Behaviour change due to grief?

[ArticunoGail]

Hi,

Many people here will be aware that my friend and I had a budgie each that we housed tiogether, in fact they wre in the same cage in the pet shop thus I believe they have never been apart until Julie died unexpectedly just under a week after Christmas.

When both were alive, they used to love coming out and flying around the room, play with each other on the roof of the cage, and fly or crawl on me when I stoodf next to the cage. Recently, when I have taken Lawrence out of the cage, he has flown back down to the landing platfiorm and into the cage, or just flown into the cage.

Could this be part of his grieving for Julie? He never interacted with me a great deal when Julie was around, he and her used to chase each other about on the cage top, or fly round the room (well, he flew, she fluttered to the ground in the last year or so.) The vet gave him a clean bill of health two qweeks ago but I am keeping an eye. The vet said it would be likely that Lawrence would grieve, he was very quiet just after her death, but he seems to be just as loud now (in fact a bit louder? could he be calling for her?)

Tonight I opened the cage door to allow him to come out as I was sitting in for a while, and though the landing platform was open for two to three hours, he didn't come out at all. This was at about six in the evening, as it is winter it was dark outside, but I do not know if this had andy bearing on his behaviour (the main curtains are open but net curtains - which he used to love cklimbing - are up, so he can see outside but won't fly into the window.) He has toys but never has taken much notice of them, used to shred shredders but I need to get
more.

Could this be due to him grieving? Culd it be anything to do with the fact he's moulting? Or does he percieve it, due yo the dark outside, as too late/bedtime so could that be why? a mix of some or all of those, or something I've not thought of? Should I rearrange his cage or add new toys, or would that be wrong, woud it make him feel unsafe?

He has toys as mentioned befoe, and two mirrors. He used to talk incessantly to one but has recently stopped even that. Should I spend more one-to-one time with him to keep him company, spend time near his cage? Should I let him stay in or try to take him out? Any advice, suggestions, thoughts would be welcome.

Thank you.

ArticunoGail

[ChesterHannah2010]

When Chester died back in august Hannah called for him all the time during almost 4 weeks she just sat on the perch calling for him and only went to eat and drink water when she needed it... i rearrenged her toys and things around the cage. She was laying eggs just when he died so i had to get her out of her "egg laying cycle" and that did it for 2 months then she started again and i rearrenged her cage again.