Choosing Your Pet

Your first decisions are, should I buy a boy or a girl budgie, how old should it be and who should I buy it from. The first part of this question is easy – male or cock birds make much better pets. They are less aggressive and more friendly than female or hen budgerigars and while hens may not be the easiest to learn to speak, many still do and they can also be remarkable companions and characters. The ideal age is about 6 weeks old. Some breeders will tell you they cannot sex their birds at 6 weeks of age, but I would beg to differ. Finally, there are many breeders listed on the Budgerigar Club web site to help you source your new pet.

People sometimes ask, should I buy one or two birds. If you buy two, they will keep each other company but will be less inclined to talk. As for the sex of these birds – two boys are best. However, a single bird on its own, so long as it has people for company, will be just fine.