If your budgie is experiencing difficulty flying, you’re probably panicking and searching for answers as to why it’s happening and what you can do to help it fly again. Luckily, this guide will help you out.
Why can’t my budgie fly properly? The common reasons why your budgie can’t fly properly include poor nutrition, injuries, old age, sickness, or a dying bird. A depressed budgie will also have trouble flying. A budgie that didn’t learn to fly at a young age may also struggle to fly.
In this article, we have discussed the most common reasons why your budgie seems to struggle flying, what you can do to help it fly properly again, and other helpful info.
Why Can’t My Budgie Fly Properly?
Budgies are born to fly! So, if your pet budgie suddenly stops flying well, then you should get concerned as something could be wrong with the bird.
You could look for additional signs such as visual signs of your budgie being injured or change in behavior e.g. loss of appetite, change in bowel habits, etc.
All these will give you clues as to what could be the issue with your pet bird.
Here are the most common reasons why your budgie is having trouble flying:
Sickness
One of the common reasons why an active budgie suddenly stops flying is due to underlying health issues.
While sick budgies don’t necessarily stop flying, they tend to strain too much and may just turn lethargic until they get better.
However, you can’t conclude that your budgie is sick just by its lethargic behavior.
You should look for additional signs of a sick budgie such as loss of appetite, change in feces appearance, discharge coming from the eyes and nose, and troubled breathing.
In this case, you’ll need to get veterinary help for your budgie to be examined and treated.
Note that your budgie will need time to recover from an injury or sickness and start flying again.
Injuries
Injuries affecting areas such as the broken wings, ribs, spine, chest, or tail can make your bird feel hurt as it tries to fly.
Or in worse cases, it can make it completely impossible for your budgie to fly.
Note that your budgie doesn’t have to suffer a serious injury to affect its flying ability. Even just a bruise or sprain is enough to keep your budgie from flying.
If you notice your budgie favoring a specific when trying to fly, then the wing is likely injured.
You can check if your budgie is injured by looking for signs such as visible wounds, awkward hunching, strangely folded wings, and hanging or limping wings.
Your bird having difficulties moving or not moving at all could also be a sign of injuries.
Depression
If your beloved budgie becomes stressed, it may stop flying. Some of the reasons your budgie gets stressed include lack of companionship or enrichment items or a new environment.
Also keeping your budgie in a small cage where it can’t get enough space to stretch and fly can make it get stressed.
Age
Old age is another reason your little guy could be having trouble flying. Just like in humans, old age in budgies comes with its share of problems.
our budgie is likely to suffer decreased muscle strength which directly impacts its flying capabilities.
Also, arthritis is common in budgies in old age and affects joints, further making flying and general mobility in your budgies a challenge.
Environment
The environment you keep your budgie could be the reason it is having trouble flying.
For instance, keeping your bird in a small cage can make it unable to fly due to lack of enough room to fully extend its wings for flight.
A cage without perches or toys can also make your budgie think it’s not secure and comfortable to fly in.
Budgies are also sensitive to temperature changes, so if the temperatures get too high, your budgie can be unable to regulate its body temperature and energy levels, affecting its flying.
Above all, the presence of other birds in the cage or house pets can also make your budge feel stressed and feel unsafe, making it reluctant to fly.
Poor diet
Lack of a healthy and balanced diet can also make your budgie a poor flyer. This is because it lacks the necessary nutrients and energy for maintaining good health and physical functions such as flying.
A diet high in seeds or fat, for instance, can make your budgie obese or develop weak muscles, affecting its flying.
Lack of calcium can also make it hard for him to replace the dropped feathers which are essential for flying. Malnourishment also makes your budgie too weak to fly.
Your budgie missed flying lessons
Yes, if your budgie never learned to fly when it was young, it will definitely be a struggle to fly. This is especially true if your budgie had its wings clipped when it was a fledgling.
Unfortunately, clipping of budgies is a common practice, especially in pet store bin birds and it can have negative effects on the bird including being unable to fly properly.
Your budgie is dying
The budgies’ lifespan is around 5 to 8 years, and it’s important to know that at some point your budgie will pass.
n illness is another reason your budgie is likely to die. Now, during its last hours or days, your budgie will show a decrease in activity, including flying.
At this point, there’s nothing much you can do than comfort your budgie as it lives its last days.
Why is my budgie flying low?
Your budgie flying low simply means it’s unable to elevate itself to fly high. Your budgie requires a lot of energy to fly high, so if it is sick, injured, or unfit, it may lack enough energy to fly high. A budgie with clipped wings is also unable to generate sufficient light to fly high.
Why is my budgie flapping its wings but not flying?
Your budgie flapping its wing but not moving means he’s stretching after sitting on the perch for a long time. This is completely normal behavior and nothing to be alarmed about.
Should you seek veterinary help if your budgie isn’t flying properly?
If you suspect that your budgie not flying has something to do with an injury or a medical condition, then you’ll definitely want to visit an avian vet.
They’ll help examine your pet bird to find out what’s affecting its flying ability and recommend the best possible treatment.
Not seeking vet’s help on time can worsen things and lead to further complications in your budgie.
Final Verdict
Budgies are born to fly, so you should be alarmed if your budgie suddenly stops flying or seems to struggle to fly properly. There are many reasons why your budgie could stop flying properly, including underlying sickness, injuries, old age, poor diet, stress, and the environment it stays in.
Knowing the reason behind your budgie not flying properly will help you take the necessary action to help your bird resume flying properly again. If you can’t seem to figure out why your budgie can’t fly properly, we advise you to take him to an avian vet for proper examination and professional help.
