10 Odd Budgie Questions – Answered 2023.

“10 Odd Budgie Questions” is a collection of curious and unusual questions about the popular pet bird, the Budgerigar. From their eating habits to their unique abilities, this article will explore the quirks and eccentricities of these fascinating creatures. Whether you are a seasoned bird owner or just a curious observer, this article promises to offer insights and surprises about one of the most beloved pet birds in the world.

Can Budgies see in the dark?

Budgies are very timid birds. They are very easily frightened by sudden sounds. They see very poorly in the dark, so it is better to have some kind of light in the room where they live. The eye structure of budgies is very interesting. Unlike mammals and many other types of animals, they have three eyelids. That third eyelid serves to clean the eye from dust and different types of dirt. In addition, they have monocular vision.

What does that mean? This means that they can look with one eye independently of the other. They have a field of view as wide as 300 degrees, which allows them to focus on several objects at once. However, their depth perception is very limited. They have well-developed peripheral vision, which helps budgies living in the wild to better spot predators.

However, what makes them very special is their tetrachromatic vision. While humans have three, budgies have four color-sensing cells and can see ultraviolet light. They use this special characteristic when mating and looking for food.

What is very interesting is that the budgies brain can register up to 150 images per second, while humans only 16, but only if the light is present.

Budgies cannot see well in the dark and are therefore afraid of various sounds and sudden movements.

Can Budgies talk?

Oh yeah! You can teach your budgie to talk. Maybe the path is not so simple, but it is still possible. All this requires a little more effort and perseverance. First of all, it is necessary to establish a quality relationship with your pet. This means your budgie needs to feel safe and relaxed in your presence. You have to become his friend, so he starts talking to you. Budgies must be at least three months old to begin your speech training.

Primarily, you can start with some simpler words. For example, greet him when entering the room with “hello” or when leaving with “bye”. Budgies are very intelligent birds, in recent scientific research it has been proven that they can remember not only single words but much more complex sentences and phrases. It just tells you that you have to be persistent to achieve your goal, but persistence always pays off in the end.

How Budgie poop

Budgies have a specially built digestive system. Primarily, budgies do not have teeth with which they can macerate food, so they need special enzymes and additional organs that will better digest their food. Also, their digestive system is adapted to use and digest as much food as possible, so that they can absorb the largest amount of nutrients necessary for their development. Also at the end of this system, there is a special organ or cloaca in which they collect all unprocessed food and toxins that will later defecate into the external environment. Their digestive system is very sensitive to the action of various pathogens, so the symptoms of certain pathogenic diseases can most often be seen in changes in their excrement.

Budgie’s poop is naturally and normally greenish-olive in color. All other colors of feces can mean symptoms of a disease. Also, their poop does not have an unpleasant smell, because their diet is mostly plant-based. The reason that feces normally have an unpleasant smell is that people mostly consume meat that contains a lot of sulfur.

The fact that their poop doesn’t stink is great because they defecate as much as 40 to 50 times a day. Believe it or not! They poop every 10 to 20 minutes. This is precisely due to the increased concentration of enzymes in the intestines that enable faster processing of food and the formation of feces.

How many feathers does a budgie have?

Feathers play a key role in budgies. Primarily, it is an excellent regulator of body temperature, and it also protects the bird itself from the penetration of various microorganisms. It also helps in the courtship between males and females.

When you see changes in your budgie’s feathers, know that it’s not for a good reason. They are usually infected with some virus or are very sick. Of course, they molt, but in certain parts of the year.

They have a lot of feathers, which are made of keratin. A typical number is somewhere around 2000 to 3000 feathers. There are two types of feathers in budgies: vaned feathers, which are much longer and face the outside, and down feathers, which are much shorter and are located below the vaned feathers. Outside feathers normally enable the budgie to fly. Feathers come in different colors, the most famous being green and yellow, which are their natural colors. While all other colors are the result of the mutation of some genes. So take care of your budgie’s feathers and take any change seriously.

Can budgies kill each other?

Oh yeah! Unfortunately, they can. It is an innate instinct of almost every animal, that when it finds itself in conditions that it considers to be threatened, it defends itself. If they see a bird as a threat, they will do everything to remove their enemy from the environment.

That’s why if you want more budgies in one cage, you have to be careful, by getting to know each other every day and showing them as friends, until they notice it themselves and start hanging out. Normally, females are a little more aggressive than males, precisely because they have that maternal instinct in them, wanting to defend their young. Males are much more social and calmer. That’s why when choosing other birds, you have to be careful when introducing them until they get used to each other.

Can Budgies be homosexual?

Many birds exhibit homosexuality if they do not have females during the mating process. Budges may or may not be homosexual animals and that question is very complicated to answer.

It is possible that if you leave a male for a long period with only one male, due to the absence of a female partner, he will exhibit some homosexual acts. According to scientific research, female budgies are much more dominant than males, so it is believed that through same-sex intercourse the male builds his dominance and succeeds in courting females.

Why your budgie is puffed up?

Budgies are often puffed up if they are happy or satisfied. However, there are other reasons why he is just like that. He is usually puffed up because he wants to warm up and he is cold. This allows him to make better use of his feathers and to keep warm. This can also work if you want to bathe. If his feathers are dirty and the conditions in which he lives are unsanitary, your budgie can be puffed up.

Also, the reason for this can be excitement or if he is very happy, but it will be so noticeable that you don’t have to be worried. Budgies also puff themselves up if they want to have their wings straightened.
One of the bad reasons is an illness. If the budgie is sick, he feels weak, his feathers are messy and he doesn’t move. Restlessness and bloat are reasons to be concerned, so contact your nearest veterinarian immediately.

Why is my bird vomiting seeds?

Vomiting in a bird is usually a normal phenomenon. Especially so unprocessed seeds and whole foods. If your bird regurgitates the entire contents, it does so for simple reasons, it has too much food and does not want to store or digest it because it is full, or it is because of its parentage, it has stored food there, and when it is time to feed the birds, it regurgitates the preserved contents. Birds don’t have diaphragms, so they don’t have those contractions that force them to vomit constantly. Sometimes a bird tries to feel comfortable after a large meal, so it throws out the excess food.

Mainly observe this process, if you see that the bird feels weak and rests, then this is already a problem and is mostly a consequence or symptom of some disease or attack by microorganisms and viruses.

Why does budgie stand on one leg?

Budgies can stand on one leg to completely rest, this is not a problem for them and they usually like this position very much and use it sometimes when they want to sleep. Also, sometimes when it’s cold, they stand on one leg, to store and absorb heat better.

So don’t worry, this is a normal occurrence for them and usually means that they are very comfortable and relaxed.

If your budgie has problems moving or jumping on one leg, then this is already a reason for concern and a visit to the vet. This surely means that he had an injury that needs to be repaired as soon as possible. Usually, this happens due to excessive play and flying, because these birds enjoy activities and training.

Can budgies die of loneliness?

Yes, budgies can die alone. Especially if they have lived in the wild before and are used to company. If you separate them from such an environment and leave them alone, they can unfortunately die. They can die if their friend dies from excessive grief.

As you already know, they are very social birds, they simply love company and love to play, hum, and hang out. It is always better for a budgie to have a friend if you can provide for them and take care of them. Then your budgie will surely be happier when he has someone to spend time with.

Loneliness does not please them, but they can live alone. It’s up to you to decide which is the best option for your budgie.