If you keep birds, you will be aware that it is crucial to pay attention to any changes that they undergo, and to be constantly vigilant for anything that could signify illness.
Birds are often good at hiding signs that they are ill until it is too late to help them, so watchfulness is an important part of keeping your birds healthy and ensuring that they live for a long time.
Because of this, many bird owners are curious about small changes in their birds and want to know what the potential causes are.
If you have seen your female budgie’s cere color change in recent weeks, you might be wondering whether you need to do anything, and whether there is a problem to be addressed, or if this is a natural part of the bird’s development.
The color of the cere makes a surprising difference to the budgie’s face and overall appearance, and it’s a good idea to keep an eye on this.
You should always check when there is a change in your bird, as sometimes this could be enough to save your budgie’s life if it is ill. Being observant and taking prompt action when necessary makes a big difference, and ensures that your bird is kept as healthy as it can be at all times.
Why Is My Female Budgie Cere Changing Color?
There are a few potential explanations for a change in the color of your female budgie’s cere, and some are benign, while others are less so.
A change in color may mean that your budgie has matured into adulthood, which is obviously natural for a young budgie, and it could also mean that your bird is entering its mating season.
Alternatively, however, the change in color could mean that your bird is unwell and you need to take action.
It’s crucial to distinguish between these two issues, and to note how quickly the change has taken place, because a very rapid change is often more serious, especially if it is accompanied by other symptoms.
Sometimes, it will simply be a sign of a deficiency, which may be easy to rectify, but at other times, your budgie will need to be taken to a vet. Don’t ignore a change in color; you need to work out what has caused it, even if it turns out not to be a problem.
If a young budgie’s cere changes color, the most likely explanation is that she has reached adulthood and she is now a mature bird, and this usually happens around one year old, although it depends on the bird. In some cases, a change in the color of the cere will be brought about by scaly face mites or by poisoning.
Why Is My Female Budgie’s Cere Turning Brown And Crusty?
Often, the cere becoming brown and crusty is a sign that your female is entering her breeding season, and this can happen even before the budgie reaches sexual maturity, although this is rarer.
Often, the female’s cere will already be brown, but the breeding season makes it darker and slightly more calloused. In general, this is nothing to worry about; it is simply a sign that the bird is ready to mate.
However, sometimes, a crusty cere will indicate that the bird is ill, and this might be caused by a number of different things, including scaly face mites.
These live on unfeathered areas of the bird’s skin and will spread across the body, which can cause infections and even lameness in severe cases.
Mites will need to be treated by a vet, who will usually prescribe ivermectin, and it is important to address them promptly, partly because the mites are contagious and will spread to other birds.
It is also possible for this issue to be caused by a condition called Hyperkeratosis, which happens when the bird has too much keratin in its body.
This may be caused by a lack of vitamin A, or by arsenic poisoning, and it could cause serious disease, so it’s important to get your budgie checked out by a vet. If you are concerned about the scaliness of your female budgie’s cere, make an appointment.
Why Is My Female Budgie’s Cere Turning Blue?
Blue ceres are usually associated with male budgies, but it is possible for a female to have or develop a blue cere in certain situations, although it will never be the deep, royal blue of a male budgie.
Often, blue ceres in a female are the result of a mutation, but this will result in lifelong blueness, so if your female’s cere is changing color, it is likely due to either increased testosterone or a hormonal imbalance.
Researchers have noted that if you increase the amount of testosterone in a female budgie’s system, the cere is more likely to turn blue, and this is therefore one logical explanation for the blue color.
Usually, this will be a light shade of blue, rather than a dark one, but it is still certainly blue, rather than brown.
Alternatively, a blue cere may be caused by a hormonal imbalance, particularly if the blue is dark and there is no white around the bird’s nostrils.
If this is the case, you should take your budgie to a vet promptly, because the imbalance may be severe, and might require treatment in order to be resolved.
Conclusion
If you have witnessed your female budgie’s cere color change in recent weeks, it’s important to spend a bit of time trying to identify the cause so that you know whether it is benign or not. A female’s cere changing color is often due to the budgie reaching adulthood and becoming sexually mature, so if you have a young bird, this is probably the explanation. However, if the skin texture has notably changed or the cere is turning blue, it may be worth contacting your vet and getting the bird checked over for signs of mites or hormonal imbalances that could be affecting it.
