she started shredding paper and i bought her a house and put wood shaving but a cuople of days later i put newspaper shredded and she did the same thing so i was confused. i thought she needed another mate so i went and bought a boy budgie and they got along but she started fighting with him so i removed him. and she has a pink vent and it looks like an egg is there is she pregnant or jsut has a lot of poop on her butt? can u help me please i dont want her to die will she lay eggs and how many will she lay? thank you

Answer
Geraldo,

It is quite common for female budgies to lay eggs without a mate present. They do not get "pregnant" in the same way mammals do, all birds are capable of laying eggs without being pregnant (Think Chicken eggs at the grocery store). She can lay anywhere from 1 egg to 6 or 7 eggs. She should be fine as long as she does not get egg bound. Make sure you provide cuttle bone and other mineral supplements to help her while she is laying eggs.

Best of luck