Are budgies "cuddly"?

[Stasia]

I've been thinking about adding a budgie to the group...I know most people start out with a budgie, but I already have 2 fids, but have always wanted a budgie, and it would be much more affordable than adding a grey or 'too, as I would like to do someday. :)

I am wondering though if any of you budgie owners would describe them as cuddly. My favorite thing about Pedro (parrotlet) is that he LOVES to just come out and snuggle with us and get his daily head scritches. He'll sometimes even lie down like a dog on your lap and fall asleep, it's just too cute. Are budgies likely to be like that also? Thanks for any opinions!!

Stasia

[Monica]

Lovebirds are more likely to be cuddly than budgies. To try to ensure the most cuddliest budgie, you'd most likely have to find a breeder who handraises them and one that ships. I know of one in California... That and/or a lot of taming and working with them as budgies are not normally the cuddly type and most people do not take the time to handraise a chick unless upon request and a little extra money.

It'll mainly depend on how the budgie was brought up, the steps in taming and bonding, and the birds overall personality.

[The Outlaw]

Some must be pretty cuddly for they've been around forever. However, the two I had couldn't care less about the humans that shared space with them. It really does have a lot to do with their upbringing.

[milihandra]

I don't find Parakeets to be too cuddly generally speaking. In my experience they are more spunky and playful. Generally out of the cage they would rather hop and play then sit and cuddle. I also have a female cockatiel, she's a little bundle of love and lives for head scratches. You might want to think about going for a teil if you're looking for a small/midsize bird that likes to be handled and pet.

[AmandaB]

I agree with Monica, it's possible, but with a lot of work. Mine aren't, but we have not worked with them. I have 2 half english that must of been handled alot at the breeders, they are the only 2 of my 6 who have never bitten when handled. If I had the time to spend individually with them, they wouldn't be hard to tame at all. But, they are quite happy living as a flock, so who am I to interrupt their balance.

Budgies are my weakness, I think they are great birds.

[Skyebirdsmom]

Yeah as a rule they are not cuddly. It doesn't mean they CAN'T be, but would have to have grown up around cuddling as a normal thing. They ARE more spunky and playful than lovey-dovey~ LOL
Linda & Skye~
P.S. you can find more cuddly Tiels than budgies...it's been my experience anyway. I had a tiel who was so cuddly we nicknamed her "velcro" LOL

[TooLover]

We had two budgies that were absolute cuddlers - we named them Stan and Ollie - they would hang out in the pockets of our shirts! I really think, as stated above, that is has to do with the upbringing!

[Vankarhi]

I have owned many budgies when i was a kid (teenager and then into my early twenties). I found the males to make better pets, the females (not all) did not talk as well and could be a bit nippy. One of my males was a fantastic talker and loved to sit on my shoulder. He would also sit on my son's shoulder (then about 5 years old, now 25 years old - son that is) and loved to ride around the yard when my son was riding his push bike. One night many many years ago (obviously I had him 20 years ago) we had visitors over and we were watching a video, when a love scene came on, the budgie was between us in his cage on the coffee table, when he said at the exact moment the 'love scene" come on.............."kiss kiss spunky". LOL Everyone was impressed. i would recommend one as long as it is a baby when you get it and preferably hand raised, but not necessarily handraised.

[PyscoFalcon]

My magic was really cuddly - Whistler was until she got cancer - now she just sleeps and eats.

However they are more comical and great clowns.

[basketbagley]

As already stated, it just depends on the bird and how YOU raise it!

We have one growing up that was female, fully flighted, could talk a bit and wolf whistle, but was indeed a cuddler. She even took showers with all members of the family. ate off our plates, would come when you called her. Just a fantastic pet.

My 2 budgies now are nothing like that. I enjoy them all the same and they are comical. I am hoping to keep bonding more with them. Sunny my female does say "pretty bird" and can wolf whistle. I think she says more that I just am not understanding yet.

Either way, they are wonderful little birds. but if you want to almost ensure a cuddler, a tiel is the way to go. again, a handraised one is your best bet, unless you are dedicated to working with them for a long time. i do have a friend up North that took one in that hadn't been out of his cage for 3 years. it took a long time, be Laddie is now best friends with her. they do everything together, including cuddle.