What type of Parakeets does Petco sell (I know, don't judge :p ) and how do you sex them?

[Scottyhorse]

I know how to sex parakeets, kinda... Blue cere male, brown/pink-ish female, blue legs male, brown/pinkish female. But I was reading that certain color types don't follow this rule? I would like to know know how to sex them pretty much so I know what I am getting and what kind of name to pick out LOL Plus when I get a larger cage that can fit more, I don't want to end up with all males and have them fight! Plus I would like to teach them tunes, and I read males learn them best.

If anyone has some insight on this, that'd be awesome

 

[SA Farm]

First off, if they have blue/brown ceres, they are already older, so won't bond to you as well. You can also tell how young by the barring, if any on the head, the further the bars go towards the cere, the younger they are. Eyes also tell age. The darker the pupil, the younger.
When they're young, both males and females have pink/white ceres. The whiter it is, the more likely to be female. The darker the pink, the more likely to be male.
Here are some budgies/parakeets that I used to have:
A little older male purple/blue cere:


Young female (note how white around the edges her cere is)

Hope this helps a little

 

[Poultrybonkers]

First off males dont fight females do. Second of all if a budgie has a solid pink cere its a young male in most mutations except rec pieds and ino which have pink there entire lives. Purple or blue are older males. Hens have white,tinted blue with white when young and tan or crusty brown when older. Leg color has nothing to do with sexes it has to do with mutations.

 

[chickenlver2013]

First off males dont fight females do. Second of all if a budgie has a solid pink cere its a young male in most mutations except rec pieds and ino which have pink there entire lives. Purple or blue are older males. Hens have white,tinted blue with white when young and tan or crusty brown when older. Leg color has nothing to do with sexes it has to do with mutations.

that's not true I have three males and all they do is fight.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

that's not true I have three males and all they do is fight.

I highly doubt there males. Ive never had any fights between males.

 

[Red-tailed Hawk]

lol! It's an individual bird temperment as to whether they fight or not. Also the size of the cage. I have had 14 birds over the years, usually 4 or 5 at a time and never had any true fights. I've had mixes of different genders. They will play with each other and joust beaks, but no one is ever hurt. I've also had the birds genders tested at the vet so I KNOW that gender really matter. If they are over crowded they WILL fight just like too many people living in too small of a place will. They often will tease each other by nibbling whoevers toes are sitting on the top of the cage. Fights can also be the result of boredom. New toys or rotating toys and perches once a month helps with that, so does moving the cage around the house. My birds are always happy and as I've said I've always had a mix of genders and both cockatiels and parakeets in the same cage, but I've always allowed free flight time and their cages have always been spacious. Right now I have a flight cage I got from petsmart but for the first 7 years they were just in cockatiel starter cages. They will be happy and get along if they recieve plenty of space, a little attention, proper diet (NOT seed. Sunflower seeds make them hyper and a seed diet, contrary to popular belief is NOT healthy and leads to fatty liver disease. Pellets supplemented with veges, fruits, and grains along with the occasion seeds is what every vet I've ever known in the four states I've lived in have all said is best.) The only way to know a bird's gender for sure is if it either lays an egg or you get it's blood tested at the vet, which really isn't expensive.

 

[Red-tailed Hawk]

Oh, by the way females will sing too. Mine have been blood tested for their genders and they all sing together, males, females, and me (though I sing a bit off key

) It all depends on the birds temperment from my experience.