Before bringing one of these birds into your home, you need to find out all of the facts.
Every animal species has an average lifespan that they tend to live to, however, there are lots of different factors that might extend your pet’s age range.
There’s a balance between birds in the wild thriving with more freedom and room to live, with the domesticated birds having access to things they wouldn’t have out in the wilderness.
Because of this, the age ranges of budgies can vary and will depend on lots of different things.
We’ve made a guide to all things budgie so that you know all of the answers that you need before committing to owning a pet budgie.
We’ll look at topics like how to make sure they’re happy and live longer, to how they fare out in the wild.
What Is A Budgie?
If you’re asking questions about owning a budgie, likely, you might not know much about the bird.
Budgies are small parrots that come from Australia and are very social creatures coming in all sorts of colors.
They are known for being very friendly and loving pets, as well as great talkers.
Budgies are also known for their intelligence and ability to learn new tricks. These little birds are often kept as pets because they are easy to care for, and they love attention.
If you want to get a budgie as a pet, then you should be prepared to take good care of them.
You should understand what they eat, how they behave, and how to keep them healthy.
Although we note that they are good at tricks and learning new skills, these birds have much more to them than being trained. They need love and care.
Budgies are very popular pets, especially among children. This makes sense since they are cute, fun, and smart.
They are also very intelligent, and some people think that they are just as smart as dogs or cats.
They are also very affectionate and playful animals. They love to play games and interact with each other and humans by ‘talking’.
They are also very active and energetic, which means that they require plenty of exercise by being able to roam about the house.
What Do Budgies Eat?
The diet of budgies varies depending on where they are from. In the wild, they would eat insects, fruit, seeds, nectar, and even worms.
However, when they are living indoors, they usually only eat dry food.
These forms of dry food can be anything from seeds to pellets, which are full of nutrients and enough vitamins to keep them happy and healthy.
This proper care through dietary requirements is really important to keep them full of life.
Fresh vegetables are another thing that budgies love to eat and will provide them with all of the minerals and flavors that these birds need in their balanced diet.
Because of this, it’s always good to include a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables in their food.
These can include apples, oranges, bananas, carrots, peas, broccoli, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, and many others.
Including these in a healthy diet plays a huge role in making sure budgies live for as long as possible.
It’s also important to remember that budgies don’t need any specific type of water, fresh is always best though.
The best way to ensure that they stay hydrated is to give them clean water every day.
Make sure that there isn’t any debris floating around in your water bowl.
Because seeds and pellets can often fall into random places because of their size, they can find their way into your bird’s water bowl.
Also, if you notice that they aren’t drinking properly, then try giving them water bottles instead and see if they prefer that.
How Long Do Domesticated Budgies Live For?
Budgies can live up to 20 years old, but most of them die within 10-15 years.
This can be down to many different features when in the wild, with predators and weather elements often playing a part in the bird’s life.
Several things contribute to this lifespan including genetics, diet, and health.
Domesticated budgies have a better chance at battling diseases and illnesses, with many of them having access to local vets and other forms of healthcare.
Genetics
These play an enormous part in determining how long domesticated budgies live for. There are different breeds of budgies that vary in lifespan.
Some may live up to 10 years while others might not make it past two years. It’s important to know that genetics play a big role in longevity.
Breeders who breed budgies for show purposes tend to opt for shorter lifespans. This is so that they can produce offspring faster and make money off of them sooner.
If you’re wanting a budgie as a loved pet, then this isn’t the route to choose.
Environment And Surroundings
Budgies have been bred over time to become more docile and easier to handle.
As such, they were given less space to move around in and were forced to spend most of their days sitting still.
With this lifestyle change, they became much more sedentary than they used to be.
This lack of movement has led to some serious health issues. One of the biggest problems is that they developed arthritis due to their lack of activity.
Another problem is that they develop diabetes because of their low levels of exercise.
Disease And Illness
As previously mentioned, diabetes has become a deciding factor for budgies and their health, however, with a good amount of exercise and a healthy diet, the chances of this occurring can be severed massively.
Other diseases can include heart disease, kidney failure, liver damage, and cancer.
