parakeets....

I have 2 parakeets, I know that they need to be protected from drafts. Today in this lovely summer weather I moved them over by a window. (that is not open) My daughter is worried because she had read her pet rabbit should not be in a window area because of the sun. This window doesn't get direct sunlight but maybe and hour a day due to trees and the location of the home. So far today the birds are adoring all the light and honestly have yet to stop singing. So I am curious if it was a bad decision to move them over there? By winter they will be on a more inside wall. The house is over 100 years old and can get drafty in the winter. So I have to get creative. (last winter they stayed in the bathroom, it has its own heater and is a newer addition..but I am not sure their current cage will fit in there next winter)

now as a funny about the birds, we moved them to the living room about a month ago. (after relocating a cat) And the kids love to watch a few favorite shows. Two of them the birds repeat the theme songs after they play. First time it creeped me out...because it is the theme song to "Pretty Little Liars" the other song is from "Life of an American Teenager" (my kids are teens) The other day while my 15 year old was home alone the parakeets sang the "pretty little liars" theme to her while she was home alone. Freaked her out. Made me laugh..(cause they usually sing it to me about 11:30 at night after all are in bed...I just had to share the cute-funny part of the parakeets.

any input on the window is appreciated! Thank you!

oh and if I can ask a few more questions...first of Iknow that the area on the top of their beak is how you tell if they are boy or girl. (we had two boys years ago...) I think we have a girl and a boy but I am not sure. One was given to me after being used as a "dove" for a prop at church. That one is Snow, and snow is sorta friendly..doesn't like to fly and rest on your hand. but if caught does not bite and you can pet Snow. I got Emerald so Snow had a friend, Emerald is green, and not friendly...how do I help Emerald be friendly?

I "think" Emerald is a boy, because the area on his beak is a darker blue color, he was bought from a pet store and I am not sure of his age. I did not know any breeders so I went to the pet store. I think Snow "may" be a girl? But I am not sure, her beak is lighter. Are there any other true ways to figure it out? My kids like to say they kiss when they are singing. They sit on a perch and walk back and forth kissing...The green one does a dance for the white one...and bobs up and down. But I am not sure they are boy and girl. (and I can't get pics online from home)

My question on this is if they are do they need a nest box? What will happen if I don't give them one? If one is a girl doesn't she need to lay an egg at some point? If she doesn't will it hurt her? If they mate like chickens, well I am going to guess they are not boy and girl...because all I have ever seen is the dancing. They are in a cockatiel cage at this point so it is much bigger than their parakeet cage. I honestly don't know much about parakeets, I love the sounds and songs...and missed when we had the two males years ago...after the two males we were given two girls..each time they were closer to 10 years of age. I am not even sure of parakeet life expectancy...so I want to do this better with these guys...whom I am going ot guess are about , 1 1/2 (Snow) and 1 (Emerald)? But I don't really know. My other thougth is Emerald from the time we brought him home has always been bigger than Snow...both I guess originally came from pet stores...one deals with local breeders, one is a box store. Anyway..any thoughts you can give on my questions or good direction to look for parakeet information I would love. I am doing well with Chickens, Dogs, cats, rabbits, and Goats..I just don't know a ton about Parakeets.

I think they will be fine. My Parakeets get several hours of sun in the mornings and they love it! They will bathe several times a week if its sunny. If you see them panting or holding their wings out from their body, they may be too warm. Is there a curtain you can close during the brightest time? Your Daughter is right about her bunny. Rabbits can not take heat like birds can.

That is cute they have learned the theme songs! One of my Cockatiel's was taught to whistle "Dixie". Now the Parakeets do too! I love it!

I worry about drafts too, especially in the winter.... when the kids are coming and going through the door all the time. I keep a quilt around the cage. I open the front during the day and then completely cover it at night. They can take cooler temps if they are acclimated to it, but a draft is dangerous.

The quilt is an awesome idea! I am not sure why I did not think of that before.

As I watch Snow and Emerald more and keep reading on them...I even wonder if they are both male. Snow was bobbing up and down a bit ago also...and Snow's cere which was white or very lightly colored is more of a solid pink...Emerald had a light blue cere when we got him..it is lighter now than before..which I find odd.

