I'm considering rehoming Spice.

Okay, so for the past while I've been feeling extremely guilty for keeping birds- specifically my budgie, not so much for my Cockatiel.

My little Spice is in unrequited love with my tiel, who responds to her with complete animosity. Whenever I take Apple away from her, she goes insane and will Cockatiel scream in desperation. I can't separate them because she becomes extremely stressed for an indefinite amount of time.

Spice loves life, she loves playing and flying around like no tomorrow. As much as I enjoy her zest for life, I feel like I'm being extremely selfish for keeping her in a home when she would clearly do so much happier in a flock. I feel that small birds like Budgies really really depend on their flock for everything. I'm not trying to get rid of her, I truly believe she could be so much happier in a different environment. I can't afford another budgie in the home, space wise and noise wise. If I were to find a friend for her, I'd want a room dedicated to them because it's not safe to have them out about in the human living space. Unfortunately I can't offer that in my current situation.

So... I'm looking around to see if someone local has a large aviary with budgies so I can send mine there.
And I can confidently say that I will not add another EXTREMELY flock oriented bird like a budgie, EVER.
I feed my birds a very good diet, offer lots of toys and freedom. If I send her anywhere, the place HAS to meet or exceed my expectations.

This doesn't really have to do with the 'my birds and I aren't bonded', it has to do with the fact that my two birds DON'T get along and Spice really could be happier somewhere else.

I don't know if I'll do it, it certainly is a very difficult decision. I'm looking for any feedback.

Oh, and.. I won't be adding any birds for a long time. It'll just be Apple.

GlassOnion, it's your call and nobody will do it for you, but one sentence keep me here:

GlassOnion wrote:

My little Spice is in unrequited love with my tiel, who responds to her with complete animosity. Whenever I take Apple away from her, she goes insane and will Cockatiel scream in desperation. I can't separate them because she becomes extremely stressed for an indefinite amount of time.

Yes, budgies love the flock life, but from what I understand your situation for your Spice Apple is her flock friend. Why ruin this?

Because Apple hates her and becomes stressed out by her.

Sorry, I didn't got that at the first time. Is there any way that they can be kept in a distance, like two different parts of room/place where you live?

I thought about that, but even at distance, Spice NEEDS to be WITH Apple or else she'll throw a tantrum. And unfortunately, I don't have the room or the money to set up another bird area aside from where the birds currently are.
I just feel that if she had another Budgie friend, we'd all be happy.

Thank you for your genuine concern for this, Margaret.

Have you tried giving Spice a mirror to focus her energies on rather than focusing them on Apple? The mirror may trick her into thinking there's another one of her kind rather than bonding so closely to the only other bird in the area.

I don't know what I would do in your situation. When I first got Pigpen, she wouldn't bond with me and I felt awful for her. The end result was No Name and the two are happy together. I don't know what I would have done if Pigpen didn't like No Name and would go to attack them.

Unless you can find a way to distract her attentions from Apple, the best thing is probably to find her a flock of her own.

I have found in both parenting and parronting that the hard thing is often the right thing. Adding anothing budgie to your flock if you aren't keen on multiple budgies anyway just to avoid guilt or the stigma of rehoming is a depressing (and not possible from what you have said) and I wouldn't do it. There is nothing wrong about finding Spice a home better suited for her particular needs. Apple deserves a stress free home too. I know it will be hard to let Spice go, and someone out there will always disagree, but you have to do what is best for your flock.

Can you set up a window aviary? That would be cool with a couple of budgies. Or have you thought about a zebra or society finch companion for Spice? That's small and relatively unnoisey and hands off and solely because the two (budgie & finch) both love companionship might latch onto each other.

Otherwise, sure, rehome Spice if that's the decision for you.

If I weren't across the country, I'd consider adding her to my little flock of budgies.

Are you sure that adding another budgie is out of the question?

Thanks you guys, I really appreciate the feedback.

Julie- you're right, Apple doesn't deserve to live in stress, nor Spice, nor I.

Roz- The aviary idea is cool, I don't know how I'd make it work in my housing structure though. I've never considered adding a finch actually, that's a new thought. What prevents me from doing that is that I really don't want to deal with untame birds AND I morally can't lock up a bird in a small aviary/cage.

Alyssa- Adding another budgie is SLIGHTLY still in question, the problem is setting up a large area for them that I would approve of.

I do have a small room that I thought about turning entirely into a bird room, the room can fit a twin bed and a bit more, but no windows..

GlassOnion wrote:

I morally can't lock up a bird in a small aviary/cage.

Considering a wild bird's range in the wild, including small birds like budgies and finches, even let loose in a whole room or even the entire house, they're still in a small "aviary/cage" without bars. Even my 8' aviary in the house is "small" for a single bourke. The San Diego Zoo's California Condor aviary is absolutely HUGE, but still not large enough for the condors to be able to soar as they naturally would. Not sure how you're rectifying in your mind what's morally acceptable and what's not.

Roz, you have a very good point!!!

Well said, Roz. I think it is hard to really see these things from the animal's perspective rather than through our preconceptions.

I agree.Well said Roz.Onion i think your doing the right thing and looking options.What every happens, i feel you'll do the right thing, and someone won't like it.If you could find an aviary ,that would be the best in my opinion,i know your bird would be happy in a flock of her own kind.Personally i think you need to consolidate not expand,but that's just my 2 cents worth,luv ya.

I do think consolidating may be better than expanding. We'll just have to see if anything comes around... Unless I know for a fact that Spice will be 1000% happier in a new home, she's staying!

Good, I'm glad you do everything to keep her

GlassOnion wrote:

My little Spice is in unrequited love with my tiel, who responds to her with complete animosity.

Doesn't look like Spice annoys Apple. Wut up?

I'll tell you wut up, that sig annoys me everytime I see it! I need to get the username out of the picture.

You see, Apple is a very selfish man. He always asks to be preened and when Spice doesn't obey, he attacks her. Also, he never ever preens Spice. The only time he is nice to her and doesn't run away is when he wants free service.

I can hijack my own thread- why don't you post there more often, Roz?

GlassOnion wrote:

I can hijack my own thread- why don't you post there more often, Roz?

I would, but I can't keep up. Yesterday's thread about the quacker being shipped USPS, I was reading and 5 more pages got posted while I'm still reading page 2! I ended up not reading the last 4 pages and just posted my comment, which could have been redundant but I felt it was important to put out there what I found out about how the USPS treats illegally shipped animals here in my area.

GlassOnion wrote:

You see, Apple is a very selfish man. He always asks to be preened and when Spice doesn't obey, he attacks her. Also, he never ever preens Spice. The only time he is nice to her and doesn't run away is when he wants free service.

Honestly, that sounds like a very good love/hate relationship. They actually do like each other. I think they might both be upset if they were separated.

patdbunny wrote:

Yesterday's thread about the quacker being shipped USPS....

USPS?!?

Yeah, you have to log on like every other hour to keep up.

Well, that's good.. It sounds like a healthy marriage....

LyzGrace wrote:

patdbunny wrote:

Yesterday's thread about the quacker being shipped USPS....

USPS?!?

Yeah, people do some foolish things. Part of the problem is also buyers not wanting to pay $200-$300 in shipping. USPS is like $25. Someone wanted me to ship to Maine. Through Delta from here to Maine was close to $400. They didn't want to pay that. And some breeders are desperate for the money, I guess.