Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

My budgie's personality suddenly changed. Why is he terrified?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Bird | Unknown - Bird | Male | 10 lbs

Banana is a lutino budgie. His personality did a total 360. He went from a chill cuddly birdy to one that is terrified of everyone and everything. Nothing has changed in his enviorment. I have no idea whats wrong. I don't know how old he is.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jessica Desrosiers

Veterinary Technician

Published on August 20th, 2018

A sudden behavioral change can sometimes indicate a health issue that is underlying, so a good first step is always to schedule a vet checkup and rule out any health issues.

If Banana checks out healthy, looking to things that could have changed (new neighbor with a loud car? New pet? People in the house visiting) may help you clue into why he is having a behavioral change. Adding in some toys that can distract him or that he can snuggle with may help, as well as offering a treat every time you interact to help him relax.

In some cases, sexual maturity may cause behavioral changes (though this usually involves lashing out rather than hiding/being fearful.) Lowering the amount of protein in his diet and decreasing daylight hours may however help if the change is hormonal related.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

Training & Behavior

My aggressive budgie is suddenly friendly. Is he sick or just tamed?

If you've been working with him a lot on taming it could just be that he is finally getting used to you (this is good!) However, if you are concerned by his sudden behavioral change, or you are seeing any signs of illness, scheduling a vet checkup to rule out any health issues is always good.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

Why is my budgie biting aggressively and acting stressed all the time?

Thanks for your question about Sunny. I am glad that you asked your question, because abrupt behavior changes are a cause for concern. Often these are related to illness, and this could be occurring even if Sunny doesn’t look sick to you. I would recommend having him evaluated by a veterinarian to see if they find any reasons for the aggression. They may recommend diagnostic testing depending on what they find, or they may prescribe some medications as well. Please don’t give Sunny any human medications at home, as many of these are harmful to our feathered friends. I hope that gives you a place to start, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

Why did my pet parrot stop talking and start screaming suddenly?

A sudden change in behavior can sometimes indicate pain or illness, so a good first step is to have Mithu examined by your vet to rule out any health issues. If he checks out healthy, boredom or understimulation could be a potential cause. Spending more time together, offering a variety of toys that can be played with, chewed on, or torn apart, or even adding a playpen to his cage to let him stretch and be active may help.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Why does my parakeet (budgie) suddenly freeze? Is it normal?

It's possible that she is hearing or seeing something that startles her, so she freezes to try and figure out what it is. If she's otherwise acting healthy and normal, this isn't worrisome, and is just a normal response to something startling her. Moving her cage to a quieter location may help if she is startling often. If you're seeing any signs of illness in addition to the behavior such as not eating or drinking, changes to her stool, listless behavior all the time, etc, then this can signal an underlying issue that should be checked out by a vet.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

Why are my budgies suddenly silent and not chirping for weeks?

Thanks for reaching out about Grandpa and Banana. Becoming quiet could be a sign of multiple things. Behavior or stress could cause the change but two weeks is a prolonged period of time. Illness is the other possibility. Monitor appetite and water intake. Providing heat support might aid in there demeanor. Most avian veterinarian encourage parrots to be kept at 80-85 degrees. If appetite is reduced or you think the birds are ill, a veterinary visit is needed. Good luck.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

Why is my bird suddenly scared, not eating, and always puffed?

It's possible something may have startled your bird and is causing the wary behavior you are seeing, however if she is puffed up or refusing to eat/drink then that can indicate a potential illness. If you see other signs such as changes to the stool, or listless behavior those can also indicate illness and should be checked out by a vet. Otherwise, giving her a little space and leaving food and water where she can easily access it may help her calm down some and return to normal behavior.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

Why did my female budgie's chirping sound suddenly change overnight?

A sudden voice change can sometimes indicate an issue such as a problem with the throat or surrounding tissues with impactions, or fungal/bacterial infections. I would keep an eye on your budgie and if she continues to sound odd for more than a day, or shows other signs of illness such as not eating, vomiting, changes in stool, etc, seek out veterinary care in person.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share