Parakeet Questions... Please.

[redhen]

Do i have male and female here? I believe the yellow/green one is male because of the blue on his nose... hoping the younger white one is a female...? (so they dont fight)
Also..if i do have a male and female..how do i prevent them from having babies.. i dont want to start a parakeet colony... or do i?

Also..is the cage big enough for the 2 of them? Its 28 inches wide and 21 deep and 33 high...
I'm hoping the cage is big enough.. (its really a cage for a small parrot)... because i first had just the lone male in there ..and i felt bad, thinking he was lonely by himself...

 

[Akane]

Male parakeets don't fight. Females do. You always want at least as many males as females and preferably more males than females. The females are rather mean to each other and the males sometimes. I kind of feel sorry for my males.

The green is definitely male. The pied blue is hard to tell in that pic. Does it have pure white around it's nostrils? If so it's female. The color varieties with a lot of white or yellow do not always follow the usual color standards for the cere so you have to look for the white circles.

 

[imtc]

I'm pretty sure if the skin area right above the beak is dark (or blue) it is a male.

 

[redhen]

Thanks!
Now about food/treats.. can they eat pretty much anything parrots can? I'm assuming so...
What do you all feed for parakeet treats? What do yours seem to like to eat best?

Alos.. both were eating seeds from the pet store... wish they were on pellets..but seeds should be okay? Maybe i can get a small bag of pellets and mix it into the seeds...

 

[redhen]

Quote:
Soo.. you think these 2 will fight? Should i get another male? If i get another male..wont they fight over the female? Plus i dont think the cage is big enough for another one?

 

[ScissorChick]

Male parakeets normally get along just fine. I had two living in the same cage

and they were best buds. Females - normally do not. The cage is DEFINATLY

big enough for the two of them. To help prevent any babies, just be sure to

take away all tents and snugglies, as they somtimes appear as the perfect nest.

You cannot depend entirely on telling the sex by the color of their cere. Normally the

most 'popular' colors of parakeets (green an blue) are easily sexed by the cere. Albino

budgies usually have a pink cere -male or female. And same for the lutino budgies.

But the green one in your pictures looks like a male. Seeds are SUPER fattening and are

the reason most parakeets only live 5-6 years. On pellet diets they can live 15 + years.

Millet is good for a treat, as is any (safe) veggie or fruit. I'd try and find some pellets.

Your birds will be healthier, more active, and better pets. They're truly beautiful.

Makes me miss my two

 

[AquaEyes]

If you want to feed something really healthy and not terribly expensive, look at the micrograin mix at www.chinaprairie.com. Don't bother getting the whole sprout-tower setup. One mason jar and lid is fine. You simply put some seed in the jar, fill with water, and let soak for 8-12 hours, then rinse and drain. You can spoon some out on the second day to feed, and sprinkle some of the "fresh addition universal" on top, mix, and serve. They'll love it. Leave the rest of the soaked seed in the jar for another day, rinse before going to bed, and again before serving the following day. Then stick it in the fridge, and rinse each time before serving, until it's all gone. Then start over. Parakeets LOVE sprouted seed, and it's much healthier than just plain dry seed mixes, and more fresh and alive than pellets. Stick a wedge of broccoli, carrot, sweet potato, spinach, or some other dark leafy green or deep orange vegetable in there once a day for them to nibble on. That cage is a budgie palace, great job. I'm sure that with the kind of dedication you're showing, your budgies will live long and healthy lives. Good luck.



~Chris

 

[Poultrybonkers]

They look like male and female I have females in one flight and none of them fight as for sexing lutinos and albinos males have pink females have brown when adults.

 

[JulieNKC]

If the pied is recessive pied you can't tell sex by the cere, it will be the same for either sex. It will get all knobbly when she comes into season I believe, and boys tend to whistle more than girls. They can eat everything chickens do, mine loved to eat toast and eggs with me for breakfast. Pellets are better but may be difficult to switch them to. I think variety is best, my tiels get pellets, seeds, scraps, birdie bread, sprouts, etc. I don't think they'll fight, maybe bicker every now and then, but who doesn't?