Better Pics, please help us with their genders

[chere]

Good Morning everyone! Day 2 with our babies and we still aren't for sure on their genders. I've posted better pictures than the ones from yesterday. We are hoping Evie (yellow) is a girl, and Doc (blue) is a boy. My husband had a "Doc" when he was a child but he passed away unexpectedly, and although he hopes his new Doc is a boy, he now says he doesn't care because they are bounding well either way. Both are estimated to be less than 10 weeks old, but so far so good with them letting us touch (slightly pet) them and step on our fingers. Doc is a bit more shy than Evie but I am surprised (based on what I've read) with how well they are adjusting so early. We are SUPER excited about this journey, all guesses or expertise knowledge is welcome! Thanks!  

[Hezz]

Still not sure, but going to say boy for Doc.

[chere]

Thanks for replying, Hezz! Where can I find better perches for them? Someone on a previous post said that the cage we bought for them didn't supply good perches for their feet. We are in Florida.

[Hezz]

The best perches are natural branches from budgie safe trees. There are many sites on line that give lists of trees and plants that are and are not safe for pet birds, some specific to budgies, so have a look and see what is easily procured in your area. Mine are all eucalypts, bottlebrush (callistemon sp) or grevillea - living in the land of the budgie, I have it easy. If this doesn't work you may have to resort to buying perches, which I have not needed to do. Avoid the perches that are sanded, or wrapped in sand sheets, straight dowels as much as possible as they don't give the budgies' feet a work out, and vary the thickness and texture of the branches as well, for the same reason. All cages only come with dowelling perches or plastic, or the sanded ones, none of which are any good for the birds.

[chere]

Thanks again, Hezz! I'll be purchasing (or finding) some new perches very soon! I've never had birds before but I am so fond of them already! Totally in love. Say, what is it about Doc that would make you assume he/she is a boy? What are the signs since he is still fairly young?

[starlingqueen]

I think Both are possibly boys but not 100% as the pictures are still not clear. In one they look different to another. The way to tell is by the cere (area above the beak where the nostrils are)colour. Boys, as a rule depending on mutation, have a blue area whereas girls have a pink/brown area.

[lemonade]

I'm still sticking with Doc a boy and Evie a girl

[JennyB]

I'm not experienced enough to help with the sex of your birds. I just wanted to say how beautiful little Evie is and I love that you've captured Doc's eyelashes in the top pic.

[chere]

Thank you JennyB! I'm so in love with Evie (Doc too) but since I picked Evie, I'm a bit more bias !

Haha lemonade, I really hope so!

starlingqueen, when we went to pick them out I was trying to go off of the ceres but since they are so young I think that it probably wasn't as accurate as we initially thought, but from our attempts, we ended with the two above. How long does it typically take for their ceres to begin to change?

[chere]

I noticed as of late that Doc sings more than Evie and that Evie makes more of a noise? Not sure that makes sense or the right terminology for it...like a quawking. They both have become quite more vocal these last few days.

[Hezz]

That, the noise, can be indicative of Doc being a boy and Evie a girl as well. The boys tend to chortle away with cute little birdie noises; the hens are the ones who will be squawking ........ generally! I have a cock who squawks.

Evie's cere is a washed out, nothing kind of colour and seems to be showing a whitish ring around the nostrils, which would indicate being a hen; Doc's cere appears more of a purple hue, and a more dense colour.

lemonade, I am as well.

[BudgiesBuddy]

Looks like a girl to me

[Hezz]

Nov 18, 2014 10:58:23 GMT BudgiesBuddy said:

Looks like a girl to me

BB, we think this one is a girl, as well; but what about the blue below, Doc? We have gone for boy.

[BudgiesBuddy]

In this picture, she looks like more hen than a cock.

[Shirls]

Beautiful budgies chere whatever sex they are. You will get lots of fun and pleasure with them.