Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 12/30/2007

Question
Just recently my budgie stareed peeping very quietly and unbudgie like while
opening an closing her mouth widely and sticking out her tongue.  should I
be concerned?   she is about 10 weeks old and lives with five other budgies in
a large cage who are the same age.  She and another; budgie were purchased
together as they were such tight friends at the pet shop.  They still are and
there has been signs of courting, lots of feeding and grooming each other
and so forth.

Answer
Hi, Joan,

I don't know if you should be concerned as I don't have a handle on what's going on.  What type of diet are your birds on?  Sometimes a seed hull or food gets stuck in a bird's mouth/throat and they act like you describe in order to try and free the food piece.  Perhaps your bird is begging to be fed.  Birds often times regress when moved, especially young birds, and with the other budgies in the same cage, this bird may be begging to be fed by other birds.  Does this bird "cow down" as though she is begging to be fed when the other bird is near?  If the other bird is feeding this bird, this may be what is ging on.  At 10 weeks of age, this bird is too young to be showing signs of courting.  This information is based on the information in your post.  I would need more information about what is going on in order to assist further.

Chrys