Hi there,

 

I Went to the pet shop the other day just for a look, and ended buying an English ( show budgie ) as I fell in love with its colours, plus ive really always wanted and English variety.............The main only reason I bought it though, was it was meant to be a Baby......

The pet shop had a small cage at the front of the shop with 2 birds in it, and a big sign on the cage saying Baby budgies...............

 

not knowing too much about determining the age of a budgie I quizzed the sales assistant about the bird. She was very addiment it was only 12 weeks old….. after doing my own research the past few months on the net about ageing budgies, she managed to convince me it was still young as the cere on the bird looked like a pinkish colour so I thought It must be around only 12 weeks old…………..

 

 

 

<H1 style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Once I got home I remember I forgot to get its wings clipped. Instead of going back to the same place, I found a bird shop ( not really a pet shop ) that only sells birds.</H1>My 1^st question for him was is it still a baby, and what was its approximate age. He told me it’s NOT a baby, its an ADULT bird, anywhere from 8 months to a year old.

 

 

 

Anyway, here are some pics of him,,,,,,, would like to know what everyone else things about the age of him……. I really was convinced s young judging by its cere…

 

pic1

 

pic2

 

pic3

 

pic4

 

P.S

 

 

Does anyone know where I could purchase a BABY ENGLISH budgie here in Adelaide ?

 

 

 

I was reading it quite hard to find a baby English budgies as breeders like to keep them for at least 6 months so they can see the potential of the bird for shows. Then they sell them off to pet shops. Then the pet shops claim they are babies and sell them to people who don’t know too much, like myself…..

 

 

Thanks,

 

 

Jason

yes, your budgie is not a baby. if it was a baby, it's black bars on his head should be close to his cere.

here is an example of a budgie that is very young.

 

since your budgie doesn't have those bars close to his cere, l would also say that your budgie is around 8 months to a year too.

 

as for purchasing an english budgie, there are alot of great breeders on this forum from Australia, l hope that there is a breeder that is near you and are able to help you out.

Edited January 6, 200817 yr by birdluv

Sorry this had to happen to you, pet shop people will sometimes say anything for a sale, perhaps look for a legitimate breeder in your area but it still is a lovely budgie.

Jason...your budgie has a green legring right ? Tha makes it a bird hatched 2007. Since MOST show breeders miss the hot weather breeding time unless they are set up to breed all year round...your bird is most likely to be hatched around March onwards, but could be anytime during 2007.

But as it has a legring, put the legring details up here so someone can help you find its breeder and possibly its age.

Edited January 6, 200817 yr by KAZ

Yeah, i knew that the normal small baby budgies had bars down close to the cere, but wasnt too sure if this was the case for the larger english budgies............I asked her why he didnt have the bars if it was supposedly a baby, and she told me that the larger english budgies dont have the bars down to the cere even when they are a baby. Is that true ? ?ThanksJasonHi Kaz,,,,,,,I had a look at the leg ring and it say SA NE <7 587 The < next to the 7 is meant to be a tringle on its side, but there was no symbol here to make a triangle.Hope that helps.....Jason

The triangle next to the 7 indicates 07 which is a 2007 bred bird. The SA looks most likely like a generic South Australian bred bird but the SA could also be a breeders code. If anyone from South Australia reads you post they may be able to shed some more light on the bird breeder and the birds past.

Also the South Asutralian Budgerigar Council would have records of who they sold the rings to with the number sequence of the 587 :rip:

Jason, they were right in telling you that some of the English type Budgie don’t have much barring on their forehead even when they are babies, compared to other types. But like others have told you, your bird is already had it’s first moult & is at least 6 month probably a little older.

Thanks for all the replies every one.............

 

Just got one more question........why is the cere on the bird still quite pink if its at least 8months to a year old ?

 

Also, does anyone know of any breeders at this forum from Adelaide ?

