We bought our first ever bird last night from petsmart. We got a green parakeet and was curious if anyone here could tell us maybe how to age and sex the bird? Thanks in advance! Also the bird seems very small, maybe I just don’t know enough about them yet.
Our new parakeet.
- Thread starter Shawn_K
- Start date
I can be wrong, I think she is female. I'm not good in telling the gender but I see she is still young, maybe 5 months old but here I may be in bigger mistake than the gender. About the size - budgies are small in general so without telling her size or a comporative photo we can't say if she is too small
clark_conure
Well-known member
- Jul 14, 2017
- 4,186
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- Parrots
- A crossover Quaker Scuti (F), A Sun conure named AC, A Cinnamon Green Cheek conure Kent, and 4 budgies, yellow (m), clark Jr. (m), Dot (f), Zebra(f).
clark_conure
Well-known member
- Jul 14, 2017
- 4,186
- 2,561
- Parrots
- A crossover Quaker Scuti (F), A Sun conure named AC, A Cinnamon Green Cheek conure Kent, and 4 budgies, yellow (m), clark Jr. (m), Dot (f), Zebra(f).
Also VERY PRETTY BUDGIE! love the blue spots!
I think that's nonsense because this is budgie and after 6 months old gender in this species is sure. And ealier it may be sure, I bred them only once time so I'm not really experiened in telling gender young budgies
clark_conure
Well-known member
- Jul 14, 2017
- 4,186
- 2,561
- Parrots
- A crossover Quaker Scuti (F), A Sun conure named AC, A Cinnamon Green Cheek conure Kent, and 4 budgies, yellow (m), clark Jr. (m), Dot (f), Zebra(f).
Rozalka YOU ARE NONSENSE!!!!!! (please marry me)....anyways No I haven't read anything that's like "this is how you sex budgies"......maybe I missed it, but for what I spend on chicken wings I say Dna test your bird.
I don't understand - "test your bird" but what test? This sounds nothing
clark_conure
Well-known member
- Jul 14, 2017
- 4,186
- 2,561
- Parrots
- A crossover Quaker Scuti (F), A Sun conure named AC, A Cinnamon Green Cheek conure Kent, and 4 budgies, yellow (m), clark Jr. (m), Dot (f), Zebra(f).
DNA, they test the cells for XY vs XX chromosomes with a feather or blood sample.
and? I don't want to be rude but I still don't know why...
Oh you guys! I'm laughing at how Clark Conure proposal was completely ingnored by Rozalka!!!
I say this is a female budgie! Congratulations! Yes pretty pretty!
Toxic list a must read
http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/449-toxic-list-our-birds.html
Leafy greens are needed as part of you budgie diet. You can offer lots of good veggies, but leafy greens are liked the best as a party of the diet.
You also want different perches types, most budgie cages are sold to small by a factor of ten! And they just give you those dowels, which aren't good on feet and joints lo g term.
Welcome to the forum!
I say this is a female budgie! Congratulations! Yes pretty pretty!
Toxic list a must read
http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/449-toxic-list-our-birds.html
Leafy greens are needed as part of you budgie diet. You can offer lots of good veggies, but leafy greens are liked the best as a party of the diet.
You also want different perches types, most budgie cages are sold to small by a factor of ten! And they just give you those dowels, which aren't good on feet and joints lo g term.
Welcome to the forum!
Last edited:
Jasmine333
New member
From the looks of the cere (area where the nostrils are) the bird looks like a female (usually pink or brownish-pink for females and blue for males). If the cere starts looking more blue and darkens then it's a male. I have a green and yellow male that looks very similar, but he has lost the spaced lines on top of his head but your's still has them, which would make her maybe 5 to 6 months old. She'll grow a little more but not a lot, since parakeets are small birds. Got mine from Petco. Enjoy your bird, very pretty.
Here is a picture of mine.
https://i.imgur.com/kNrgc8l.jpg
Last edited:
- Aug 29, 2018
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Ok you two I’m waiting for my wedding invite and I think Laurasea is too!
Your budgie is very pretty and looks quite young. S/he should moult into adult plumage from around six months of age and the cere should become a more distinct colour after that.
Welcome to the forum both of you!
clark_conure
Well-known member
- Jul 14, 2017
- 4,186
- 2,561
- Parrots
- A crossover Quaker Scuti (F), A Sun conure named AC, A Cinnamon Green Cheek conure Kent, and 4 budgies, yellow (m), clark Jr. (m), Dot (f), Zebra(f).
sigh...forever alone....
no seriously just type parrot DNA into google and you can find any company for less than a pizza will dna test your bird and check it for known hereditary issues.
no seriously just type parrot DNA into google and you can find any company for less than a pizza will dna test your bird and check it for known hereditary issues.
noodles123
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- Jul 11, 2018
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- Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
Welcome welcome welcome! Good advice above!
Okay- so now I am going off-topic because you said it's your first bird ever AND because Petsmart is notorious about not informing people new to birds about how to care for them (having accompanied my mom on a parakeet purchase there many years ago, and having watched a friend buy one there as well) .
