If you’re thinking of housing budgies and finches together, but now sure if it’s a good idea, this guide will help you out.
Can budgies live with finches? Housing budgies with finches is not recommended as the budgies are bullies and can take advantage of the smaller and weaker finches and hurt them or even kill them.
This article discusses full details regarding housing a budgie and a finch together and the various considerations to keep in mind when doing so.
Can Budgies Live with Finches?
There are mixed opinions on whether you can put a budgie and finch together. Most experienced bird enthusiasts are against it as they state budgies are bullies of small birds and will hurt and even kill a finch!
This little bird likes getting bossy and playing the dominant one. It also takes advantage of the peaceful and calm nature of the finch to fight it.
Some bird owners have, however, successfully housed the two bird species together.
They suggest that these birds can coexist peacefully as long as you provide them with enough food and space. Or they can live together if you house them in a large aviary.
What to consider when putting budgies and finches in the same cage
If you still want to house these two pet birds in the same cage, there are some key considerations to keep in mind as described below.
Size of cage
One of the things to consider when housing the finch and budgie together is the size of the cage. The two birds are quite active and need housing that meets their needs.
However, finches like flying back and forth while budgies love climbing and will often perch to the highest point in the cage.
As such, budgies will need a tall cage to enable them to climb up and down while finches will require a wide cage to fly back and forth.
We recommend at least a 24-inch wide by 24-inch high cage for one finch and one budgie. Bigger is even better. The bars should not be more than 3/8 inches apart. (Source).
If you plan to put more budges and finches together, you’ll need an even larger cage to comfortably house all of them without them feeling cramped up.
Structure the budgie and finches cave correctly
Getting a spacious cage for your budgies is one thing. But it’s also important to structure the cage so that your pet birds can enjoy living comfortably inside the enclosure.
Even when your birds get along well, you want to ensure you provide them with areas where they can retreat if they want to be alone.
Also, make sure you provide them with separate dishes and food, and water. Consider separate baths as some birds may refuse to use one bath after their cage mate uses it.
You should also add various enrichment items in the cage for both birds including perches, swings, etc.
Type of finch
There are different species of finches but some are more compatible with budgies than others.
For instance, the zebra finches are more confident and can be housed together with buddies. Both birds are native to Australia and can cohabit peacefully provided you meet the various conditions discussed below.
Other species of finches that are suitable for housing budgies include the sharp-tailed finch, spice-finch, Java sparrow, Bengalese finch, and double-barred finch.
Dietary needs
Finches and budgies seemingly have similar dietary needs, but that doesn’t mean you should feed them the same types of food. They have divergent nutritional requirements and we recommend giving each species food specially formulated for it.
Difference in personalities
You also need to keep in mind that these two birds differ in terms of compatibility.
The finches have a calmer demeanor. But budgies are quite aggressive, especially females, as they become territorial in their cages. They also tend to be quite possessive of their toys.
Add to the fact that budgies are bigger than finches and have hooked beaks, and your finches won’t stand a chance against the budgies.
Budgies can seriously injure weak finches and even kill them!
With this in mind, you’ll need to constantly monitor the two birds. Watch out for signs of aggression and stress in your budgies. Look for chasing, fighting, and picking of feathers. (Source).
If you notice signs of aggression, it’s advisable to separate your budgies as soon as possible.
After separating the birds for some days, you can try restructuring the cage to alter the cage power dynamics and hopefully stop the fights.
How to introduce budgies and finches to each other?
Another secret for ensuring these two birds live peacefully is introducing them to each other when they’re still young.
If possible, bring them home from the breeder or pet store at the same when they’re young, or days apart.
This helps reduce the possibility of one pet bird considering the cage as its own and turning aggressive towards its new cage mate.
As experienced bird owners agree, many pet birds don’t like getting a new cage mate after they’ve been alone for a pretty long time or after they’ve been with another companion.
You should also seek veterinary help for professional advice about keeping the two types of birds together, including the Dos and Don’ts to ensure peaceful coexistence.
Final Verdict
That’s all you need to know regarding whether it’s safe for budgies and finches to live together. Finches are the calm and peaceful type but budgies are the aggressive type. This means they can seriously hurt the finches and possibly kill them. So, you may want to avoid keeping them together.
However, if you still want to house them together, then make sure you get a spacious cage. Proper introduction can help them live together peacefully. Keep monitoring your birds closely and separate them if you notice signs of aggression between them.
