Psyche's cere has been changing lately. It used to be a nice warm brown, but it has gotten lighter in color, and almost looks like it has a thin layer of powder over it. In the last few days it has started turning what seems to be blue near the corners. This afternoon, Cupid spent quite some time preening her cere and face. She ate it up and sat very still for him for longer than I've seen them sit still before.

 

Could there be something wrong with her? I've looked at the pics of scaly face and I don't think that is what is going on. We're pretty sure she's actually a girl, since Cupid's cere is SOOO blue, they mated in the pet store and one of them laid an egg on the way home. Birds don't change sex, do they?

 

She is just ending a molt. This wouldn't be from this, would it?

This sounds normal, hens lose the brown colour on their cere when coming out of breeding conditition. They get a whitish blue cere at that point. It will stay like this for a while, maybe 3 months and slowly start to turn brown again.

oh cool! I didn't know that... heh obviously. That's good that she's not gonna be breeding anymore. Would her cere changing back be a sign that breeding behavior is going to start again and can you then take steps to interfere?

 

Thanks!!

yes it can be a sign to watch out for signs of breeding again.

At what age does the hen's cere change for the first time??

The hen's cere will start to change anywhere from 5-10 months of age. It is dependent upon hormones.

Most of mine change cere colour at 12 weeks onwards. Maybe it's because of all the opposite sex budgies they frolic with. :bluebudgie: