Budgies are small birds that can be kept as household pets. They are very popular in the United Kingdom and Australia, but they have also become a favorite among pet owners across North America. Budgies are also known as parakeets.
Budgies are not only cute; they are intelligent, affectionate, and easy to care for. Lots of people enjoy taking care of budgies, but if you are a first-time owner, you may be feeling anxious about not knowing certain body movements that your budgie is making.
Reading the body language of your pets is very important for knowing if there is anything wrong. Body language can express happiness and excitement, but it can also express illness and sadness.
Reading your budgie’s body language is an important skill, and here is how you can learn.
Below there are 5 reasons why your budgie is puffed up so that you can understand what they are trying to tell you. Make sure that you listen to what your budgie is trying to say and take care of them.
Why Do Budgies Puff Up?
If you are a first-time budgie owner, any movements that your budgie makes that seem out of the ordinary can be stressful. You want to know what is going on with your budgie, and this article will help you do just that.
When budgies are puffed up, they can look adorable. But why are they doing it?
1. Getting Rid Of Dirt
One reason why your budgie may be puffed up is so they can get rid of any dirt in their feathers. When your budgie gets dirty, you should clean them. If you don’t clean them often enough, then they could end up getting sick.
As they puff up, this movement shifts any dirt or dust that is clinging to their feathers. They could be doing this movement to make sure that they are kept clean, especially after eating or playing.
It is important to make sure that your budgie is kept clean for their health, so what is the best way to clean them?
Keep Them Clean, Especially When Unwell
If your budgie has experienced sickness or diarrhea, they might need some extra help keeping clean, especially if they aren’t feeling very well. If your budgie isn’t feeling well, helping them out by giving them a clean will allow them to focus on feeling better.
Diarrhea may stick to their feathers and cause them to feel uncomfortable, so make sure that the feathers are clean so that your budgie can feel happy and comfortable.
As budgie droppings are usually dry, they are not used to having messy feathers. Give them a helping hand to show them that you’re there for them!
Baths
Lots of people provide their budgies with baths so that they can clean themselves whenever they want. This will help your budgie to stay clean and healthy so that they can remain happy and confident in your care.
2. Your Budgie Is Excited!
When your budgie is puffed up, your first thought may instantly go to them being unwell or unhappy. This can be the case, but it can also be because your budgie is happy and excited to see you!
When budgies puff up when they are excited, they will usually sing or talk to express these emotions.
Although budgies try to communicate their happiness through song, they can also try to communicate it through their feathers. Having toys for your budgie to play with will keep them healthy as they will be getting exercise which will make them feel happier and healthier.
Lots of toys can be unsuitable for budgies, so make sure that the toys that you buy will not harm them or put them in any danger. Toys that are too small may become choking hazards, so be sure to only buy toys that have been designed for budgies.
3. Your Budgie Is Cold
Another reason for your budgie puffing up may be due to them feeling cold. When your budgie is feeling cold and puffs up, this can be because they are trying to conserve as much energy as possible by trapping it by fluffing out its feathers.
By puffing up their feathers, budgies can trap more energy to keep warm. You may see your budgie falling asleep when looking puffed up because they want to stay warm while they sleep.
In warmer conditions where budgies are too hot, their feathers will stick closer to their bodies to keep them cool.
If your budgie seems to be puffed up a lot and you live in a colder environment, make sure that they are kept warm. You will see your budgie puffed up a lot less due to the cold if they are kept warm from the heating in your home.
4. Your Budgie Is Sick
This is the reason that people are frightened, as your budgie puffing up could be a sign that they are sick or unwell. If your budgie looks like they are suffering from illness, then you should take them to your vet immediately. They may need medication or fluids to get better.
Your budgie may look puffy because they are dehydrated. It can be difficult to tell if your budgie is sick, so if they are puffed up for a while and you are concerned, take them to a vet.
As puffing up can be a sign of other feelings in budgies, there are some other signs that you should look out for to tell if your budgie is sick.
If your budgie is sleeping a lot, breathing heavily, losing weight, or has wet or sticky droppings, take them to the vet immediately. These are all signs that your budgie is not feeling well and may need some medical assistance to get them back on track.
5. Your Budgie Is Tired And Sleepy
Although sleeping excessively can be a sign of sickness in budgies, puffing up their feathers can also be a sign that they are getting ready to go to sleep. If you have more than one budgie, they might both puff up so they can cuddle together when they go to sleep!
The reason that budgies puff up their feathers before they go to sleep is so that they can get comfortable. Budgies are also known to sleep a lot, especially if they have been flying around or playing, so they like to make sure that they are completely comfortable before they rest!
By puffing up their feathers, your budgie is conserving energy by making themselves feel warmer and more comfortable. By doing this, they will be able to sleep longer and more comfortably so that they can happily rest.
What If Your Budgie Is Always Puffed Up?
Although the list above gives you the main reasons as to why your budgie is puffed up, there can be rare occasions where your budgie is always puffed up.
This can cause concern as if your budgie is puffed up because they are happy, sick, cold, tired, or cleaning themselves, their feathers should always return to close to their bodies after they are done.
If your budgie is always puffed up, this could be due to hypothermia or heat stroke. To avoid your budgie experiencing either of these conditions, it is best to keep them at a temperature of 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit to make sure that they are safe and comfortable.
Although budgies flatten their feathers to try and cool down, if they are too hot, they will start to puff up so that their wings flap to cool themselves down. If they are too cold, puffing up to conserve energy will help them to try and stay warm.
Your budgie shouldn’t be puffed up all the time, so if they are, make sure that you seek medical attention from a vet. Keeping your budgie at a safe temperature will help them to stay cool and healthy.
Final Thoughts
To conclude, I hope that this article helped you understand what causes your budgie to puff up. Although puffing up can be an indication of illness in budgies, it can also be a sign of happiness, excitement, or just being comfortable.
So, if you notice that your budgie is puffing up, don’t panic.
You should take your budgie to the vets if they are puffing up excessively. This can be a sign of low or high temperatures and will need to be seen by a professional.
If your budgie is puffing up temporarily, this can be for several different reasons that are very normal, so only take them to the vets if you are concerned that something is wrong.
Making sure that your budgie lives in a safe environment with proper care is detrimental to their health. If your budgie has poor hygiene or is living in extreme temperatures, this can negatively impact their health.
So, if you want to ensure that your budgie stays healthy, make sure that you provide them with the right amount of space, food, water, toys, and love.
Harlan Derricks, nice to meet you. I created this online resource in the hopes of educating more people about the wonders of parrots, including their species, sizes, and more.
But I don’t just want to stop with parrots. I want to give every bird an opportunity to be marveled at and rescued by my education. If just one of my readers learned something valuable about budgies, cockatiels, or parakeets, then I’d be happy with my success.
