# Just got a baby



## Krazybirdlady19 (May 27, 2019)

I have had quite a few budgies in my life but it has been 7 yrs. since my last. My budgie came from a breeder and is 8 weeks old.
He/she (see profile pic) is the most beautiful blue/white. It has been 4 days since the traumatic ride home and after 2 days barely moving he is chirping and exploring his cage as well as his food. Found the mirror(not sure whether I should give him one) and keeps trying to crawl inside to get the bird in there. Not afraid at all anymore of me approaching the cage and even stepped up for me inside the cage (I was astounded). So...I'm thinking...male?? His cere is purply/pink but with white around the nostrils. I know this isn't an exact science but your opinion? Male or Female?


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## BudgieMin (May 21, 2018)

Hey good day! Your little budgie seems so lovely! Although I can't see too well from the profile pic on my phone,it seems to be a female.


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## RavensGryf (May 8, 2015)

A good clear frontal view of your budgie’s cere will help us confirm gender for you .


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Your question regarding gender was answered in your other thread (in the determining gender section of the forum). You have a little girl.
In the future, please do not post multiple threads asking the same question.

Please remove the mirror from the cage. 
Budgies can become obsessed with mirrors becoming aggressive, territorial and some will even regurgitate to their image to the point of becoming malnourished.

Although your budgie seems unafraid right now,
It is best that you not try to touch your budgie for the first two weeks.

She needs time to settle into her new environment and become comfortable with her new surroundings.
Budgies are often submissive for the first few days simply because they are terrified. 

You can cover the top and three sides of the cage to help the budgie feel more secure. Playing music for her when you aren't around will be helpful as well. Budgies perceive no noise as meaning there may be danger.

Taming and Bonding is all about helping your budgie learn to trust you and it takes a great deal of time and patience on your part. 
You should never grab your budgie or force her to be touched. 
To bond with your budgie, you need to build her trust in you.
She will have to learn over time that you will not hurt her, grab her and try to force her to allow you to hold her.

To build your budgie's trust, sit by her cage and read, talk or sing quietly to her for a period of at least 10-15 minutes, 3 or 4 times day. After the 2nd or 3rd day, rest your hand on the outside of the cage when you talk to her so she'll learn that your hand is safe and will not hurt her.

After a week, rest your hand inside the cage when you talk. 
Don't make sudden moves, don't try to touch her. 
Let her get used to the idea that the hand is now in her safe place and not harming her.

After 2 weeks, begin moving your hand slowly toward your budgie. If she becomes agitated, stop moving your hand and just hold very still until she calms down. When she's comfortable with your hand near her, you can offer her a bit of millet or a few seeds. In a few more days, you can begin your taming and bonding sessions.

Always work at your budgie's pace. 
Move slowly and talk reassuringly and calmly to her whenever you interact with her.

Most budgies once they pass the "baby" stage, do not like to be petted or touched. 
If your budgie does like to be petted, you should only ever pet her head, neck or chest area.
Stroking a budgie's back and/or tail stimulates its breeding instinct. Bonding means allowing them to choose to be with you.*


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## Krazybirdlady19 (May 27, 2019)

*My budgie is quite tame now*

Thanks for your input. I will take it under advisement. Please know that the mirror is only there because he/she is all alone except for me. He/she is not overly possessive of the mirror so for now I will leave it there. My Sam has become tame in the past 2 weeks and is sitting on the keyboard as I type. Never have I had a budgie tame this easily. Today, as I let him/her out I had parsley on my desk for him/her as I have done for the past week (never parsley before...kale, broccoli, carrot greens) he found it (I find when they "find" it they are more prone to eat it, he grabbed it and took it about 1 foot away and literally rolled on his/her back and proceeded to eat it from his/her foot. I would have got a pic but I laughed and scared him..lol..Oh, and I would never attempt to "pet" my budgie...they hate that...he/she just jumps onto my glasses and then onto my finger when I say "up". Lately he/she has gotten cocky and does not want to step up when he/she needs to go into her cage. No worries though..I get him/her to go in eventually...lol


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## RavensGryf (May 8, 2015)

Sometimes budgies appear more tame in the first couple weeks than they really are, out of submission. If they stay this way, then great. 

In time, the mirror will cause problems for Sam, so we always advise removing them. We realize it’s because he’s alone, but it’s not mentally or physically healthy for them. They are an “old school” toy, but nowdays we know better, and can find a wide variety of other more suitable toys for budgies. After a while, and certainly upon maturity, budgies will start to regurgitate their food to the mirror. Not only are they losing some of their own nutrition, but the sexual frustration can cause behavior issues due to a surge in hormones.

Also, you can’t tell the sex of a budgie by behavior alone. Budgies are a species where they can both exhibit the same behaviors and personality traits.


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Hi there, 

I absolutely agree with the above :thumbsup: Mirrors do not provide companionship for birds and are usually a source of stress for them, even if it's not immediately obvious. 

You've been given great advice  A clear, in focus photo of your budgie's face would be the only way to tell gender for sure!


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## sweettreat (Jan 3, 2014)

Your baby sounds like a joy!. I didn't believe in the mirror thing either until I took all the mirrors out. My budgies are much happier. I make sure there are many different kinds of toys for them. But the mirrors do make them miserable.
The mental pic of your budgie eating parsley is just cute.


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## Krazybirdlady19 (May 27, 2019)

*Just an update*

Upon checking with the breeder to determine exact age, my Sam is 11 weeks old today. He was 6 weeks when I got him. He is completely tame now (has the run of the house) and has quite a few play stations. I have pondered the mirror thing but quite honestly he just doesn't seem that interested so I have removed them. He has taken a liking to having a bath in a cereal bowl filled with about an inch of water and greens...lol it is funny to watch him. He also rolls over on his back when playing with his toy (something I have never seen before). He is full of personality that's for sure. Pics below


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## Krazybirdlady19 (May 27, 2019)

*last pic*







Front view of him/her? still not quite sure...lol


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Your budgie is definitely a female.

She's a very pretty girl!*


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## Krazybirdlady19 (May 27, 2019)

Thanks Faerybee, the cere does look female as it seems to change everytime I look at it and that usually means female. Behavior seems more male but I know that isn't reliable. She does have a large personality and sings and chatters away. Such a sweetheart.


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