English Budgies and American Budgies - can they get along?

[svolk]

Does anyone have experience of having both English and American Budgies? We are in the process of *considering* adding an English budgie to our flock. I know it's basically a crapshoot as to whether or not ANY species will get along with our flock, but I wanted opinions on how well an English and American budgie might get along.

The preference would be to one day have said English budgie and Jerry live together, should they choose to. I would NEVER put them in the same cage straight away, I would definitely house them separately at first, until I could gauge (over a long period of time) how they get along. And if I have to tame an English budgie from scratch, it could be a long time before they came face to face without a cage barrier, and that's just fine.

I would also make sure to get a male. I have no idea if the two subspecies could mate, but I don't want to find out! And I don't want to deal with male or female hormones.

I'm still very much up in the air about this, just tossing the idea around over and over. I'd love to have a playmate for Jerry, especially during the day when we're at work, but at the same time I do not want to jeopardize our relationship with him (selfish, I know..) or his health by bringing in a new bird.

[Cindy215]

Sarah I"m all for getting him a companion. But I wouldnt get an English. They are bigger and generally a bit calmer. Not that the calmer is a problem but Jerry might bug him LOL. "Taming" a Budgie is pretty easy, imo, and twice as easy with English. In fact I think they mostly come "that way".

(I always thought Jerry's head looks sorta English maybe he has some in him)

In my pet store they all sat together in a playpen but the English didnt pair up with the normals so much. But everyone got along (even the parrots) Budgies love to be in multiples, ime.

You may get one and it ends up to be a hen if it's a baby. Just dont get one with a good bite they're usually the hens lol. I'm pretty sure they can cross breed and I dont think it would be a good idea to tempt things by introducing two different types, really. Say for example Jerry wanted to go through the mating ritual with an English hen...being bigger he may not be able to hang on correctly and it would be a frustration and there might also be a fight if she's not interested or if can't "get it right" and it annoys her. Also the male's job is to make her want to and

I know you dont want to breed them but I think it's psycologically good if they want to mate (if for some reason you end up with a hen) and you just swap the eggs with fakes or freeze theirs if they end up laying...and after a little time they abandon them. With the right amount of daylight hours you should be able to limit this behavior to once a year in the proper season Spring/Summer. I dont blame you for not wanting the hormone challenge, though.

I always figure it's better to have all the odds in birds' favor when introducing variables like this not put them in a challenging position that I might regret.

This includes I would probably not consider an Albino or Lutino with Jerry. (or at all really)...IME they are more high strung and more suseptible to problems. I'd stick with the "normal" colorations even if you think the more extreme mutations are pretty I think it'd work out better with two the same more or less.

[svolk]

Thanks for your advice, Cindy.

Here's more to the story:
There is an English budgie in mind, one that I saw two days ago. He's in a pet store, in his own cage and apart from the American budgies there. A worker says that he is roughly a year old (male for sure, bright blue cere, and not a baby - actually he looks like the English version of Jerry!!) and he's been at the pet store for 2-3 months.

I was only there for a short time so I only know these bare minimums at the moment. I plan to go back this weekend armed with a zillion questions about him, and I hope to observe him for quite awhile (probably over multiple visits). His price tag is merely $19.95, which leads me to think he is not tame, but taming him does not worry me at all - I tamed Jerry myself and he turned out wonderful .

I do worry that English budgies tend to have a calmer demeanor. Jerry tends to be very active and energetic most of the time. This is not a decision that I want to make right away, but I can't stop thinking about it.

Jerry's cage does have a divider that came with it....I would not start him out in that cage though, no way. I know I'm speaking as if it's a done deal, but it's far from that, I've just been going through absolutely everything in my head...

Jerry and Lulu go in to the AV this Saturday for an annual well check and I plan on talking to the AV about this and getting her opinion as well.

[Monica]

I think first of all some things need to be cleared up... The english budgies are no different than the normals aka americans.... they were just bred to be larger, and to have the ability to raise their crest.... due to excessive inbreeding however, they also tend to have shorter lifespans.... however, all I'm saying is that they are NOT two different species... more like the englihs budgie is a breed off of the normal-wild type.... so it's much like a dog from a wolf... thus, there is no way you could possibly hybridize an english and a normal together... in short, the english were produced in England, making them "man made", rather than a subspecies (created in the wild).

Second, yes it is possible for english and normal type to co-exist together. Cosmo and his mate (when I had them) I suspected both were english... however they were probably part english as they were between the size of a normal and an english. They did quite well with the normals I had.... So in short you already somewhat answered your own question!

Thus, I say, if your interested in this *little* beaut, go right ahead!

[svolk]

Thanks Monica, I hoped you would weigh in your thoughts Yeah I figured I worded it wrong when I said sub-species

I'll know more after this weekend when I visit him again and for much longer. I will try and get a picture of him too because he is stunning!

[homebird]

Originally Posted by Monica

I think first of all some things need to be cleared up... The english budgies are no different than the normals aka americans.... they were just bred to be larger, and to have the ability to raise their crest.... due to excessive inbreeding however, they also tend to have shorter lifespans.... however, all I'm saying is that they are NOT two different species... more like the englihs budgie is a breed off of the normal-wild type.... so it's much like a dog from a wolf... thus, there is no way you could possibly hybridize an english and a normal together... in short, the english were produced in England, making them "man made", rather than a subspecies (created in the wild).

Second, yes it is possible for english and normal type to co-exist together. Cosmo and his mate (when I had them) I suspected both were english... however they were probably part english as they were between the size of a normal and an english. They did quite well with the normals I had.... So in short you already somewhat answered your own question!

Thus, I say, if your interested in this *little* beaut, go right ahead!

You say they can raise their crest? Do American Budgies not raise their crests? Laker sure does!

[Monica]

Normal budgies can to, just not in the same concept as the english budgies... here, look at these photos...






Point being, the english were bred for their larger crests that can be raised for long periods of time, and it's not even to show off to another budgie...

[svolk]

You're tempting me with those pictures, Monica!!

When I go in to the pet store this weekend I will get a picture or two or three of Mr. English Budgie

[AbbeyNMommy]

My first thought when I looked at that pics was:

They look like budgie poodles!!!!!!!!!!!

[homebird]

Thanks Monica - yes they look like they've primped their foreheads like in 'Hairspray'!

They're gorgeous - but i think i'd rather have one or the other. But every case stands alone.