arg, noise issues!

[Gilraen]

I've had my 2 budgies for a while by themselves and all the noise they'd make is the male chirruping softly to his lady a good bit in the day and her flock calling when she got separated. I got another 2 from one of the stores(test run, so to speak) and once they were introduced the noise level in the day has gone way up, according to my roommates, who hate a lot of birdie noise. I haven't seen much of it when I'm here(same room) but I can see where they're coming from. The male has gotten a bit louder, and one of them is always running off the other way, now, and that gets flock calling started a lot. It WAS okay after the first day or so, but then I got my conure's new cage, so one or two of them go to the top of the old(hanging) one via the new one and that gets them all started calling back and forth. Or one-two go into/on her new cage and the others go some other place and start to call. I'm planning on taking the old cage down today(day off) and putting up a smaller "base camp" for the budgies, but I've only got about 5 days before, if I have to return them for noise issues(the roommates flipped out the last time I tried to get another one and the noise went through the roof. I assumed it was that I just got an extra loud one -_-) I can't do it(plus last time I tried to and returned the loud one the other two freaked out for a couple weeks over losing their friend). Is there a good way to re-teach them that they're only supposed to be flock call a few minutes a day max? Is there a good chance that the house changing(to one at ground level without cardboard under it as a poo/food catcher) will get them to go back to talking quietly? Any other suggestions besides letting my roommates kick me out?

[phonelady61]

This is to say the least a very difficult sittuation . I believe a bird that makes noise is a happy bird so therefore your birds must be very happy . other than soundproofing the room there is no way to avoid the chirps . Why are your roommates so against the noise ? you know birds make noise no matter what size they are . I dont know of any way for you to teach them to be quiet because birds make noise that is what they do . I am sorry but it is probably best if your room mates dont like the birds to either move into a place by yourself or rehome them . I wish i could give you a better option but dont really have one . good luck whatever you decide to do .

[svolk]

I agree with phonelady. Budgies chatter nonstop and the noise does increase when there's more than one budgie. I also agree that chattering budgies are a good thing - I'd be concerned about budgies who don't vocalize, it's just in their nature to chat away all day long. When they feel secure and part of the fun they'll let you know by chatting away happily.

[Gilraen]

It isn't the chattering that is the problem, its when they get to flock calling or he once in a while squawking at each other that the roommates don't like. When I just had the 2 and they only ever really called whenever one wandered off from the other(not often) they didn't have a problem with them, but now that I have the others they have been complaining that they're calling all day long, and are afraid our landlord will kick us out over it.

Like I said, it's my day off and they really haven't been doing it(of course) while I've been around, but the one who was home all day yesterday said they were going on all day. I think they've gotten loud 2-3 times and it lasted less than a minute each time. And I've got a few more days to go to decide if it is going to work out before I have to take them back to the store, but I really would rather not have to do that. I had 3 for a bit, but when I had the other one she'd do nothing but make angry budgie noises half of the day(not quietly, but would yell at the top of her lungs no matter what) and would harass the other female, leading her to run away from the other two and flock call until they went to her or I got sick of it after around 5 minutes and took her back to them.

I want to make it work, since I don't like other people getting animals and dumping them, and don't want to do it myself as a result, but the roommates do have a point that if they are "always loud" that someone is going to start complaining, and while the landlord would have to be a huge hypocrite to evict us over a few minutes a day of noise(we've had to call the cops on the upstairs neighbour for partying and having his telly up LOUD ENOUGH YOU CAN HEAR EVERY WORD THROUGH THE CEILING OF OUR APARTMENT and on our last one for doing nothing but screaming cursing and threatening his wife ALL DAY and half the night and he was not willing to do anything about either) they've both said that MY birds won't be the reason they move out of the only place in this dump of a town we can afford. Moving in on my own is completely impossible. The CHEAP one bedroom places here are about $100 less than what I make in a typical month, and this is one of the very few places in town that allows any sort of animal, even fish. I will take them back if I need to because they don't start to stay quiet most of the time, but I really want that to be a last option.

[Tinker]

Sorry but it sounds like you are going to have to take them back. I know you didn't want to hear that, but it just isn't the ideal situation for them. Why was it that you purchased more budgies in the first place when you already had two? There's always going to be an infinite amount of budgies out there that need homes, so you can't save them all.