 

Thanks,

 

Jason

Jason, they were right in telling you that some of the English type Budgie don’t have much barring on their forehead even when they are babies, compared to other types. But like others have told you, your bird is already had it’s first moult & is at least 6 month probably a little older.

I have to agree with this statement Merlin didn't have much in bar lines and he is an English. Are those the pics of your bird right? From what I see he has a pink cere if he was over the age of 4 months his cere would be blue or at least turning blue? You do have a baby budgie and it is a male from what I see.

Thanks for all the replies every one.............Just got one more question........why is the cere on the bird still quite pink if its at least 8months to a year old ? Also, does anyone know of any breeders at this forum from Adelaide ?Thanks,Jason

Jason I think many people over looked that and I responded to that because I saw that in the picture before I even posted. Your budgie is a baby around 2-3 months old. Some Englishs' don't have the baby bar lines as heavy as the pet budgie. This is what my Merlin looked like when he was young too and he is a show.

Thanks for all the replies every one.............

 

Just got one more question........why is the cere on the bird still quite pink if its at least 8months to a year old ?

 

Also, does anyone know of any breeders at this forum from Adelaide ?

 

Thanks,

 

Jason

 

My theroy is that your birds cere is still pinkish, because of the amount of Pied in your bird, it's not a Recessive Pied but if it was, their cere will remain Pink all their life. My idea is that even though it doesn't show Pied on it's face, if a bird is Pied & some area of Pied occurs where the cere is, it will remain with less colour. Sorry I don't agree with Elly that your bird is as young as she says, it's definitely older as others have said.

You will have to wait for some other forum members in the Adelaide area to get in contact, about breeders in that area.

Edited January 6, 200817 yr by Norm

I have seen a dominant pied with a half and half cere but not a totally pink cere as this bird above. He looks like he may have been just finishing with a molt as I see a splay of pin feathers way on the back of his head. If this is the case he could be around the 4-5 month mark and his cere "may" have not changed yet as some do take awhile. I remember Bea's Oz who is also a pied like this bird took a while to change but it is now blue. I still believe this bird is younger and has gone through 1 molt but whom am I (Laughing out loud) (I am not around birds like some are on the board). Either way he is a nice looking bird and I hope that his age doesn't deter you from enjoying his company.

 

Adding, this may be why the pet shop put him down as a younger bird too. Not all pet shops are bad I have seen a few posts this week bashing. We must remember that there are good and bad everywhere including breeders too. We have a wonderful document called Evaluation a Pet Shop and a Breeder (2 different documents) in the FAQ section that are very educational and where put together by our members here.

Edited January 6, 200817 yr by Elly

Well, after lots of phone calls, i finally managed to track down the breeder of this bird........

I didnt speak with her directly as i went through the SA budgie council............

 

She told them that he was hatched in early October making him around 13 weeks old....Hmmm

 

Still not sure if i believe that though as the 2 different ppl ive showed him to both instanty told me he was at least 8 months old........... One of the ppl who told me that is an older couple who have been breeding since the 70s and have a house filled with awards, and they are Judges also...................so if they claim hes that age i tend to believe them...........

 

Anyway, i ended up buying a baby show budgie from them today,,,,,,,and hes so tame already,,,,,,,,,,,,,sits on my finger straight away.............ill show some pics of him soon,,,,,

 

thanks,

 

Jason

I would put this birds age at about 5 months, rather than 8 months. The cere is still clearly pink and sometimes a bird can moult at the normal 3 months but the cere take a few more months to change. He looks dominant and a shot of the eye would help, if the ring has appeared it could mean he is a bit older if not I would stick with the 5 month age.

 

Sorry you where told the wrong thing at the pet shop, many will tell you want you want to hear, but really many breeders will not give up their young birds until after the first moult anyway. If the bird was 12 weeks old that would mean it was most likely sold to them by a bird mill.

I agree with Nerwen about the age around 5 months and his first molt is just finishing up.