I'm so gutted! We have two delightful little budgies. The other day when my daughter was going to bed, she knocked into the cage and sent it crashing to the ground. The poor birds were terrified and screeched and flapped around the cage in a panic. I quickly set the cage upright, but the male lay on the bottom of the cage with his feet in the air for some time. I just left him to calm down, but now whenever anybody approaches him he goes hysterical. He was never really hand tame but they would both fly around the room. Now he refuses to leave his cage, and yesterday I noticed he has plucked all of the feathers from around his neck. I know plucking is really difficult to cure once it starts. Has anybody any ideas on how I can help him? I have really tried to just leave him alone, just going near to open and close the cage, hoping he would just learn to trust us again? How do I stop him plucking?

Any help would be great as I have no experience of this at all.

Thanks

.... topic subject should be plucking budgie oops!

Charlotte its possible that he has hurt himself, as its not normal for a bird to lie on his back with his feet in the air for some time, it would be worth having him checked out at the vets, as his plucking may be related to an internal injury. Is he eating ok?

It may be stress related due to him being frightened but I would still get him checked out just the same.

Hi,
yes he does seem to be eating and drinking OK, and he is hopping around on his perches whilst in the cage, but he just seems really nervous when anybody goes near the cage, and starts squeeking and flapping. When I say he was on his back for some time, it was only a couple of minutes - but he has never done that before. I assumed he was just frightened and left him alone rather than stress him. I don't think he is injured, but you're right it might be worth getting him checked.
If it is stress related, will he stop again? Oh I'm so gutted!

Maybe partially cover the back of the cage so he feels a bit safer and not startled, but as shelia says best to get him checked out

id get him checked out to rule out injuries, if all ok maybe move them out the way of passing people so not so scared, and maybe as steve says half a cover on, i have a couple birds here that dont get covered but like the security of a blacket behind them, keep us updated x

Hiya, thanks guys. A trip to the birdie doc revealed no injuries. He seemed to think that he's not plucking his feathers out at all, but his girlfriend may be, to line her non-existent nest and make birdie babies? He said that usually feather plucking begins on the chest, whereas he has a line of them missing from his neck - not in the easiest position for him to have plucked himself. He said it may not be the stress of the cage drop that has caused this at all, but hormones in the female - her cere has gone a reddish brown which he says means she wants babies? I however do not!
I was relieved he was not hurt and glad there was an explanation, but now I'm home I have dozens of other questions - will she lay an egg even if I have not provided a nesting box? If she does what on earth would I do with it? How do I stop her from plucking his feathers out?
Any advice at all would be greatly appreciated. How dumb am I to think that a male and female sharing a cage wouldn't want to breed at some point?