Help determining young budgie gender

[amandacatherine]

I know it’s hard/impossible to know for sure the gender of babies, but if anyone has any input I would appreciate it!

I wanted to get a male since I already have a male budgie who seems lonely, but wherever I went they only had very young ones. This one seemed very calm and sweet and had a totally pink cere, so I choose him/her. Now sometimes I think I see white around the nostrils, but it changes with the lighting and doesn’t really show in pictures. The cere also looks more bulging to me but I could be wrong.

If it does end up being a girl, can I keep them together? I don’t want them to breed; the person at the store said they probably wouldn’t breed unless I provided a nesting area, but I’d welcome a second opinion.

Thanks!

 

[bug_n_flock]

LOL they will breed in a food cup or even just on the ground if they are determined enough. Had 2 babies born this year on the floor of a cage to a hen I thought was just playing with infertile eggs. Just boil, freeze, or replace with dummy eggs if a bird starts laying and you don't want chicks.



I would advise housing separate anyway so they are easier for you to work with.



I'll do a more in depth reply later if someone else hasn't(I am not confident but guess boy). In one of the photos the nares look blocked. Is this just the photo? Do you give baths? Maybe a vet trip is in order to help him(her?) Clear the blockages.

 

[clark_conure]

For all the gender questions, look up parrot DNA testing florida. For like 12 bucks you can have the answer in a few days. All it takes is a fether or some blood. ==And it;s 100% certain.

 

[amandacatherine]

LOL they will breed in a food cup or even just on the ground if they are determined enough. Had 2 babies born this year on the floor of a cage to a hen I thought was just playing with infertile eggs. Just boil, freeze, or replace with dummy eggs if a bird starts laying and you don't want chicks.



I would advise housing separate anyway so they are easier for you to work with.



I'll do a more in depth reply later if someone else hasn't(I am not confident but guess boy). In one of the photos the nares look blocked. Is this just the photo? Do you give baths? Maybe a vet trip is in order to help him(her?) Clear the blockages.

Thanks for your response! If you’re talking about the second picture, I’m pretty sure it was just the flash that made it look like that. I’ll check on him to make sure, but I haven’t seen any blockage and he’s been acting totally normal.

 

[Laurasea]

I think boy
And boy o boy what a qt!"

 

[amandacatherine]

For all the gender questions, look up parrot DNA testing florida. For like 12 bucks you can have the answer in a few days. All it takes is a fether or some blood. ==And it;s 100% certain.

I’d heard of DNA testing but didn’t know it was so inexpensive. It says you need to pluck 5-8 feathers from a young bird’s chest; wouldn’t that be painful for him? I don’t want to traumatize him and lose his trust.