I just wanted to make sure you knew about how sensitive they are to things in a home. I just posted this for a member who was asking about what could kill a bird, and as a brand-new owner, I hope you find this useful. If you already know it, ignore it and either way, again, WELCOME!
Teflon/PTFE/PFOA/PFCs -found in most products that heat or are intended to be heated (irons, waffle irons, electric skillets, pots, pans, egg-poachers, cookie sheets, popcorn poppers, air fryers, electric grills, panini makers, space-heaters, ovens, drip trays, roasting pans, curling irons, hair straighteners). These can kill through floors and closed doors. NOT all of these products contain it, but you must call to verify because it varies and just because a bird survived 10 Teflon exposures does not mean it will survive its 11th (and so on).
Fumes from chemicals- nail polish, acetone, glue, polish, paint,stains, aerosols, smoke, vaping, incense, candles, air fresheners, air fresheners, essential oils, candles, heated plastics, household cleaners that are not avian safe (e.g. bleach, lysol, windex, amonia, etc etc---anything chemical with a scent)
Burning foods, burning oil, smoke from a fire or burned plastic etc
Shock due to extreme temperature shifts/ drafts
Heart-failure due to an extreme fright or a head injury due to flying into something when scared.
Disease/infection (parrots hide illness as a means of self-preservation). They have to go to the vet often because they aren't like dogs and cats. Symptoms often are VERY small..Very important to clean everything after if you are not sure--carpet included.
Diet-- salt and sugar in high doses can be very bad. Avocado, chocolate, alcohol, caffeine, artificial sugars, rhubarb, onion, garlic (and anything from that family--can be toxic). A diet too high in fat (e.g., only seeds) can also lead to death over time. A bird with too much fat in his/her diet can have liver problems.
Vitamin overdose (from supplements) can also lead to organ failure.
Metal poisoning--- cages, jewelry and even toys can contain toxic metals. Stainless steel is really the only safe metal--even if they are just touching it with their tongues, they still ingest small bits of the metal. I know someone whose bird almost died due to playing with un-used toothbrushes (some contain small bits of copper alloy that is used to hold the bristles in place and the bird contacted them repeatedly and had to have chelation therapy).
Blockages-- a bird that ingests bit of cloth, plastic, fibers, nut-shells, corn-cobs etc can get blocked up- this can be deadly.
Egg-binding---if a female bird attempts to lay an egg and cannot (whether or not she was with a male bird) it can kill them.
Okay- so now I am going off-topic because you said it's your first bird ever AND because Petsmart is notorious about not informing people new to birds about how to care for them (having accompanied my mom on a parakeet purchase there many years ago, and having watched a friend buy one there as well) .
I just wanted to make sure you knew about how sensitive they are to things in a home. I just posted this for a member who was asking about what could kill a bird, and as a brand-new owner, I hope you find this useful. If you already know it, ignore it and either way, again, WELCOME!
Teflon/PTFE/PFOA/PFCs -found in most products that heat or are intended to be heated (irons, waffle irons, electric skillets, pots, pans, egg-poachers, cookie sheets, popcorn poppers, air fryers, electric grills, panini makers, space-heaters, ovens, drip trays, roasting pans, curling irons, hair straighteners). These can kill through floors and closed doors. NOT all of these products contain it, but you must call to verify because it varies and just because a bird survived 10 Teflon exposures does not mean it will survive its 11th (and so on).
Fumes from chemicals- nail polish, acetone, glue, polish, paint,stains, aerosols, smoke, vaping, incense, candles, air fresheners, air fresheners, essential oils, candles, heated plastics, household cleaners that are not avian safe (e.g. bleach, lysol, windex, amonia, etc etc---anything chemical with a scent)
Burning foods, burning oil, smoke from a fire or burned plastic etc
Shock due to extreme temperature shifts/ drafts
Heart-failure due to an extreme fright or a head injury due to flying into something when scared.
Disease/infection (parrots hide illness as a means of self-preservation). They have to go to the vet often because they aren't like dogs and cats. Symptoms often are VERY small..Very important to clean everything after if you are not sure--carpet included.
Diet-- salt and sugar in high doses can be very bad. Avocado, chocolate, alcohol, caffeine, artificial sugars, rhubarb, onion, garlic (and anything from that family--can be toxic). A diet too high in fat (e.g., only seeds) can also lead to death over time. A bird with too much fat in his/her diet can have liver problems.
Vitamin overdose (from supplements) can also lead to organ failure.
Metal poisoning--- cages, jewelry and even toys can contain toxic metals. Stainless steel is really the only safe metal--even if they are just touching it with their tongues, they still ingest small bits of the metal. I know someone whose bird almost died due to playing with un-used toothbrushes (some contain small bits of copper alloy that is used to hold the bristles in place and the bird contacted them repeatedly and had to have chelation therapy).
Blockages-- a bird that ingests bit of cloth, plastic, fibers, nut-shells, corn-cobs etc can get blocked up- this can be deadly.
Egg-binding---if a female bird attempts to lay an egg and cannot (whether or not she was with a male bird) it can kill them.
Last edited:
birbsRcool
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