Sugar and Spice

06-26-2007, 10:14 AM

Sarah asked about whether my budgies were housed together so I thought I would give their history. I got Sugar (standard budgie) about a year ago as a baby from a pet store. I started training and he would get on my finger but never really bonded. In fact the only thing he did was eat. He sat in the same spot almost all day, wouldn't play and wouldn't leave his cage. I was concerned and even took him to the vet, who did several tests and declared him healthy but perhaps depressed, and suggested a friend.

I bought Spice #1(standard budgie) from a pet store. He died within 10 days. (a long story for another day) He never met Sugar.

I then went to a bird show in Philadelphia wanting to buy another standard budgie. They only had 1 budgie breeder and they were English budgies. I was not leaving without a bird , hence Spice #2. I refer to him as Allspice for the vet so records don't get confused.LOL

Spice spent 30 days in quarantine and met Sugar gradually. I took a week introducing them before I put them in the same cage. And all I can say is it has been love at first sight. They are stuck to each other all day. Spice sleeps on his swing so they aren't next to each other at night.

Sugar is more active with Spice in his life but still has only played with a toy about 3 times. I'M NOT KIDDING. Spice is more active and curious but still VERY calm.
Didn't mean to make this so long. I will bore you with more of my woes later.
Nancy

06-26-2007, 10:42 AM

Never would i be bored with a long story about someone's birds - especially about Budgies!

I think we're discovering that they all have very different personalities & respond to us & their own in many ways.

I am so glad that they love each other & things worked out for you. You said Sugar has been with you for year. How long have you had AllSpice? Was Spice a baby when you got him?

Post photos here as well - it makes the threads interesting & keeps us not too confused about each other's birds - you can also post your bird's faces on your signature, under your UserCP.

My birds ~
Laker was over a year old when i got him from a shelter - he is a busy guy - not shy & was very easy to train so he might have had training in his past. He really took a long time to get comfortable with hands & being too close or allowing any contact. He will be celebrating his homecoming anniversary soon. Rio is only just 3 months old at present & knows nothing but is much more hyper - but i've been hearing it is natural for babies to be hyper.

06-26-2007, 02:45 PM

Thanks for sharing their history, Nancy! And Jac is right, we are never bored reading and learning about everyone's birds!

AllSpice LOL! I'm glad that Sugar and Spice have fallen in love at first site, they sound lovely. These little guys do have so much personality.

My boys are still feeling each other out. Jerry is VERY tame and very bonded to me (and he likes my husband a lot too), and he's been with us for about 1 year and 8 months now, he was still a baby when he came home from the petstore (a pretty scared and nervous young budgie though). We brought Winston in about 3 months ago and he's a rehome, having at least one home before us and spent 2-3 months at a petstore. Everything is new and exciting and scary to Winston still - coming out of his cage, interacting with humans and another budgie (and we have a tiel as well). He's been pretty overwhelmed but we've gone slow, he spent about 1.5 months in quarantine in our bedroom for quarantine purposes, but also to get him used to humans and coming out of the cage. Then he met Jerry, and they are growing to be buddies, but there's still hesitation on both parties but in general they enjoy each other's company very much I'd say. Winston is still in the process of taming down, he won't step up onto a hand or a perch, but he's making progress at his own pace. He likes to be near us, but not on us. He's learned a great deal from watching Jerry.

It's fascinating to hear about everyone's birds interacting and playing and how different they are. Jerry is a very active player, he plays with toys constantly, and still plays on his own very well. And I think that Winston has learned how to play by watching Jerry - Winston had a mirror toy when he was in the petstore and that was the only thing he played with. That has been removed, but he is showing more and more interest in toys.

So Nancy, my next question for you (I may have a lot of questions

) is how often do Sugar and Spice get into arguments? I've never had 2 budgies before, Jerry was my first bird, so I'm still trying to decipher how much of their behavior is "normal." They do get along very well, they play together every day, but they do squabble every day too. Usually someone wants to play and the other doesn't, followed by lots of squawking and flapping

No one gets hurt, one always backs down, and I'm not worried for their safety, I'm just curious on what your experience is, especially since Sugar and Spice have taken to each other so quickly.

06-26-2007, 03:02 PM

Sugar and Spice don't squabble. They will both squawk at the same time but not at each other and never any wing flapping. One time I saw Sugar try to nip at Spice but it only happened once that I saw. He was going through a molt and I think he just wanted to be left alone. Spice would preen Sugar all day if he would let him. When he has had enough, Sugar just moves away. Spice literally holds his head under Sugar until Sugar starts to preen him. It is really cute to watch. Here is a picture.

I have had Spice about 4 months. I have done some training with both of them but neither has really bonded to me. If I get Spice in another room by himself he will sit on a perch and we can rub noses until I get tired. If I worked harder with him I would probably have more success.
One problem I have is that neither wants to come out of their cage. I've tried everything I can think of.

06-26-2007, 04:32 PM

Regarding getting out of the cage - open the door for long periods of time.

I did that with Mom's male Tiel - i think it was the 3rd month(!) that he finally came out. If they aren't flying regularly they will either climb the cage or fly a very short distance - so maybe put the cage on the bed or chesterfield.

You could entice them out with a treat? - an outside perch or 2. Sarah bought me a really long Boing & it winds on the outside of Laker's cage - they love it - running up & down & eating from it too.

Laker tired very easily when he first started flying & i've heard that some birds can hurt themselves so offer a quiet calm setting for these times. Without the strength & control or experience to avoid mirrors/windows/walls they need to take their time. I think Sarah walked her birds around. Laker is naturally cautious & he walked all over th cage & then the bed - flying to the baseboard & back to the cage at first. He inspects new areas by hovering just in the doorway
Photos ~ 1-cage on balcony this winter to see snow! 2-cage with Boing 3- Laker's first few days out 4-ladder at doorway 5-exploring the bedboard.

06-26-2007, 08:04 PM

Thank you Homebird. You have given me some good ideas. Putting the cage on the bed is such a simple idea but I never thought of it. I am going to try that tomorrow with a ladder leading to millet.
I do keep the door open for long periods of time but they are both very cautious birds.
I loved that long Boing. I just read the thread on how to make them so I might try to make one.
I'll let you know how things go with the bed trick tomorrow.

06-27-2007, 03:20 AM

aww cute so very cute

06-27-2007, 06:41 AM

That's great how well Sugar and Spice get along, Nancy! It really does sound like love at first sight - love the picture, very sweet.

With my two it was more like, "Is that budgie real/excited/nervousness/hesitation" at first sight

They don't preen each other yet either, Winston won't allow anyone touching him yet - but he was housed alone at the pet store and alone at his last home, so I figure it's been a long time since he's had any contact with a real thing, human or budgie.