What To Expect?

[countyroad1330]

I guess I have several basic questions, but I'd rather hear from Budige owners than read another guestimated book...

When will I be able to tell my budgie's gender? My newest is about 4 or 5 months, and I really can't tell the gender with this one! The cere is still a little purple, but not as dark as with the males I've had in the past. I was hoping for a girl, but its as talkative as my male, so I'm not sure.

If it is a female, will she lay eggs without a nest house? When will she start laying? When will they want to mate? Is there a possilbility they won't mate at all???

Thanks!

[Jen144]

If you post some clear pictures of your budgie's cere, then we will probably be able to tell you his/her gender. It is pretty easy once they are as old as yours is.
If the cere is purple and blue, or allover pink, you have a male. If it is a light blue, or brown, then it is female. But please post a picture so I can tell you for sure.

Even if your budgie is a female, at 4-5 months old, you do NOT want her laying eggs. At that young an age there are a lot of risks, it's just a plain bad idea. Without a nest she most likely won't lay, though sometimes they do. They may mate, but if she (if it is a female) shows no nesting behaviour then s/he most likely won't lay because they do mate just for the sake of it, not necessarily always to breed.

If you want to breed your budgies, wait until they are at least a year old!!

[countyroad1330]

Well after attempting to take several pictures of the new Budgie's cere, I've decided it is a male. In every picture the cere looks very blue; I guess he is just taking longer to turn that deeper blue than my others have in the past. It is part English Budgie, don't know if that has something to do with it.

But anyway, that takes away my worries of breeding issues! Thank you for all your helpful information, it will be useful if I ever decide to get breeding pairs. =)