Rainbow

They are lovely! I really like the names too, they are so original.

You can get readymade handrearing formula in the pet stores. Kaytee, PrettyBird, lots of the major manufacturers make it. Or you can make it yourself if you'd rather. I'm sure if you did a google search on homemade handrearing formulas there are a lot out there. I think some people here make their own (maybe karenfernvale?) so someone might be able to post a good recipe. It's one of those things you need to have on hand, but hope you never have to use.

Karen, they turned out lovely! Such beautiful babies. :hap:

Your birds are always so nice, Hommer. The grey male especially caught my eye. Thanks for posting. (Hurry up Friday....)

Both of them make a beautiful pair. Did Big Grey produce large youngsters in his last clutch? He looks like a good-sized budgie.

I don't know nerwen...I don't see any traces of green in her feathers at all. I think due to the pied gene with the yellowface the body color would be same as the head color. Ceaser's blue looks very blue. I think I will still go with type 1 goldenface on this one. Because with a type 1 or type 2 yellowface blue, the shell feathers are tipped in yellow and not white. Misty, I love that hen!!!

Here's one of my favorite "poofy" pictures.

Budgies don't get "colds". So far the virus that causes human colds isn't transferrable to birds. If your budgie is sneezing, wheezing, bobbing his tail when he breathes, has discharge from the eyes or nares, sits fluffed up with little or no energy, sleeps on both feet (normally they will draw one up into the feathers when sleeping), exhibits lack of appetite or inclination to drink, changes in frequency or consistency in droppings - whether one symptom or all of them, he might have an Upper Respiratory Infection, which is different than a "cold". Normally they don't "get over it" like people do and need veterinary intervention with meds to regain health. Most UTI's are bacterial in nature in birds, unlike in humans which you know colds are viral in nature. In people the virus will run it's course, that's why antibiotics are useless against colds and you eventually get well in about 7 - 10 days - anitibiotics are for bacterial infections. Normally a bacterial infection will only get worse without treatment. This is why it is important to take your budgie to the vet if you suspect a "cold". What symptoms does your bird have?

They are all nice. Remember though, on that third cage you said it wasn't as high as the others - the total height includes the stand so I think it actually is the tallest for the birds of them all, with the most space. This is the one I'm saving up for.

You have a good point, HurdyBirdy. I didn't really notice it until you pointed it out. The yellow band across her middle would be yellow since she is a yellowface. She could be a type 1. Misty, any chance of another picture or two of Ceaser? Front and back maybe? Please?

I really do hope Pippin is not as spastic as Sunny is! I'll bet you can't wait to indroduce him to the rest of the birds.

That would be so pretty! I wish I could fast forward time and take a peek at the molted Pip. You might be able to. Look at Sunny. :ausb: He was that color when he was a baby.

AAAAWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!! Pippin is so adorable! With that color, I'm almost 100% he will molt into a darker yellow color.

Oh My Gosh! Congratulations!!!! Pixel looks like she is enjoying all that one-on-one attention from you without the other birds. She will be fine. I am so thrilled for you about your engagement! That is wonderful news, I couldn't be happier for you! Richard is a very special man. And I can't wait for pictures of your newest budgie! He sounds beautiful.

I think Ceaser may be a type 2 goldenface instead of yellowface. The yellow is so much stronger on the head than anywhere else on her body.

Mine eat Harrison's too, among other things. I have found they eat it more readily the smaller the pellet size. I use the Mash and the Superfine and mix them. Fine is recommended for budgies, but it was a little too big and they never really went for it. The smaller sizes work better for me. In the beginning, just get the 1 lb bags and try different ones until you find the size they will eat. It's expensive at first, but once they start eating it, there is not much waste.

You got a new one??????? I'm so jealous! It does sound like a type 2 yellowface. He should molt in with more yellow on the head and throughout the body. Since he is more a cream color already I think you are right. That's the way Sunny was before his first molt, and he is yellow as yellow can be now.

Banding budgies (or parrots in general) is done to trace lineage, identify the breeder, identify the bird is domestically bred and not wild-caught, etc. If you are not going to show your budgies or breed on a regular basis you don't need to band them. You get the bands from your local budgerigar society, and probably have to be a member to get them. Most budgies are banded with a closed ring about 7-10 days after birth. They are used in addition to whatever regular breeding records you keep. Here in the US, banding is not mandatory for small birds like budgies in every state, but larger birds are normally all banded if domestically bred. My budgies are not banded, but I do sometimes see them for sale in pet stores with bands.

That picture is too cute for words.

I got a chuckle out of that lovey! That would be the same response I would get too. Congrats to you! It is a nice fuzzy feeling when you can tell the different types apart. Next you will be looking at them and envisioning what color babies you might get if you brought another one home.....

I'm now with the programe I missed this post before Well that site give this statement: "The yellowface type I variety has a bright yellow face but the yellow does not affect the body color or appear in the wing feathers." I've never thought about that before, I just believe yellowfaces are the same as any other type (bar opaline) that have the same coloured wing edges as the head colour. Nerwen, I'm inclined to agree with you. With pieds, the wing feathers are often different due to the pied influence, and that has nothing to do with the yellowface gene, or the color the shell feathers are edged in. In a normal yellowface blue, the flights would be black and the shell feathers would be edged in yellow, so the yellow wouldn't appear in the flights. I think that must be what the author of that statement was talking about.

Hello and Welcome! Your birds are lovely, but I especially like Ceaser - she is a doll! Is there a reason Houdini is named such?? :ausb:

Hello and welcome! It sounds like you are progressing well with your new addition. If you haven't already, cut a small (2") section of millet spray and begin holding that out to him when you are getting him used to your hand in the cage. :ausb:

The general rule about 12 hours of sleep for parrots is because most of them live nearer to the equator, where the days and nights are roughly equal. If left to their own devices, mine would wake up with the sun and go to sleep when it goes down, with naps in the early to mid afternoon. In winter they will wake up later and go to bed at 4:00 pm when it gets dark if I forget to leave the light on in their room! I hate to not see them, so I will keep them up until 8:00 pm or so, so that I can hang with them awhile after work. I normally allow mine roughly 12 - 14 hours of awake time, unless they become hormonal and interested in breeding, then I restrict their daylight hours to 10 or less. I think if your bird is awake and active most of the day, he is getting enough sleep. If he seems grumpy or out of sorts he's probably not getting enough, provided he's healthy. 10 - 12 hours of sleep is probably ideal, in my opinion.

Lovey is right about the difference between type 1 and type 2 yellowfaces, except type 2's don't change color after the first molt except to get a bit darker. The aqua or turquoise color many times is present when they initially feather in as babies. I have two that were born that color. Seafoam is just a color description, like aqua or turquoise, and not a type. As far as white tips on the wings, I don't think I remember ever seeing that. The flight feathers can be a mottled color sometimes, with black and white on the same feather in splotches, but that is considered a fault in show birds.