Need Help Please..

[MistRaven117]

Hello there I am new here so if I posted this in the wrong section please forgive me. I am just so stressed over this issue I need help badly.
On July 4th we bought 2 budgies at the time we were told they were about 6 months old. As a month went by I was able to tell their gender but the cere color changes. So we have a male and female.

They use to get along nicely but lately the female torments the male bird constantly. He can be doing nothing and she will peck at him. If he is trying to eat she will come by him and chase him away from the dish. If he attempts to play with a certain toy or eat the millet she will chase him away. She is always pushing off something.

I have doubled up on food dishes and water. I also put 2 bowls for treats so they both get their own but still this continues.
I know the male will eat soon enough because after awhile she will stop but its diving me nuts , all you hear is squawking and s we know she pushed him away from something.

My question is do I separate them? I mean like I said they were bonding just fine for a whole month.  Some days they are fine too acting all lovey dovey so I am confused and not sure if separating them may cause more harm than good.
Also both of they constant flap their wings I guess trying to show who is more dominate but man my floor is constantly covered with little feathers.
This flapping thing happens when she starts tormenting him.
Thanks for any help I really appreciate it

[Sarah]

            Actually, I think the problem is that the birds are bored. It would probably be best to try and get them some exercise. I think she is cranky, and budgies beat their wings in an attempt to get out their extra energy and stay fit. It might be time to consider giving them out of cage time.

[MistRaven117]

Hi Sarah thanks for your comment I thought the same thing as well but they have toys that they play with each day I change them each week with other ones.
I am not sure letting them out is what I should do I have not had their wings clipped and not sure what will happen if I leave door open because one day while tending to them my male flew out and I about had a heart attack because he was flying into walls, cabinets etc and I was so afraid he was going to hurt himself.
It took me some time to catch him and place him back in cage by that time he was panting so hard I was so scared he got hurt.

The cage I have is huge its a flight cage they have room to fly in it too.
Also I have tried to bond with them to no avail they are still scared of me when I put my hand in cage ( which I read all the tips as to how to approach and follow those instructions fully )

[Sarah]

Oh, well if you have a flight cage than I am probably wrong in my first assessment. I'm afraid this one has me a bit stumped. Perhaps we should turn to Vicki for help next time she is on. The only other thing I can think of is that she might be hormonal or in molt. You could try making sure you cover their cage for 12 hours a night and mist her with a little water (In a bottle that has never, ever contained chemicals.) If this is being caused by either, it might calm her down.

[MistRaven117]

wow I guess thats possible.  I mentioned there are always tons of little feathers on the floor that I have to clean a couple times a day. I read about molting so assumed that was it although I do not know how long molting lasts.

I have water in the cage that she splashes herself with so I am not sure if I should still spritz them???

Now see this morning they are fine. Sitting next to one another and she is not bothering him.  But later on she will change and push him away.  I just do not know if I should separate them or not since they are bonded maybe it would be worse if I do that. When they get along they follow one another and feed one another its so cute. Separating may make them depressed ... I don't know much about birds, I am just learning as I go by reading web pages etc. I just want to do whats right so they are happy I don't want one getting hurt because of the others bad behavior spurts.

I have the flight cage and I have the 1st cage  which is smaller I could place them in different corners so they can see one another

[Sarah]

I would not separate them. It is only likely to make them unhappy and lonely. If they are in sight of each other, they may actually become so worked up trying to reach each other that they cause themselves physical harm. I have seen a male bird throw himself repeatedly against the bars of his cage trying to reach his mate. What we have here is a case of bullying, which may pass in time due to a few different factors. If actual violence occurs, they have to be separated immediately. I have a zero tolerance policy for bloodletting, even just a scratch, and I urge others to follow my example in that.

If mating hormones are the cause, making sure their cage is dark with a cover or sheet for 12 hours should break her out of her cycle and end her hormone surge. Budgies breed in summer, and so are stimulated by long hours of light. If she is grouchy from molting, the problem should pass in a matter of weeks. If there are as many feathers as I am imagining, they should be in full molt now. I suggest misting on top of a bath because the more humidity there is in the air, the faster and less painfully the molt will progress.

There is one other possibility, which I doubt is  the case here. If your male is sick, the female's natural instinct would be to drive him away until he recovers. It is how a flock avoids epidemic infections. Still, if you have seen no symptoms in him, it does not seem likely. Still, you may wish to watch him a little closer for tail bobbing, feces stuck around his vent, shaggy feathers or any discharge from his eyes, beak, or nares.

[MistRaven117]

Thanks so much for the advice I will not separate them, the bullying seems only minor I mean there is no violent types of movements from her just her pushing him away often. Believe me if I seen any blood I would surely separate them.

Its weird I see them close for much of the day sharing food with one another, playing follow the leader mimicking each others actions and chirping/chattering then mood swing hits and she will not allow him to sit near her as well as scare him away from eating or drinking whichever he is attempting at the time.

I mean he gets his chance to eat and drink most times of the day except for those times shes pmsing I guess lol

I have tried all forms of baths from store bought to placing a plate with dripping wet greens and they have no interest at all to bathe. Only once recently I seen the female wetting herself in the water dish. I then put another dish normally used for treats with some warm water hoping she would continue but she did not.

What if they never want to bathe? Is that dangerous for their health?

[Sarah]

It is not dangerous for their health to not bathe. They actually clean themselves completely every day, cleaning and weatherproofing every feather with the oil produced in their glands. Bathing is not bad for them, of course, but is not strictly necessary above a few times a year when molting. My birds prefer to come into the shower with me rather than bathe in a dish, but it mostly seems like an excuse to play. They only groom afterwards.

[MistRaven117]

thanks Sarah
I truly appreciate your advice and knowledge I am so new to this stuff I just want to make them happy.
Some days when she is not specifically going after him, she will make a move like she will bite him if he comes near her so he either flies to another spot or falls to the bottom.
Then he will come back and attempt it again and again.  Its so strange how the male tolerates this from her.

[Sarah]

Its not so strange as you might think. Females are dominant in the budgie hierarchy- although she might be a somewhat snippy leader, he does feel love and loyalty to her. Hopefully her bad behavior will pass in time when whatever ails her is rectified, or she may seemly need to grow out of it with age.

[MistRaven117]

  lol I guess not so different than human beings lol My husband always bothers me when I am snippy hahaaa 
Thanks so much for all your help Sarah you have eased my worries. Although I have only had these two cuties for a couple months I love them and just want them happy.
Have a great week 

[SweetViolet]

Not sure if this will help but...I recently got one of those bird kabob toys that are a really soft fun to chew wood and my females annihilated it! However I also recently read that that can make them want to breed so...thats why I say it might not help if you aren't wanting breeding action. But they sure love chewing it to bits! And now that its gone they still play with the rope it came on alot even the males play with that part.

[MistRaven117]

thanks Violet I have the kabob and they chew the heck out it. No I am not interested in breeding lol I think its what Sarah said the female is moody because they get along most of the times.
I did notice her aggression seems to be more in the evening hours not sure if that means anything