Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 5/5/2007

Question
They have been together forover two years but suddenly they began fighting...is this hormones? now i have to let them out on at a time because other wise they hurt each too badly, but when i let one budgie out it normally flies on top of the cage but then it gets bitten on the feet by the other budgie...WHAT DO I DO???

Answer
Hi, Mikeala.

Sometimes birds that have been housed together for years one day just don't like each other any more or they get tired of each other.  Sometimes this happens if the cage isn't large enough.  It could be hormonal this time of year, especially if both these birds are female or male (particularly females will behave like this when housed together during breeding season).  If they are male/female, and since it's breeding season, they should be trying to mate, unless they aren't bonded.  What sexes are your budgies?  If they are the same sex, I'd separate them into individual cages before one seriously hurts the other.  After breeding season, perhaps you can put them back together.  Sometimes separating a pair of birds for a while fixes the problem.  Depends on what's causing the problem to begin with.

Chrys