Paying attention to a budgie’s body language is a great way to understand what’s going on in its head.
It is also an excellent representation of its physical well-being.
Keeping this in mind, you might have a situation where you say, “my budgie is puffed up and sleepy!” and assume something is wrong.
If a budgie is puffed up and sleepy, it might simply be preparing to rest during the night. It’s common for budgies to puff up to stay warm. If this behavior continues during the day, the bird is fatigued, too cold, or has a medical problem.
It is recommended to keep tabs on the budgie’s puffed posture throughout the day. The longer it extends during a budgie’s waking hours, the greater your concern should be.
It’s not normal for a budgie to stay puffed up for long hours when it is awake. You will want to consult with a vet when this takes place.
Here is a breakdown of the reasons a budgie will puff up and act sleepy.
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Reasons Budgie Is Puffed Up And Sleepy
1. Preparing To Rest During The Night
If a budgie is puffed up and shaking, this might be a source of great concern.
However, if a budgie is puffed up and sleepy, it might just be time for the budgie to sleep. This happens and it is common behavior with this type of bird.
The reason budgies puff up at night is to stay warm. Their body temperature drops when they are resting, which means their feathers act as a blanket.
When their feathers are puffed, they are going to feel more insulated. This is common because it helps in the wild when the temperature drops during the night. It is a behavior that is engrained in budgies and something they will do naturally from a young age.
Do not worry if this is only happening during the night because it is supposed to.
2. Feeling Cold
If a budgie is puffed up all the time, this is when you are going to want to dig deeper into figuring out the root cause.
A reason a budgie might be puffed up is the temperature in the room.
If the room is cold, this might be causing the budgie to naturally react to the temperature change. Budgies don’t like staying in the cold and it does start to impact their behavior patterns.
This includes a situation where the budgie is going to start shivering and/or puffing up.
Just like a budgie does when it is resting, it can also puff up when it is too cold. The idea is to stay insulated and retain body heat as the temperature drops.
3. Medical Issue
This is unfortunate but it can happen.
You are not going to want to rule this out.
A medical issue can cause a budgie to puff up. This happens as a protective measure when it feels weakened. It will want to protect itself and the best way to do so is to stay still and also puff up.
This is why when you notice the budgie showing signs of weakness and constantly puffing up, it might be time to visit the vet.
4. Anxious
A budgie that is puffed up all the time might be dealing with anxiety.
Yes, anxiety can impact birds.
This has to do with potential location changes as the cage was moved from one spot to another. It also happens when owners change and the budgie is still getting used to someone new in their life.
This is when a budgie is going to start showing physical signs of being anxious. This can include puffing up.
If this happens, you will want to ease the budgie’s nerves and make sure the temperature in the room is stabilized.
Final Thoughts
My budgie is puffed up and sleepy!
If a budgie is puffed up and sleepy, it’s normal for this to happen during the night. The budgie is simply attempting to retain body heat as it rests. However, if this happens during the day, this might be a medical issue and/or the room is too cold.
The budgie is simply going to react to its physical and/or psychological state.
You will have to pay attention to the length of time it takes for the budgie to stop puffing up. If it is an extended amount of time during the day then it is best to speak to a vet.
You should always want to be proactive with issues such as these. It’s the best way to ensure you are on the right path.
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