Keeping budgies from sexing?

**Joseph_** · 07-12-2007, 07:09 AM

Recently, I adopted a baby budgie, Miracle, who has turned out to be female. I have a male bird, Sky, who was previously part of a pair and was very despondent when Sky's partner in crime passed away months ago.

I did the quarantine, during which they seemed excited to chirp at each other. After the quarantine period, I kept Miracle in a separate cage in the living room, letting them out to play in the evenings, after I came back from work. I was really fortunate that they got along...

...until one day I looked up from the book I was reading to see them getting along a little too well.

I don't have the time or resources for breeding. What can I do to make sure they're engaged and exercising together without sexing? Or what are my options otherwise, sexing or no? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

**mighty mouse** · 07-12-2007, 07:18 AM

Maybe have separate playtimes for them? Not as much fun for them, but it might be the only option.

If they lay eggs, you can remove them and boil them, then give them back to the hen until she's lost interest in them.

**Joseph_** · 07-12-2007, 06:26 PM

Thanks for the great suggestions! I hadn't thought about boiling the eggs and giving them back.

**SkysMommy** · 07-26-2007, 08:01 PM

yep i just made the same mistake but my budgie is to young to tell if shes a he

**Belinda** · 07-26-2007, 08:55 PM

Budgies will mate for fun, hehe, fact of life. Don't give them a nest box or anything that might resemble a place to lay (e.g. happy huts), and you shouldn't get eggs. If you do just replace them with fakes or shake/boil them and let her sit till she's bored.

**Joseph_** · 07-27-2007, 05:01 AM

Thanks for the input, Belinda. Do you think that a silver, round food dish is something that would be used as a nest box?

**mighty mouse** · 07-27-2007, 07:10 AM

If it's big enough for them to sit/stand in, they could definitely use it as a nest box. You could try the tube feeders, like this one, that won't allow this to happen.

**Belinda** · 07-27-2007, 07:20 AM

Originally Posted by Joseph_

Thanks for the input, Belinda. Do you think that a silver, round food dish is something that would be used as a nest box?

Depends on the birds, i would wait and see if they look like trying to use it. In my aviary during the Spring time some of my budgies will kick all the seed out of the seed cups and lay an egg in it, but 90% of the time it's not a problem.