Two male budgies fighting in one cage

Two male budgies fighting in a shared cage is a really common problem — and it usually means one of two things: the cage is too small for both of them to claim their own territory, or one bird is simply dominant and won't tolerate a rival. Before we talk about dividing or replacing, can you tell me how big the current cage is, roughly how long they've been together, and whether the fighting is constant or flares up around food and perches?

That's a classic territory problem made worse by a too-small cage. At 40cm wide, there's no room for a second feeding station or enough perches spread far enough apart that the submissive bird can get out of the dominant one's eyeline. A divider in that cage won't help — you'd just end up with two miserable birds in two tiny halves. The real fix is a significantly larger cage.

Yes, a bigger cage with a clear layout strategy is usually enough to resolve this. The cage I'd point you to is the Prevue Hendryx Flight Cage — it's around 91cm wide, which gives you room to put food and water at both ends, multiple perches at different heights, and enough visual distance that the submissive bird can retreat without being cornered. It has 9.5mm bar spacing which is correct for budgies, and it comes with a removable divider panel if you do ever need to separate them temporarily. It's around £80–£100 on Amazon UK and it's genuinely a cage budgies can live well in long-term.

Yes — a few things make a real difference. Put two identical food bowls and two water sources at opposite ends so the dominant bird can't guard both at once. Use perches at different heights and avoid placing two perches directly side by side at the same level, as that creates an obvious standoff point. Add a couple of foraging toys to break up the space and give the submissive bird something to focus on. When you move them into the new cage, put both birds in at the same time so neither one has already claimed it as his territory.

Good luck with the move — most pairs settle down noticeably once they have proper space. If the aggression continues at the same intensity after a few weeks in the larger cage, it may just be that these two particular males aren't compatible, and separation becomes the kindest option. But give the new setup a fair chance first.