These can be contracted in similar ways to humans and will affect their average age massively.
Are There Wild Budgies?
Yes! However, they are very rare and hard to spot. The wild budgie is found mainly on islands like Hawaii and New Zealand, with some places in Australia also seeing the bird.
Their numbers are dwindling rapidly, but they are still out there somewhere, thriving and living their lives. Wild budgies can live to around 15-20 years old.
This can change when external factors like predators, lack of food, and weather have a say in whether a budgie will fulfill its full life.
Some predators will include larger birds and even cats, basically anything that can make its way to the top of a tree to a budgie’s nest.
What Are The Different Types Of Budgies?
English Budgies
The English budgie is one of the oldest types of budgie. It was originally introduced from England to Australia by settlers back in 1885.
Since then, it has become popular all across the world and can be seen in lots of different types of homes and domesticated environments.
They are known for being friendly, chatty, sociable, and energetic.
Because of their ability to learn new tricks and listen to commands, they were used to performing and entertaining.
Usually coming in the color black or gray, the English budgie is often mistaken for parakeets and has a very recognizable voice.
The average life expectancy of an English budgie is around 10-15 years. They usually start breeding at about 3 years old.
American Budgies
Americans are another type of budgie, however, they originated in America.
They were first brought to the US in the early 1900s and since then, many people have adopted them into their homes.
They are smaller than the English budgie and come in colors ranging from white to blue.
Their personality traits are similar to those of the English budgie, except they are not quite as talkative.
They are usually quiet and shy, but once they get to know you, they can be really fun to interact with and will form a strong bond with their owners.
They are very social birds and will interact with other animals in their homes.
The American Budgie usually lives to an age of about 8-12 years. They usually begin breeding at 4 years old.
Australasian Budgies
Australasians are native to Australia and New Zealand.
They are smaller than most other breeds of budgie and come in a variety of colors including red, yellow, orange, green, pink, and blue.
Because they originate from Australia, they tend to have a more laid-back attitude towards life.
They are less likely to be aggressive and territorial, which makes them perfect pets for families.
This is because Australia is a large island and will have less competition for space than smaller islands or even a mainland area of the world.
Milestones In A Budgie’s Life
This talkative type of bird is usually considered young until the age of two.
After this time, they will mature and grow up to become adults. There are three main milestones in a budgie’s life:
1) Juvenile stage – 2 months to 6 weeks
2) Mature stage – 6 weeks to 1 year
3) Adult stage – 1 year to 15 years
As previously mentioned, budgies will usually start to breed anywhere around 3 years and 4 years of age, depending on the type of budgie.
Budgies’ Health Issues
Obesity
Several health issues can affect a budgie’s lifespan. The most common ones are obesity and stress.
Obesity can cause your pet to develop diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, cancer, and kidney failure.
Stress can also lead to these conditions, with these conditions also leading to stress.
Obesity can be caused by overfeeding, lack of exercise, and poor nutrition. It can also be hereditary, so if you notice that your budgie has been gaining weight, it may be due to genetics.
If you do not want to feed your budgie too much, try feeding him small meals throughout the day instead of one big meal. Also, make sure he gets plenty of water.
This way, they can enjoy smaller portions and ensure that they stay full of energy throughout their day, rather than one large intake.
Stress
Stress can be caused by any number of things such as moving to a new home, changing environments, being separated from family members, losing a loved one, or just plain boredom.
It is important to keep your budgie happy and healthy so that they don’t become stressed out.
Try keeping their cage clean, providing toys and activities for them, with any sort of mental stimulation recommended.
Final Thoughts
A budgie should live a long, happy life. Although they are known for being talkative, they are pretty easy to care for and maintain. Just like humans, they need to eat, drink, sleep and play.
By following the tips above, you can help your budgie live a longer, happier life!
Living to any age between around 10 and 20 years, budgies make great pets, especially for younger families, where the bird will age alongside the younger members of the family.
Although lots of these birds are regarded as chatty and energetic, you need to treat your budgie as its personality.
Form a bond with your pet and ensure that they thrive and live their lives to the fullest.
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.
