How soon will budgies TRY to breed?

[Taikira]

I understand that they shouldn't until over a year old but I'm trying to find out if I will have problems before that point.

I have Loki, male, band seems to indicate he was born early 2011.
I have three younger budgies which do not show physical signs of their sex yet. Based on interaction I am currently calling Rio male, Sky and Angel female. If you check the album I'm most concerned about Loki and Sky since they are CONSTANTLY following each other around, leaning, feeding, and/or grooming each other.

Do I need to get a separate cage for just Loki? I don't want Loki jumping the gun and screwing up Sky's health (or anyone else's).

[Kerry C]

Do you want to breed budgies?

Just because animals - can breed - does not mean you - have to breed.

If you want to breed, do yourself and your birds a favor and pick up some books on the subject. There is WAY too much good information easily obtained to make your birds your first learning curve. If your pet store does not carry any, I LOVE http://www.abebooks.com GREAT prices!

Next make sure ALL your birds are on a healthy diet - veggies and fruits with seed being a second thought / treat to the diet.

[Taikira]

I am definitely NOT trying to breed them. I do intend to read into the subject later(in case they decide on their own) but 3 out of 4 of them are only few months old as near as I can tell. I have not provided a box or materials for a nest. I do not intend to encourage them.

My concern is how soon they could potentially make an attempt at breeding- I'm trying to find out how soon I'd need to worry about him causing problems BEFORE it happens. Loki is nearing a year old (best guess) while Sky is only a few months ('she' still has banding down to her beak and her cere hasn't changed color). If those two are in the same room they are more than likely right next to each other.. almost like having a two headed bird.

We've been working on shifting their diet from the seed. They are currently tearing up romaine leaves and they've also had scrambled eggs from breakfast. (We made plain eggs and brought everyone to the table. They kept stealing the egg and lettuce from each other despite there being more than enough pieces for all of them.) Once my stamps kick over for Jan I want to see if they'll try celery and maybe spinach.

[ArticunoGail]

It may be an idea, if you don't want to risk breeding, to separate them now. I'm sure I read a recent thread about a mature male trying to mate with a not-yet-mature hen. Yes, I successfully kept a male and female budgie in the same cage, but I was lucky and they were never close (well, I'm sure HE would have liked to, but SHE gave him the brush-off, LOL!)Yes, I think separating Loki for now might help. Let him them still see the others, perhaps let them have out-of-cage time together and house Loki and the others in adjoining cages.
The last thing you want is unexpected breeding - look in the "breeding" section "Before you start to breed" to see the potential risks and of course the responsibilities associated with breeding budgies - even if breeding wasn't planned!

Sorry, but I've seen too many threads where people have had budgies breeding, intentionally or by mistake, and either one of the parents or the chicks have died because the owner can't or won't take precautions against or research the subject. Separate them, before it's too late, if the other turns out to be a boy they can live in the same cage (but NO girls in there with them or the boys'll fight, likewise 2 females+1 male will lead to females fighting over the male.)

I'm not saying this to be mean or critical - I just want to make my point! Best to take precautions first than end up with something you'd not planned on.

Some people here can sex bugs before their first molt, go to the "mutatioins and breeding" section, post "Male or female as a post title, put the pics of the three youngsters up and ask if anyone can tell you their genders. It might be easier for you than just waiting. Pet shop owners are no judge, my friend and I got what we were told byt the shop owner were 2 boys, he swore he thought both were boys (one each.) My friend's Cyril had to be renamed Julie when at 8 months old her cere went brown. Also, remember trhat in a single sex pairing, budgies can still be affectionate to each other and pair up, one taking the active and the other the passive role, even if there's no sex involved.

ArticunoGail.

[Taikira]

I understand the spirit it was meant in. I asked for that reason- forewarned is forarmed. As soon as we get the opportunity we will obtain a new cage (technically I will sit at home and tell 'daddy' go get it since I can't really walk too well).

IF for any reason viable eggs 'magically' spawn in the cage I will monitor what occurs and intervene if necessary. If I lack the money to provide what they need I WILL find it somewhere.

I told the birds that if I am here I will not allow harm to come to them. It is irrelevant that they likely did not understand what I told them. I ALWAYS keep my word.

And yeah.. people at pet stores don't know anything, about the only thing I've seen them get right is telling whether an animal is alive or not. Fortunately Rio Angel and Sky are all names that could reasonably be considered male OR female ^^ ...though that wasn't why those names got picked. Only one that I think pushes it is Rio and I really think he cooperates and interacts too well wih me to be female. Angel and Sky are nearly impossible to work with.

Loki- obviously male when purchased he was a little troublemaker and after the first few days in our place he was given this name.

Rio- after the first two days it became apparent he was the ONLY one that could not fly so I named him Rio (recent animated movie in which the main character cannot fly).

Angel- I was just staring at her one day and this popped into my head as being her name.

Sky- named by a friend of ours who says she has all the colors of the sky in her feathers.

Thank you both. Happy New Years!