Budgies need to be introduced properly if they are going to be living together.
Two male budgies and one female budgie can get on very well. It depends on the situation, though. The age and temperament of the birds, the size of the cage, the way they are introduced, and other lifestyle factors will influence their behavior.
This article will discuss when you can and can’t mix two male budgies and one female budgie so that you can create a happy, safe environment for your birds.
Budgie Dynamics: Keeping Two Males and One Female Together
It’s not necessarily bad to keep two male budgies and one female budgie together. But it depends on many factors.
In general, males adapt better to new birds than females do. You’ll notice many online articles branding female budgies as ‘bullies’ or ‘bitchy’ but that’s really not fair.
Female budgies have the role of protecting their nests in the wild, so it’s normal that they are more territorial in captivity, especially if not much space is available.
Some females can be really friendly, and some males can be aggressive. But it is true that female budgies are not as easily charmed by a newbie.
If you’re going to keep two males with one female, you don’t need to worry too much about the hen getting bullied.
It tends to be the females that fight over the males, so it would be better to have two males and one female than the other way around.
If your three budgies are happy together, that’s fantastic. (If it’s not broke, don’t fix it, as the saying goes!) But if two budgies have paired off and one bird is left out, you might want to consider introducing a fourth budgie so that everyone is happy.
Can One Male Budgie Mate With Two Females?
Budgies will normally mate in pairs, not groups. Sometimes they will ‘play away’ with a bird that is not their mate but it’s not likely that one male would form a strong pair bond with two hens simultaneously.
If you intend to breed your budgies, you should keep them as a pair in the cage, without any other birds present. Jealousy can lead to aggression, and it’s safer for the chicks to just be with Mum and Dad until they can defend themselves.
And if you don’t want your birds to breed, the best thing you can do is to not put a nest box in the cage. Budgies will happily sleep on perches; they use nest boxes only when they are laying eggs and raising young.
Please think very carefully about breeding. Budgies can live for 10 years, and so many get abandoned every year. Are you sure you can find a loving home for any future chicks?
Will Two Male Budgies Fight Over a Female?
It’s unlikely that two male parakeets will fight over a female. As I mentioned earlier, it’s actually more probable that two females will fight over a male, so that’s what you’d need to be particularly careful about.
However, all budgies are different, so there are always exceptions to the pointers I share with you!
If two males are fighting, it could be due to jealousy and mating. It could also be linked to food resources and territory, or it might just be a personality clash! Ensure your birds are properly introduced and have plenty of space to get away from each other if they want.
If your birds keep fighting, you may need to separate them until you get to the root of the problem. Perhaps they just don’t like each other. Just like us people, not all birds will get along.
Will Two Male Budgies Try to Mate?
Male budgies can form bonded pairs, and it’s nothing to worry about. They are more likely to mate with a female if one is present but gay relationships are not unusual amongst birds.
So long as your birds are happy and healthy, I wouldn’t worry about the gender of the pair bonds.
By the way, two female budgies can get along just fine. You should just take lots of time to introduce them. As I mentioned earlier, hens are more territorial.
So, go slowly when introducing a pair of ladies, and they might end up being the best of friends. Don’t leave them together overnight until you’re sure they’ve ironed out any conflict.
You might have to keep hens in separate cages at night but let them hang out during the day. They will still be much happier than budgies that are lonely, even if it’s not as ideal as having a bonded pair.
Final Thoughts
Each budgie is different. Some budgie owners keep two males and one female together without any problems. Others feel sorry for whichever bird seems to get the least attention and prefer to pair off all their birds with a mate.
So long as you introduce your budgies responsibly, you shouldn’t run into any nasty surprises. If you don’t feel like your birds have entirely accepted each other, trust your intuition!
Don’t leave them unsupervised overnight, and make sure they have enough room to get away from each other during the day.
Sometimes it can take months for birds to form stable relationships. Sometimes it takes just a day! It doesn’t mean you are a lousy bird owner if it takes a while; just take things slowly, and all will be ok in the end.
More to Read:
- Can You Bond With Two Budgies?
- Do budgies mate for life?
- Everything You Need to Know About Rainbow Budgies
- Can Budgies of Different Ages Live Together?
My name is Niels Joensen, and I’m the creator of Wings and Beaks. I got my first two budgies at the age of 13, and right away, I fell in love with these beautiful tiny birds. Wings and Beaks is where I share my knowledge and passion for budgies with other bird owners.
