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do female budgies bleed?

Do Female Budgies Have Periods?

Sometimes, owners report seeing blood around their female budgie’s cloaca, making them think their budgie is menstruating. However, this is never the case.

Female budgies undergo ovulation cycles, but they don’t have periods. That’s because budgies don’t have a uterus or endometrium, so they can’t menstruate.

Budgies lay eggs at the end of their ovulation cycle. If the eggs are fertilized, they’ll hatch into chicks. If they’re unfertilized, the eggs will still be laid, but they won’t hatch.

Since budgies don’t undergo menstruation, any sign of bleeding around your budgie’s cloaca is a symptom of a different problem.

You (or a vet) will need to examine this anal area for signs of abnormal swelling or injury caused by an incoming egg, as it’s not normal for a budgie to bleed when egg-laying, especially if it’s not her first time.

Do Female Budgies Bleed?

Female budgies don’t menstruate as women do during their periods because they lack an endometrium. Budgies lay eggs at the end of their ovulation cycle. If fertilization occurs, the eggs hatch into chicks.

Several factors may cause a female budgie to bleed after its ovulation cycle. For example, a female budgie laying an egg for the first time might experience bleeding in the cloaca.

That’s because the vent isn’t elastic enough. So, forcing out the egg might cause the blood vessels around this area to rupture and the muscles to tear, which would cause bleeding.

Similarly, if egg binding (dystocia) occurs, the vent of the budgie might be exposed to excessive pressure while ejecting the egg, causing the budgie’s cloaca to tear and bleed.

Note that egg binding is a potentially life-threatening condition. According to Veterinary University, untreated egg binding can lead to kidney damage and prolapse of reproductive organs.

During the breeding system, increase a female budgie’s calcium intake, as it makes the egg-laying process safer. So, give it a cuttlebone or add some ground-up eggshell to its meal.

Do Parakeets Have Periods?

Only female humans and some species of mammals have periods.

Menstrual periods involve shedding the endometrium (uterine lining) and blood from the uterus. Since budgies don’t have uteruses, they can’t eject period blood from their bodies.

Do Budgies Go Through Puberty?

Budgies usually reach puberty (or the age of reproductive brooding) at about 6-12 months. Some of the physical and behavioral changes you’re likely to observe during puberty include:

Dominance Issues

As budgies reach sexual maturity, they start figuring out where they belong in the flock. In captivity, this could include fighting over access to space, perches at higher elevations, and food/water bowls.

Often, they’ll begin to exert their dominance to establish themselves as authoritative in the loose social hierarchy of a flock. Changes you’re likely to witness include increased aggression, such as nipping at the feet of other budgies or playfully chewing at your finger harder than usual.

As an owner, you need to assert your authority once your budgie starts to behave in inappropriate ways during puberty. In most cases, speaking to your budgie in a disapproving tone or temporarily removing something it values/enjoys is sufficient to get it to stop whatever poor behavior it’s engaging in.

Since budgies are intelligent birds, they can pick up on your tone of voice and cues. They know when you’re expressing disapproval and can learn to adjust their behavior accordingly.

do parakeets have periods?

Sexual Behavior

Budgies exhibit a wide range of sexual behaviors during puberty. For example, according to Ethology, male parakeets whistle and sing more frequently to impress females.

Female budgies start to lay eggs, which signifies they’ve reached sexual maturity.

Sometimes, male and female budgies engage in masturbation by mounting an object, such as a toy, perch, or human hand, and rubbing their cloaca against it.

Territorial Behavior

When budgies reach puberty, they become more territorial and may turn aggressive if you approach without warning or put your hand inside their cage to grab them.

Budgies develop these territorial behaviors for sexual reasons. For instance, some parakeets may develop an attachment to their cages and defend them against other birds they perceive as competitors.

Similarly, budgies sometimes see their owners as their mates and attack any other bird or animal that tries to compete for their owner’s affection.

How Long Does Puberty In Budgies Last?

Puberty in budgies begins at about 6 months and lasts until the bird is about 1 year old. After this, they’ll transition into adulthood.

However, at no point will a female budgie start bleeding regularly unless she’s severely injured or ill. Although periods are a normal part of puberty for women, this is never the case for budgies.

How To Cope with A Budgie Undergoing Puberty

Budgies reaching puberty tend to be more aggressive and less agreeable.

Nevertheless, there are certain steps you can take as an owner to reassert your dominance and keep your budgie’s behavior in check, including:

Remove Items That Encourage Sexual Territoriality

Remove toys, stuffed birds, and other items that may encourage sexual behavior, such as masturbation against the cage. This helps to limit behaviors that might promote territorial behaviors.

Discourage Rough Play

Rough playing with your pubescent budgie teaches them that aggressive behavior and displays of dominance are acceptable.

You don’t want your budgie to develop these habits, as it might be harder to correct them later. For this reason, discourage nipping and rough play when the budgie is going through puberty.

Why Is My Budgie Bleeding?

As mentioned, budgies don’t experience menstrual bleeding since they don’t have a uterus or endometrium to shed after ovulation. 

The most common reason for a budgie bleeding is damaged pin feathers (blood feathers). Budgies start to grow new pin feathers after shedding off old feathers during molting. Since these feathers are actively growing, they require a large blood supply and will bleed if broken.

Female budgies laying eggs for the first time may experience bleeding around the cloaca since their vent doesn’t expand sufficiently. So, forcing out an egg might cause the muscles around their anal area to rupture, resulting in bleeding.