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My budgies are different ages. Will this cause them problems?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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

I'm not exactly sure how old my budgies are as I've bought them from a street vendor but i think they're not the same age, mainly due to the fact that one is a few inches bigger than the other one and also due to something I read online about budgies molting their head stripes and as you can see in the pictures the yellow one might have already molted while the blue one clearly hasn't. I simply want to know if this may cause them any trouble even though the age difference shouldn't be too much.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Jessica Desrosiers

Answered By Jessica Desrosiers

Veterinary Technician

Published on March 18th, 2018

There should not be a problem if the birds are slightly different ages, as long as they are getting together well and not fighting (something that can happen with same-age birds as well.) Making sure everyone has equal access to food, water, perching space, etc can help prevent fighting, as well as providing a cage that is large enough for both birds to move around, exercise, eat and sleep. The cage you currently have is awfully small, and they only appear to have one perch to sit on, which isn't best. Moving them to a large cage and adding in some more enriching toys and perches is best.
Vote Icon1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Jessica Desrosiers

    Veterinary Technician

    Published on August 22nd, 2018

    It may be that there is something leading up to the fights such as too cramped of quarters, not enough food and water dishes, or other shared resources. Sometimes, adding in extra food and water dishes, some toys that can break up the perches into sections so each bird has a "space", etc can help reduce fighting, especially if they are otherwise happy to be together.

    If the fighting is bad enough that it is causing stress or injury to one or both birds, then separating them to different cages or moving them to a much larger one where they each have space is likely the best option.

    Vote Icon

    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

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Why is my older budgie humping the new one? Is it dominance?
If they were fighting or your older bird was causing distress to the new one, I would wait and try introducing them again later to see how they get along. It could be that the cage you have is too small for two birds and they are being territorial, or your older bird is just stressed out by the change. Making sure the cage is large enough, and there are multiple food and water dishes available so they can't be possessive over one or the other can help reduce fighting. Adding in extra perches along with barriers such as toys or clothespins can also help break up the space to avoid one bird chasing and picking on another.
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My female budgie laid eggs. Why are she and the male fighting?
Thanks for your question about your budgies. It isn’t typical for the pair to start fighting, but it wouldn’t be unheard of either. I didn’t see if this was their first clutch together, but sometimes that can make a difference. I would recommend ensuring that there is a great deal of space for them to get away from each other, and lots of resources available. Multiple food dishes, numerous hiding spaces, etc. Also, keeping any additional stress to a minimum would be important - things like new people coming over, loud sounds, etc. I hope this gives you a place to start, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
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Why are my pet birds fighting and injuring themselves? What to do?
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