Budgies are very social animals that love company. Have you heard that they mate for life?
Is this true? Do Budgies Mate For Life? No, Budgies do not mate for life. It is common for budgies to have many partners through their life.
Have you noticed that your budgies are not bonding like they used to? Are you worried that your budgies may stop mating anytime soon?
In this article, I will explain the mating pattern of budgies and other things you should know.
Budgies are parrot species regarded as one of the most social birds in the world, and they bond with each other easily. While some parrot species like Macaws mate for life and also raise their offspring together, parakeets which are popularly called budgies, don’t.
Why Do They Mate For Life?
Budgies don’t mate for life unlike some other parrot species; however, they are monogamous birds. This means that budgies will only have one mating partner at a time. Before budgies can start mating with each other, they first have to form a bond.
To know that your budgies have started bonding with each other, there are sure signs they exhibit. Once you notice these signs, then your budgies are ready to mate; however, it is essential to monitor them and ensure they are mature before they start breeding. Some of the signs they exhibit includes:
- Perching close to each other
- Walking around with each other
- The male parakeet starts regurgitating on the female
At this point, the female budgerigar will be more comfortable around the male, lean forward, and then lift her tail for mating to begin. Even when separated from each other, they would still remember their partner’s song for about 70 days, even without hearing it.
How Long Does It Take For Budgies To Bond?
Typically, the process of bonding between the male and female budgerigar should be around one week to ten days. By this time, they are comfortable with each other and would start showing signs that they want to mate with each other.
However, some budgies may take longer than that to settle in a new environment and bond with themselves. You may have to give your budgies a period of ten to twenty days to settle in in their new environment. Ensure you place their cage next to a wall because it makes them feel safe and settles in.
Ensure you watch out for fights in the first few days of arrival because it is normal for them to quarrel. But make sure you step in once you notice them holding on to each other and feathers start flying around. Once your budgies are well bonded, you will see activities between those listed below.
- Sitting together
- Following each other around
- Preening each other
- Scratching each other’s heads
- Feeding with each other
- Bobbing and singing together
- The male parakeet starts regurgitating on the female
How Many Babies Can They Have In a Lifetime?
Budgies lay about 6,000 to 9,000 eggs in a lifetime. If they are able to hatch all eggs, then they would have that many babies in their lifetime. Your budgie’s breeding ability also depends on their age.
Budgies are usually called opportunistic breeders because they can mate and lay eggs at any time, provided the atmospheric conditions are right. They breed several times daily, with the female laying eggs every other day. However, wild budgies have specific times when they find the atmosphere conducive for breeding.
On average, the female lays four to six eggs daily until she can no longer lay eggs. Eggs will be laid about every other day until there are no more eggs to be laid. Although budgies can live up to seven to twelve years, the male can only mate for about six years and the female for about four years.
On average, budgies should reach sexual maturity between three to five months. However, it is not advised to start breeding them at this age, as they are considered too young for breeding. If you want to breed your budgies, it is best to wait till they are up to 10 months old before you start making plans for their mating.
Do Budgies Get Sad When Their Mate Dies?
Budgies are very loyal birds and tend to build a strong bond with their mate, so it’s on natural for them to get sad after losing their mate. If a budgerigar loses its partner, the bird will spend some time mourning.
Budgies mourn their loss like how humans do when a loved one is lost. They exhibit certain behaviors like losing appetite, calling for their deceased mate, and searching their cage for their mate.
You have to help your birds get over their loss. Ensure you don’t change your bird’s daily routine because sudden changes could affect your pet drastically and make it more depressed. You can do the following to help your budgies get over their loss quickly.
- Comfort them with soothing sounds
- Talking to your budgies calmly and regularly
- Encourage playtime
Do Budgies Ever Change Partners?
Budgies can change their partners several times during their lifetime because they don’t mate for life. However, they’re are monogamous birds and would maintain one partner for an extended period.
It may seem contradicting knowing that budgies are loyal to their mates, yet they may still change partners. There are several instances that would prompt them to change their partners. If a budgerigar loses its mate, it would feel the need to breed with another budgerigar.
Also, if the male and female are separated from each other, after some days of mourning, they would both move on, bond with another budgerigar, and begin mating again.
Do Budgies Mate With Siblings?
Budgies will mate with multiple partners, including their siblings if given a chance to in a colony breeding situation. Although this feels strange for a species as loyal as they are, however, their breeding pattern is still one mate at a time.
The beauty about how budgies breed is that they don’t discriminate or pay attention to family trees. The male budgerigar can mate with its offspring, and the females can lay their eggs in another female’s nestbox, especially if they are kept in the same cage.
In fact, about 32 percent of budgies may mate with birds that are not their mates. Sometimes, the female budgerigar would mate with males belonging to the same group or family in exchange for food to feed her young.