Question:
I am a lifelong owner of parakeets and have never before encountered my current problem. I don't know if it is prevalent enough to warrant your interest.I have two male parakeets, both about 16 months old. Eero (who is gray with normal parakeet markings) has a pale blue cere (the area just above the beak) with a little white around the openings. But, about once every two months, it begins to turn reddish-brown. This continues for two to three weeks until about 80 percent is that color, with only the edges remaining blue. During this time, the bird is relatively quiet (instead of his usual very active self). Once the cere "peaks," with the reddish-brown, the color then begins to fade until it is completely blue again. At this point, he is back to his normal self -- active and eating everything in sight.I can't find information on this in any books, nor have I had similar experiences with any of my other birds. I queried a pet store that specializes in birds, and they suggested it might be hormonal but had no
J.Z., Columbia, Md Jul 23, 2006
Answer:
As your parakeet matures, his cere coloration should stabilize into true blue -- the male parakeet's flag of sexuality. Many factors can influence cere coloration and its maturation: lack of companionship, domination by another male, testicular tumor, thyroid disease complex, genetic inter-sex (very rare), estrogen-mimicking pesticides and other chemical contaminants of his (and our) food and water.I suggest you feed the boys organically certified bird food and spring water, and give them the biggest cage possible (and a safe room for flying free). More space and freedom mean more pleasure and less stress.
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