What kind of Zebra

kdinkel · Post by **kdinkel** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 4:30 pm

Excellent, that looks right on the money! It may be slightly brighter, but it looks right! So, that said, one more question: What are the genetics on this one. Is it dominant, sex linked, etc.?

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 7:15 pm

I think it looks like a fawn cheek hen, actually.

kdinkel · Post by **kdinkel** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 7:37 pm

Now that would be a problem. Anyway to sex them without using feather color?

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 8:51 pm

Males sing & females lay eggs. If you end up with a nest with a large number of eggs (8-10+) and none are fertile, you have probably paired two hens.

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 8:53 pm

You could also DNA sex them (may be a little bit overkill):

http://www.efinch.com/dna_sexing/dna_sexing.htm

tammieb · Post by **tammieb** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 9:23 pm

I didn't know there was a Zebra mutation where the hen has cheek patches.

Learned something today!

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 9:57 pm

There are a couple mutations like that (black cheeks, fawn cheeks, gray cheeks). Usually you won't find them unless you're looking for them (i.e. purchasing from a breeder).

kdinkel · Post by **kdinkel** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 11:16 pm

Any way to tell by beak color?

tina · Post by **tina** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 8:19 am

I have a black cheek hen, the beak color is a option, but not reliable one, best to wait for singing from male and/or eggs. Normally the male will sing alot of the time, so if there has been no singing at all I would wonder.

If you do have one of the cheeked mutations, the cheeked males do have all the other marking of the regular color too, just colored different. That is how you would tell those apart since the female only has the cheeks, and the males have the chest stripes and flanks that are spotted as well. The question is finding the mutation you have. The cheeked ones also have the tear stains that appear on the normal and more common mutations.

This is a gray cheeked male for example:

Photo by NZC

kdinkel · Post by **kdinkel** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 11:17 am

Thanks for the help. We have had him for 2 weeks and no singing (if you mean the chirping type noises our other male did constantly) so I must assume it is a female. I guess I am on the search for a male again. The petstore also had some all white ones with just black tear stains. Is that a white male? If we end up with two males will they both sing\fight?

tina · Post by **tina** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 11:28 am

All white with just a tear stain is a cfw female. The male has cheek patches and barring on the throat and flanks with some color and spots.

I also tend to think you have a isabel fawn hen, (isabel is a different name for florida fancy by the way). males and female will generally get along if there is none is the opposite sex around. I have had females fight when place 2 to 1 male also. my own experience is that males will fight if females are around where they can see them or hear them, or if you have 2 pairs in the same cage. 3 or more pairs in the same cage and no fighting. I have no idea why that is but for some reason having a larger group seems to make peace with them.

kdinkel · Post by **kdinkel** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 11:55 am

Thanks again. Sounds like it is time to go to the petstore again. Anyone know where there is a comprehensive list of pictures of the different colors and genders?

tammieb · Post by **tammieb** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 4:09 pm

Try this site, http://www.efinch.com/varieties.htm

kdinkel · Post by **kdinkel** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 4:14 pm

Thanks a ton for all the help. I went back to the petstore and got a new male. This one still looks like a fawn cheek, but has the markings the male version needs (Just like the pic the grey cheek in tina's post only a more fawn color). We will sell\trade in the standard color female and keep the one I thought was a male (fawn cheek). Thanks again!

tina · Post by **tina** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 4:27 pm

That was fast