Could I Please Have Some Advice On These Two?

[ellmak 0]

Hi everyone, I posted an introduction in the Flock section and as mentioned, here is a photo of my two babies.

 

I was told when I got Pretty Boy (the blue) that he was a male, and then later when I got Charka (the green) they told me he was a male too - BUT after reading all the posts here about cere colours, and running back and forth to check my birds and ending up TOTALLY confused, I thought the best thing to do would be to post up a picture and hopefully some kind forum members may have some better idea.

 

 

 

I took this photo in natural light with the window behind me letting the light in, and the colours look pretty accurate to me. I think I also had the loungeroom light on also to help light the area even more.

 

One thing that confuses me though is that I've picked up from the forum that the females are more likely to want to bite.. well Pretty Boy has had a bite or two of me and seems less social and more serious - although yes I am taking it very slowly.

 

Charka is an absolute sweetheart who doesn't mind being picked up and played with, and is very cheeky and will play with me with the beads on their ladder, flipping them from one side to the other with me. He will 'mouth' me with his beak but isn't the slightest bit interested in biting.

 

I was told that both birds were only young (I've had Pretty Boy for 3wks now, and Charka for 2wks) and that the lines running all the way down to their cere's indicated this, which seems pretty accurate.

 

Anyway, any thoughts on if they are both male, as I was told, would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!

[**KAZ** 0]

Your green budgie is a female and the blue is male They arent as young as you may believe as they have iris rings developing. The green female is getting her coloured cere as is the male. I would say around 4-6 months.

Edited February 9, 2010 by KAZ

[ellmak 0]

Oh wow! Thanks so much Kaz.

 

Yes, definitely older than I thought. Both came from aviaries so I am really surprised that Charka is so friendly and sociable. I thought that since she's really taken to me that she just might have not known better due to her age - I guess she's just naturally friendly then!

 

But how does that sit with the fact that Charka's not aggressive at all and just 'mouths' me with her beak, yet Pretty Boy (glad the sex was right and doesn't require a name change!) is a bitey little soul? Isn't it usually the other way around?

 

Many thanks!

Edited February 9, 2010 by ellmak

[**KAZ** 0]

Personality

[ellmak 0]

She definitely has a lovely one of those.

 

One more question, if I may please... Can you tell me any 'fancy' names for my birds' colourings that I can impress my family with?

 

Pretty Boy has a splotch of blue on the back of his head, and I have a feeling there may be a name for that?

 

The only bit on Charka that's a notably different colour is that she is blue (the same blue as Pretty Boy) around her legs, the rest of her is that lovely greeny and yellow colour.

 

 

Thank you!

[**KAZ** 0]

Both are spangles. he is skyblue spangle POSSIBLY ( flash used ? )

she is yellowface skyblue spangle POSSIBLY

 

def both spangles..........shade of blue is in question as it seems a flash was used in one of the sets of photos

[*Nerwen* 0]

i would lean towards cobalt for him

[**KAZ** 0]

i would lean towards cobalt for him

Yep

[Ratzy 0]

They do look like spangles. Kaz is right, you have a boy and a girl.

[ellmak 0]

Thanks everyone!

 

I quickly read this post before my hubby got home last night and so I casually said something later about 'the spangles' and he was like.. what????

 

Kaz you're right about the flash - it was used in the 2nd photo. The blue for Pretty Boy in the first photo is much more accurate. And when I said Charka has the same blue around her legs, I should have said she has a completely green front (accurate colour in the first photo) and the blue is almost like... how can I describe it.. like a pair of knickers, lol.

[defieldsfamily 0]

Ellmak....your birds are very pretty....I LOVE spangles!

 

KAZ...just as a point of education for those still with a lot to learn (me, in particular!) ...is it very common for chicks to retain their bars on their heads that long? All my chicks have moulted them out by 4 months at the latest. Also, what's the earliest that iris rings usually appear...my 7 month old chick still doesn't have them nor do any of the ones younger than her. I had thought the usual was about 8 months but maybe I have it wrong?

[ellmak 0]

Thanks defieldsfamily. :rofl:

 

Great questions!! I've still got an awful lot to learn as well, so I'm also very interested to know the answers.

[*Nerwen* 0]

each can be different, birds kept indoors as pets tend to keep the bars longer than ones in a group setting