Budgies are one of the most commonly kept pet birds in the world and as more and more people add a budgie to their family, the number of questions that we see about keeping a pet budgie also keeps increating.
Thankfully, budgies are a relativley easy bird to keep as a pet making them very beginner friendly and easy to look after.
Every now and then though, we do see a range of questions about potential problems with a budgie so we like to answer as many of these as possible to help as many of our readers as possible.
The issue is that its not always a quick and easy fix and in some cases, it can be difficult to just workout what the problem is with your pet budgie.
Todays question is going to be based on why your pet budgie is squeaking as we have lost count of the number of people that we have seen asking about this over the last few months.
The problem is, there are many different potential causes so you will have to do a little investigating.
Is It Normal For A Budgie To Squeak?
In some cases, you may just have a vocal budgie that likes to make a wide range of sounds. Although this is rare, it does happen but in most cases, a budgie that is constantly squaking may have a problem.
Some of these problems can be very serious where as others can be very easy to treat.
The problem is that it is difficult to correctly diagnose the problem with the budgie to give it the correct treatment and even experienced bird keepers can have problems.
If you are in any doubt, we would recommend that you book a video call with a veterinarian to have them help you try and workout exactly whats wrong with your budgie.
What Causes A Budgie To Squeak?
The two most common problems that can cause a budgie to squeak are down to nutritional problems or due to some type of infection.
There are a number of other potential problems that can also cause a budgie to squeak though so it really can just be down to putting the time in to investigate the casues that we will break down below.
A Lack of Essential Nutrients!
One of the main problems that we see with pet budgies is that they are not getting all of the essential nutrients that they need from their diet.
Budgies are very small birds and as a result, they have a very high metabolism which means that they burn through their food quicker than most other animals.
This means that they need a diet that is high in fat and protein as well as all of the essential vitamins and minerals to stay healthy.
A diet that is lacking in any of these nutrients can lead to a wide range of health problems in budgies including, but not limited to, feather plucking, aggression, lethargy and even death.
One of the early symptoms of problems with a lack of nutrition in a budgie can be squeaking with this being far more common than most people initially realise.
A Parasite Infection!
The other main problem that we see with pet budgies is down to some type of parasite infection.
There are a number of different types of parasites that can affect budgies and the most common ones include, mites, lice and coccidia.
All of these parasites will cause a wide range of problems for your budgie including, but not limited to, anemia, weight loss and even death in some cases.
One of the early symptoms of a parasite infection in a budgie can be squeaking and this is something that you should look out for if your budgie starts to squak more than normal.
The Budgie Is Injured!
An injury to your budgie is a very common reason that is may squeak consistently throughout the day.
Budgies are very delicate creatures and as a result, they can easily injure themselves if they are not careful.
The most common injuries that we see in budgies are down to them flying into objects or being attacked by another animal.
If your budgie has been injured, then it is likely that it will be in a lot of pain and this is one of the main reasons that it may start to squeak.
If you think that your budgie has been injured, then we would recommend that you take it to see a veterinarian as soon as possible.
An Obstruction in Its Throat!
An obstruction in your budgies throat can sometimes result in squeaking but this is less common than some of the other causes on this list.
An obstruction in your budgies throat can be caused by a number of different things but the most common cause is down to your budgie swallowing something that it should not have.
If you think that your budgie may have an obstruction in its throat, then we would recommend that you take it to see a veterinarian as soon as possible.
A Fungal Infection!
Fungal infections in budgies are rare these days, especially in the western world but the irritation of a fungal infection on your budgie can cause it to squeak more than usual.
Thankfully, fungal infections are usually obvious making it one of the easier causes on this list to detect yourself.
In addition to that, fungal infections in budgies can be treat quickly and easily by any number of over the counter products that any good local pet store will sell.
Dehydration!
Dehydration can sometimes cause some budgies to squeak but it is not a common cause in all bugies.
Dehydration is usually caused by a lack of water or electrolytes in your budgies diet and it can cause a wide range of problems if it is not treated quickly.
Monotoring the fluid intake of your pet budgie is always a good idea if you suspect it is having any problems with dehydration.
Calling for A Mate!
The final common cause of squeaking that we are going to discuss is down to your budgie calling for a mate.
This is more common in male budgies than females but both sexes can do it from time to time.
The best way to tell if this is the reason for your budgies squeaking is down to the time of day that it is doing it.
If your budgie is squeaking during the day, then it is more likely down to one of the other causes on this list but if it is only squeaking at night, then this is more likely to be the reason.
A Bacterial Infection!
Bacterial infections can cause budgies to squeak frequently due to the pain that the budgie can often be in.
If you suspect your budgie has a bacterial infection then get your bird to a vet as soon as possible as they can develop quickly and in some cases, be very difficult to treat.
You Just Have a Vocal Budgie!
Some budgies just like to squeak more than others.
If you have tried all of the other potential causes on this list and you are still unsure as to why your budgie is squeaking, then it may just be down to the fact that it is a vocal budgie.
There is no need to worry if this is the case as there is nothing wrong with your budgie, it is just the way that it is.
Summary Of Why Your Budgie Is Squaking!
- A Lack of Essential Nutrients!
- A Parasite Infection!
- The Budgie Is Injured!
- An Obstruction in Its Throat!
- A Fungal Infection!
- Dehydration!
- Calling for A Mate!
- A Bacterial Infection!
- You Just Have a Vocal Budgie!
Conclusion
Budgies are social creatures and, as such, they may sometimes call out for a mate. If your budgie is only squeaking at night, then this is more likely to be the reason.
Other reasons for your budgie’s increased squeaking may include a lack of essential nutrients, a parasite infection, an obstruction in its throat, a fungal infection, dehydration, or a bacterial infection. If you are unsure as to why your budgie is squeaking, then we would recommend taking it to see a veterinarian.
