Did you ever notice your budgie chewing on nothing?
Budgies love to chew – that’s for sure! And the curious thing is that they do it – even when they are chewing on nothing! Not wood, not fabric, but they simply chew.
For some owners, they may consider this behavior as entertaining to watch. But there are those who may be worried that something may be off with their pet. After all, it is not typical for budgies to chew on nothing… Right? Or perhaps, it actually is!
Today, we will cover these reasons why a budgie chews on nothing – and why it loves to chew other things – in this post. Keep reading to learn more!
Contents
Your Budgie Chewing On Nothing – What It Means
Budgies simply have this quirky habit of chewing. And sometimes, they chew on nothing, which is quite odd.
But they simply do this as a means of beak grinding. They grind their beaks when they are content, happy and at peace. As they engage in constant beak grinding, it does appear as though they are chewing, yet they are actually not. It is reminiscent of a cow simply chewing its cud.
However, there are also instances when this act of chewing on nothing means that your pet has something lodged in its throat. It can also be a sign of tumor, although there are a few other symptoms that come with it such as the beak bleeding as your budgie continues to chew on nothing. In this case, it is time to take your pet to the vet for further checks and evaluation.
Now, your pet may also chew on nothing as a sign of malnutrition. It may be malnourished, and it requires ample nutrients such as calcium. Thankfully, this is something you can easily get by purchasing soft calcium blocks designed for a budgie to chew on.
But if your budgie does not seem to be ill, or it is chewing on nothing without further symptoms, then it may be begging for food. A hungry budgie that chews on nothing looks like it is nibbling – as though it is trying to tell you it needs some food.
But if you have a young budgie that occasionally chews on nothing, it may be trying to explore its way around the cage. These young ones are learning more about their surroundings, which is why chewing is more of an exploratory action instead of something to be concerned about.
More On Budgies Chewing And What This Means
As your budgie explores the world around and chews, it is a way of saying certain things such as “I am hungry”, or “What’s in this place”, or “Is this a suitable nesting material?”
They are curious and searching for answers to their questions, and they tend to chew along the way. This is why chewing on nothing may strike you as a concern – but in reality, there are several reasons why they do this and it is not at all something to worry about.
Birds chew as an instinct. This is completely natural and is often linked with nest building and foraging. They tend to burrow nests into the thick branches or tree trunks, and this is a daunting task that needs so much shredding and chewing.
But budgies also chew to maintain the health of their beaks. They do this to keep the beak trim and fit, since their beaks grow as much as 3 inches long each year. With that in mind, it is imperative that they keep their beaks as healthy as possible – and this is how chewing can help.
In fact, these birds use their beaks for a number of tasks such as preening, nest building, eating, climbing, gripping, courtship play, feeding the young, and as a way to defend themselves from predators.
This is why they have a strong drive to chew – sometimes on nothing – just to make sure that their beaks are up to the tedious task required of it.
When Chewing Becomes A Problem…
As we have mentioned, chewing is completely normal. It is also a necessity among birds. But then again, if your bird tends to chew on things around it, then that is where the problem begins.
They may chew on window sills, chairs, door frames, or even antique furniture. When this nonstop chewing is allowed to happen – and unsupervised – it can become more of a problem not just for humans but even moreso, to birds.
For instance, they may chew as a way of exploring their surroundings. But it can be difficult when they end up chewing through some live electrical cords or even toxic plants at home. So, this can seriously impact your bird’s health and most importantly, its life.
This is why it is important to consider some intervention when chewing has led to these issues. You may want to rechannel your pet’s desire to chew by providing some hard shell nuts, foraging toys, chew toys, calcium blocks, and natural perches.
When you provide some acceptable outlets for chewing, you can be at peace knowing that your pet’s health and life are not in danger. And also, your precious furniture and other items at home will not get damaged by this fancy for chewing.
Read More: Budgie Wings Slightly Open? Interesting Reasons Not Everyone Knows!
Summary
Chewing is a completely natural and instinctive behavior in birds including budgies. They love to chew on nothing because of many reasons such as to express happiness and contentment. But on the flipside, they may also be letting you know that they are bored or unhappy, which is why they like to grind their beaks.
With some birds, chewing is a way of keeping their beaks healthy and trim. They may also be doing this to beg for food, or they may be craving your attention. Whatever the reason may be for this chewing tendency, it is important to understand the cause and resolve this accordingly. And once destructive chewing starts, be sure to provide proper chewing toys or materials that will spare your furniture from destruction while making sure your pet stays safe.
