Birdszaq

The budgerigar is sexually dimorphic. The colour of the cere (the area containing the nostrils) differs between the sexes, being royal blue in males, pale brown to white (nonbreeding) or brown (breeding) in females, and pink in mutations like recessive pides, Dec, Albino, etc. Some female budgerigars develop brown cere only during breeding time, which later returns to the normal colour. Young females can often be identified by a subtle, chalky whiteness that starts around the nostrils. Males that are either Albino, Lutino, Dark-eyed Clear or Recessive Pied (Danishpied or harlequin) always retain the immature purplish-pink cere colour their entire lives.
It is usually easy to tell the sex of a budgerigar over six months old, mainly by the cere colours, but behaviours and head shape also help indicate sex.
A mature male's cere is usually light to dark blue, but can be purplish to pink in some particular colour mutations, such as Dark-eyed Clears, Danish Pieds (Recessive Pieds) and Inos, which usually display much rounder heads. Males are typically cheerful, extroverted, highly flirtatious, peacefully social, and very vocal.
Females' ceres are pinkish as immatures and switch from being beigish or whitish outside breeding condition into brown (often with a 'crusty' texture) in breeding condition and usually display flattened backs of heads (right above the nape region). Females are typically highly dominant and more socially intolerant.
When females get older, their ceres tend to be brown usually, females are often more bossy and rude with their own gender, but with males they get along better; usually when budgies of different gender are put together, they tend to be more kind to each other, some will not even fight or peck at each other for their life time.

These are my own experiences, difference of opinion and suggestions are always welcomed. What I do will share with you all.
Whatever you provide your birds on daily basis, please don’t break that habit. The basic to learn are provide fresh and healthy diet to your birds. Don’t over pamper them. Don’t try to give them artificial ways to breed. Provide daily sunlight, fresh water with vitamin on three days per week. Give them rest for three days, every week provide them any good source of calcium. Don’t give them unnecessary antibiotics. Don’t change their cages unnecessary and font catch them unnecessary.
1. Feed play very important role for breeding and well being of your birds.
2. It should be fresh and must have nutritional value.
3. Don’t buy huge quantity of seeds in breeding season, buy as much as can be consumed in 15 days.
4. Variety of seeds is very important. I used to provide Millet (باجرہ), French white millet (کنگنی), Sesame (تل), Sunflower seeds(سورج مکھی کے بیج) , Safflower seeds (کرتم), Hemp seeds (بھنگ کے بیج), Mustard seeds (سرسوں کے بیج), Canary seed, 250 gram each of all the above mentioned seeds. The quantity of this ratio can be increased according to the quantity of birds you have.
5. Birds have their own choices to select whatever seed they like.
6. Don’t force birds to eat according to your choice, rather observe what they like.
7. Birds like routines, so provide each and every things they like the time you fixed for them. You will observe they will wait for you.
8. Never ever change the feed at once, if you want to introduce any new feed or fruits or vegetables, slowly increase the quantity.
9. Soaked pulses are must for your birds. I use the following formula (1 kg corn, 1 kg Black Chickpeas (کالےچنے) and ½ kg wheat). Soaked them in water in the evening and serve them in the morning, sprinkle some good vitamins on them. Your parrots will love to eat and will wait impatiently for this treat.
10. Everyday specially in breeding season months provide leafy vegetables to them. I used to provide Spinach (پالک), Cabbage (بند گوبی), Peas (مٹر), Mint (پودینا), Coriander  (دھنیا). The quantity should be that they consume within one hour.
11. Don’t forget to provide grit, it is now easily available in pet stores. I provide to all my bird on daily basis.
12. Cuttlebone (سمندری جھاگ) must provide to all parrots, finches. The female bird required calcium to egg formation and also necessary for the strong bones of young ones and parents too.
13. As regard providing multivitamins, there are lots of availability in the market. However, at our time it was very rare to see such a variety of bird medicines. I suggest what I use and found effective, you may have your own likes and dislike. I use local made Vitsol super very effective. In breeding season three days per week. However I suggest to provide natural things to overcome vitamin deficiency.
14. However egg food or bread with soaked milk have very nutritional value. Take a piece of fresh bread and soaked in milk and provide to your breeding and non-breeding birds, the rule should be that they consume this soaked bread in one hour. If they don’t consume it, please take it back as this stale very early and can be harmful to your birds. Boil egg, chopped them and can add rusk or bread crumbles. Again the rule should be they consume in one hour.

About Zaheer Minhas