Same cage

Question
QUESTION: Hello: I have two budgies. One is an older (we think about 3yrs or so, but it's hard to tell) that we adopted a few months ago. The second one we bought about a month ago as a "friend". It is a baby and we're not sure what sex. They are in separate cages for the time being. The little one obviously is dying for a friend. I have put the two cages together and the little one hops over to visit but the older one just ignores it and gets annoyed when his food gets eaten. He is perfectly happy on his own and chirps away and plays all day on his own.

I'm not sure if I should put the two of them in a cage together (I'm worried about traumatizing the older one who has been alone for so long) or get a third budgie for the little one to be with.

Please help! Thanks!

ANSWER: Dear Christine,
thank you for your question.
Older budgies are often annoyed by young ones. The baby just wants to play all the time and the older ones are a bit more settled and don't want to be bothered all the time. The older bird also need some time to get used to the idea of another bird. He may have been handraised and may not be really aware that he's a bird, but with time he will get used to the young one and will enjoy his company.
It might help if you offer two food bowls, two swings ect. so that the birds don't have to share. They should be fine in one cage. You didn't say if they are male or female. Two females often bicker, but a pair or two males should get along fine. With two females, it might be better to get two males (a young one and an older one) as company for each bird, the four of them should be perfectly fine living in one cage together,if the cage is big enough.
This website shows how to sex budgies:
http://birds-online.de/allgemein/geschlecht_en.htm
I hope I was of some help to you
Jennifer

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for your quick answer!! And it was a great help!

The older one is a male, not so sure about the young one yet as it's too young. I think it's a male because his cere is pink with a blue tinge.

So: the next question is (another one, sorry :o)) - how do I get two untamed birds into one cage without stressing them out too unnecessarily? Lol.

Thanks again.

Answer
You said that the young bird goes to visit the older one - you just close the cage door behind it. Or you wait until it's dark (or darken the room) and gently, but firmly grab hold of one of them and put him into the other cage. Budgies can't see well in the dark and the bird won't try to escape. It's better to switch on the light once they are in the same cage so that the can get their bearings and calm down again. Usually it's not a big deal for them, though.