Do you wish to find out when your budgie will reach maturity? When is it possible for budgies to mate? In this article, we’ll discuss the topic of maturity in budgies that have either fully grown or are ready to mate.
What Age Do Budgies Mature At?
Budgies mature at about 8 months. Sexual maturity can begin as early as 3-5 months, but a breeding budgie is recommended to be at least 10 months old.
When Does A Budgie Reach Maturity?
Your mature budgie is able to perch with strength on many surfaces including your finger. It’s time to teach this budgie tricks or expect it to understand some of your cues with communication.
Expect this period to occur around 8 months of age. Some budgies may mature faster and be able to breed as young as 3 months. This is problematic for development and the health of their offspring if you plan on breeding them. It’s best to wait 10 months for full maturity.
How Can You Tell When A Budgie Is Mature?
Look for the following indicators to show that your budgie has matured into an adult:
- Feathers
- Cere
- Eyes
- Leg Band
Feathers
A budgie or parakeet with striping over the head is not yet mature. This budgie hasn’t gone through the first or final molting of feathers to reach adulthood. It’s safe to assume that you’re looking at a juvenile budgie.
Expect the first molting of the feathers at 3-4 months. This is where you’ll notice their heads losing most of the stripes and turning pure white or yellow.
Cere
The cere is located at the base of the beak. This is where you’ll notice your budgie’s nostrils. A young or juvenile budgie has a cere that is gray or slightly blue.
A male budgie in adulthood will have a deeper blue color or even purple. It may take 1 year for this to happen. Female ceres are usually white, light blue, tan or brown.
Eyes
Look closely at a baby or juvenile budgie to notice a single coloured eye that is black as coal. With time, the iris surrounding the pupil of the eye become lighter in color.
It may turn gray or brown by 8 months of age, but the pupil usually remain black. Full black eyes indicate a young budgie that has not yet matured.
Leg Band
Most budgies arrive with a leg band from a reputable shop or dealer. The leg band gives away the age of your budgie. The letters and numbers provide its registration, breeder code and the year of birth.
The colour of the band also helps to give away the year of birth. Look closer or search online for the numbers, letters and colour on your budgie’s leg band.
Will My Mature Budgies Mate?
Just because you have a mature male and female budgie together doesn’t mean they will mate. You will have to encourage it or discourage it depending on your desire to breed and take care of young budgies.
Look for the following signs:
- The season
- Atmosphere
- Condition of the male and female
- Courting behaviour
Season
The budgies in the wild tend to breed in the summer. Days are long, the climate is warm and food is plentiful. If they feel safe and have reached maturity at 8-12 months of age, they will feel comfortable to breed.
Condition Of Males and Females
Look closer at your male budgie and make sure his cere has changed colour. This area should turn from light blue to a darker shade. A female’s cere should not be light blue or else she is still too young. You will end up with infertile eggs.
Courtship
Believe it or not, the male and female should start flirting with each other. Gentle nibbles, grooming and touching of the beaks indicate that they are compatible.
The male may show off his feathers and make more noises. You may notice the female chewing up papers to get ready for a nest. The courtship has gone well and breeding is around the corner.
When Do Budgies Stop Growing?
Budgies reach maturity at about 8 months, but sometimes it happens sooner. During this time, your budgie is growing in size as well. This growth should last from 3 months to 2 years depending on your budgie.
Budgies can grow to 5-11 inches in the length when they reach adulthood, but they tend to be larger in size in the wild.
Can A 3 Month Old Budgie Mate?
A 3 month old budgie could possibly mate after they molt their feathers for the first time. There could be a lot of grooming and interaction between curious budgies at this age. They shouldn’t be encouraged to mate.
At this point, they will most likely deliver infertile eggs that will not hatch. It’s best to wait at least 8 months, but 10-12 months in age is the general consensus for when a budgie is fully mature and ready to mate.
Is My Budgie A Boy Or A Girl?
The untrained eye may not be able to tell the difference between the sexes of budgies. Look closer at the color of the base of their beaks. This cere should be dark blue in males. They can start as a pale pink or light blue color.
A female budgie’s cere will be tan, light blue or brown. Babies or juveniles are harder to tell, but the cere is the best method of checking. If they have a leg band, the numbers or letters on it may also help to determine the gender of the budgie.
Conclusion
Budgies vary because they are individuals with quirky behaviours and attitudes. Some will reach maturity faster than others. 8 months is the general time period when most budgies have matured.
The recommendation for budgies to wait until they are at least 10 months old to breed helps to encourage eggs that are not infertile if this process is rushed. Allow your budgies to be social with grooming and interaction while noticing the cere changing color to indicate full maturity.
Thanks for visiting BudgieRealm.com and we hope to see you again soon for another article about our favourite birds!
