Posted June 9, 200618 yr I am thinking of getting my year old female a friend. She was given to me and is used to living with two other birds. She is my first bird and I have had her for two months. She seems lonely and I am not home a lot. But I am confused as to what sex to get. Do two females get along better or does a male and a female? If you get a young bird I thought you couldn't tell what sex it was. So how would you determine what you were getting? Do males and females always mate? Is that a consideration? Also, do most budgies usually warm up to each other? I would love to hear your opinions and experiences. Thank you very much. Dayle
June 9, 200618 yr I would get a male as sometimes females don't get along, I have 3 females and 5 males but the females don't really interact with each other escept to say "get of my pirch or give me some food" but they don't fight. You can tell a boy by its cere, if its a baby it will have a pink or pinkish/purpleish cere and appear slightly transucent. an adult will be blue. Female babies or females out of breeding condition will be white and can have a light blue tint. Do you know about quarentine? the new bird should be isolated from your current bird for at least 30 days so any illness it could have can't be passed on and that kind of stuff. As for breeding if you do get a male they should not breed unless given a breeding box, but some still do and there are many ways to stop this happening. Hope this helps
June 9, 200618 yr if i were you i would get a boy if youre trying to get her a friend, but just because you get another bird doesnt mean they will be friends. From my experience in my little aviary the 2 females seem to work together to boys the boys around, and i have NEVER had a problem with mating. if you do plan on getting more budgies after this i was told you should always have more males then females.
June 9, 200618 yr Personally I would stay with the same sex so there is never an issue. I have read too many stories and even on this board where they breed without a nesting box. You can not guarantee they will get along male or female. You can not guarantee they won't mate if you get 2 of the opposite sex. I have read plenty of members post where they have females and prefer them over males. If you have a big enough cage for 2 where they have their own space there shouldn't be an issue.
June 9, 200618 yr Thank you all very much for your great advice. I will let you know when I get my new baby. I'm sure I will have some more questions. Dayle
June 9, 200618 yr I would get a male for sure - you have a heaps better chance of them getting on - all my females bicker and fight with each other constantly - I have vowed to never get another hen hehe although I adore the ones I have. I have mixed sexes together but NO next boxes and dont have a problem with mating and the majority are over a year old. I have found that its my babies doing all the humping at the moment grrrr - not with other sex birds though. Heidi with her Trill Topper holder or her rope perch hehe and Beano with LC (they are both males) and its only play I think.
June 9, 200618 yr Well, I guess I am going to get a male. I just hope I can pick out one. I have written down that the young males ceres are pinkish purple/pink. The females are more white light blue. I'm going to bring this to the bin o budgies (as they are called) and hope I can pick a male. At my store they got in a lot of babies. They were so cute. I'll let you know. Thank you again. Everyone was a huge help to me. Dayle
