Budgies (parakeets) are small, playful, and social, while conures are large, territorial, and private. Conures and budgies can get along but shouldn’t live together in the same cage.
Budgies are likely to tease docile conures, unsettling and stressing them out. Conures are too large and territorial to be housed with budgies, potentially behaving aggressively when their space is entered.
Of course, this depends on the budgie’s and conure’s personalities. You may find two birds that get along well and rarely squabble.
However, you should supervise any time they spend together and avoid letting them get too close. Allow the two birds to look at and talk to each other from a safe distance apart.
Can Conures Live with Budgies?
As stated, you can have both birds in one household and occasionally let them spend time together, but only under strict supervision.
Before two birds can interact, you must quarantine them for 30-45 days.
Under no circumstances should a budgie and a conure be housed in the same cage because:
Conures Are Much Larger Than Budgies
Conures are larger than budgies yet more timid. They can easily grow overwhelmed by a budgie’s constant teasing and pestering.
If this motivates the conure to become aggressive, it could kill a budgie. Instead of a spat between two equally-sized birds, a diminutive budgie may face a large, powerful beak and set of talons.
Budgies Like To Tease
Budgies are playful but mischievous. Housing a budgie with a conure in a cage will force them to compete for food, water, toys, and living space.
Some budgies like to tease other cage-mates by guarding food bowls and forcing the newcomer to squabble playfully. Others intentionally limit another bird’s access to food or water out of aggression.
If the conure feels threatened or limited somehow, it could lash out. This is also true if the budgie attempts to section off an area of the cage to itself, limiting the conure’s territory.
According to Watchbird, the ideal measurement for a conure cage is 9 x 7.5 x 9 feet, owing to its flight speed. The minimum requirements are far less for budgies.
Conures Are More Territorial
Conures tend to be one-person birds, so they’re more protective and territorial than budgies. While both parrots will choose one person they like most, conures are far more likely to be this way.
Likewise, some owners are dissuaded from owning conures because they can be loud, defensive of their cage, and more prone to biting.
Of course, this will depend on the conure, how it’s raised, and how it’s treated.
Budgies Eat Less
Conures and budgies have different nutritional needs and appetites. Conures have large appetites and might interfere with your budgie’s regular mealtimes if they have access to its food.
The conure can move the budgie out of the way or intimidate it. As a minimum, this could limit your budgie’s diet to what it can get when the conure is sleeping or isn’t paying attention.
Conure And Budgie Temperament
Budgies and conures have different temperaments. Of course, this depends on the individual birds since their upbringing and housing conditions may change how they behave.
For example, some budgies are docile and friendly and will try to make friends with a new conure. Others are more confrontational and will try to goad the conure to get a reaction.
Likewise, some conures are timid and easily scared by other animals and may lash out. Others are affectionate and welcoming and will be mostly perplexed by the budgie’s behavior.
There are determining characteristics that determine if the two parrots get along:
| Conures | Budgies |
| Very intelligent but more difficult to train. | Intelligent, interactive, and easy to train. |
| Enjoy the company of a bonded favorite (bird or human), but don’t mind privacy. | Thrive in large flocks and when given attention. |
| Affectionate and caring, but more protective and territorial, especially when jealous. | Bubbly and playful, but teasing and mischievous. |
| They are loud, prone to biting when upset, and need their own space. | More prone to chirping than screaming, startled by loud noises, and prefer to stay close to others. |
| Males and females are similar. Female conures are affectionate, while males dislike new people. | Male budgies are more welcoming of new birds, while females can be defensive. |
Should You Keep Conures and Budgies Together?
While conures are friendly and affectionate, not all conures can get along with budgies. Conures may be startled by the strange new bird, while budgies are scared of any animal larger than them.
If your conure decides it doesn’t like your budgie, it can show aggression and hurt or kill it. Budgies are unlikely to be able to physically harm conures, but they may tease a conure until it’s stressed.
Never keep these two parrots in one cage. However, if they live in the same room or are allowed to see each other while you supervise, it’ll be OK. You must observe their initial encounters.
Conures and budgies should be introduced slowly. At first, they may act defensively by holding out their wings, puffing up, and hissing. At this point, you should separate them.
You can show them one another after they’ve calmed down. Once they’re regularly exposed to one other, these unfriendly behaviors should be reduced.
If they don’t show any signs of aggression, you can let them out in a small room for playtime while you observe closely. . However, you should keep them a safe distance apart.
Types of Conures That Can Live with Budgies
There are many different conures, each with its own size, coloring, and lifespan.
They can be as small as the Pyrrhura picta, measuring between 8-10 inches, or as large as the Cyanoliseus patagonus species, measuring 17-19 inches in length.
Conures have varying personalities based on their breed, affecting their compatibility with budgies. Some conures are more likely to co-exist peacefully with a budgie than others.
Sun Conures
Sun conures are loud, active, and noisy, which will be ideal for your budgie’s active, playful lifestyle.
However, sun conures get attached to their owners, which might make your budgie jealous. They may also bother your budgie by screaming or calling out when trying to rest.
Budgies are used to living in big flocks, but conures scream at exceptional pitches. Also, a sun conure has a larger beak and can easily injure or kill a budgie.
Jenday Conure
The Jenday conure is a loving and calm parrot.
It’s well-known for its compatibility with other conures. This breed also gets along nicely with other birds and avoids squabbling, even while playing.
However, if it gets bored, a Jenday conure may become very active and rowdy.
Green-Cheeked Conure or Pineapple Conures
The green-cheeked conure has the best chance of getting along with your budgie because they are timid but loving. Usually, they’re more tolerant of active or talkative birds.
Unfortunately, pineapple conures can be moody and temperamental. So, they may not always react the same way to a budgie’s playful personality.
Blue-crowned Conure
Blue-crowned conures enjoy company, whether it’s another bird or a person.
They’re active and vocal, engaging other birds with their wide vocabulary. However, they can be loud enough to startle your budgie, putting it on edge with constant, high-frequency noise.
Can Budgies and Conures Mate?
Crossbreeding or hybridization is common among birds of the same genus.
Parrots can sometimes breed with other types of parrots. However, breeding isn’t possible if there’s a significant genetic difference between the species.
Conures and budgies have too much of a genetic gap to mate and produce viable offspring. Moreover, their size difference can cause them to feel threatened by each other.
Budgies and conures usually get along, but one fight could seriously injure a small budgie. So, you should never let the two birds live together, and you should play with your conure and your budgie separately.