Snow did the dove act again the other day. A guy we attend church with puts Snow in a small wooden ark and has stuffed animals for the other animals..and Snow represents Noah's white dove. She is only in the ark for about 10 minutes..than back in the cage...he works with the kids at church that are k-2nd grade and they love it. Snow then spends a day in my husbands office at the church and usually sings so much that Hubby brings him right home...the bobbing and singing all the eime makes me wonder if snow is a boy...but Emerald sings much more than snow. lol..and snow did not sing a lot until emerald was around...A part of me sorta wanted eggs, but I am good with none also.

Hi...
The they will be so happy with source of sun amd fresh air for an hour during the day.... but you shoul make sure they have a shade area always in the cage to cool down if they get too hot.... ohh I watch pretty little liars too.... they are soo adorable singing the song.... they enjoy a nest box even if no breeding occurs. ... as the female doesn't sound to be in breeding mood... as the color of the cere should be darl brown amd rusty as a sign of breeding preparation. .. I had a pair exactly like yours... the male done the same things as yours but the female doesn't show any singns of breeding intemtions.. but they were both tame to me and would ait on my finger.... I made them tame myself after they were soo wild when they were in the pet shop.... you can run a search on Google amd see how to tame them.... it took me one week.... but I was soo patient and spent lots of time with them and done everything they like outside the cage but of course after trimming their flying feathers because it's the fastest easiest way to tame budgies that are mature.... as they become depending on you to take them to the cage and do fun stuff with themm they liked to chew a flower that I have and take a bath in a water puddle in the garden... and have some fresh air.... they became really tame that I took them with me everywhere and they will stay attached to my shoulder kissing and chirping. .. I tool them in the car to my grandma's. ... etc..... they loved that... and people would stop me and pet them.... once a man told me that he would buy them by 100 $ but I refused.... igot both by 20$... (They are cheap here).... and once they were in theor cage in the backyard... we went out of sight for a short 5 minutes without supervision. ... and they were gone... we were pretty sure someone birdnapped them.... as no trace for any feathers or blood. .. I cried for days on them... and since never got any... but I was planning on getting a couple this summer . And now you cleared me up. ... take pics..... show us.... I loved your story... and your family without knowing it a lot as it's a lot close to ours.... keep me posted....
Majd

In my experience, the female cere is lighter and pinkish. When she is of breeding age it will turn darker...almost brownish. The male cere will get darker blue/purplish, when mature. Most of the time, the birds need to be at least a year old to tell the difference. One of mine constantly lays eggs in the seed cup. She is in love with my male Dove! If you do have a pair, they would need a nest box. They will not sit/hatch without it. If you witness them breeding, research what is needed before you decide to raise babies. It would put Snow out of the dove act!

My suggestion to sweeten Emerald is to figure out what treats he likes. Several.....no many times a day ) put some in your hand and your hand in the cage. Just leave it there and give him a chance to figure it out. Once he starts eating out of your hand, don't let him eat all of it. The idea is to make him want it! The other thing I do, is teach them to get on my finger. Move very slowly towards his chest with only one finger out. He may try to bite you. It is really important not to flinch or pull away if he bites. If he knows he got ya....he will keep getting ya! I will say "No" and even gently blow in their face until they let go. It's hard to not scream..... cause it hurts, but you cannot let him win!

Hahahhahaha soooo funny... it's true... you really can't not scream as they have a nasty bite

I tried yesterday to upload some pictures. Actually tried to a few weeks ago on the chicken boards...and for whatever reason, either because of where I live or something with online I can't get them to load. I took some good pics of Snow and Emerald yesterday...and will try again soon.

So far my husband handles then both because of the bite factor. He dosent even flinch when they bite. And Snow for the most part has stopped bitting him. We will try to figure out some of their favorite treats. And work on it that way. Two of the birds we had before would sit on your hands just for feed. So this shall be interesting. Thank you all for the help..and once I can get pics up I will.

okay if I do one picture at a time I can get them to load. Above is Snow.

This one is Emerald.
I really am starting to think maybe they are both male. I was hoping for a girl and a boy..but I have had two males and two females before so not to worried. Emerald spends a lot of the day bobbing and the both sit on that perch and "kiss" eachother and tilt their heads. Emerald is the noisier...but Snow likes to sing also. Snow was the first one we heard repeating theme songs..Emerald sings more than Snow...Snow spends a lot of time watching Emerald, but will also Bob up and down at times...so not sure what to think..

Very nice and cute.... but can't really tell from the cere because they are both pinkish colored.... but anyways soo special