Can you keep a budgie on its own?

Yes and no — It really just depends on your living and personal situation.

Budgies are social creatures who need interaction with others. In the wild, they live in large flocks that eat, sleep, preen, and sing together. As pets, budgies (and most other pet birds) should NEVER be left alone for more than 24 hours. If they are, they may start pulling their own feathers out in distress.

However, this doesn’t mean you have to keep more than one budgie to have a healthy, happy bird. I have only one budgie, but I spend all my time around her. Whether I’m playing video games, watching TV, or just chilling, she’s always in the room with me. And I make sure to dedicate time just for her, making her toys, talking to her, feeding her treats, etc. After putting in the time, she has bonded to me and the other people in my house to consider us part of her “flock”, and we fulfill her social needs.

So, if you can dedicate time to spend with your budgie every day, and keep him/her in the same room(s) you spend most your time in, Yes you can keep a budgie on its own. But if you are too busy or out of the house most of the day, and there’s no one else at home to give your bird attention, it is best to have more than one budgie to keep each other company.

If you have any questions, thoughts, or experiences to share, please comment them!