sex my orange cheeded - help please!

[epriddy]

i'm just not sure...

[cindy]

I googled sexing Orange cheek waxbills

http://estrildid.com/orange-cheeked-waxbill/
"Sexing: There are no visual differences between the sexes though some males have more salmon coloring around the vent area and a brighter orange cheek. The males will sing and the females will not."

Females can be duller in color.

I had them at one time, it is difficult to know for sure visually. The true test is if they sing.

[epriddy]

I saw that too. I saw the male has a darker vent area as well. One of the birds i brought home has no headfeathers at all so i thonk imgoing to go ahead and take it back today.

[waxbill lover]

That looks like a female to me. The males have a brigher more distinct orange cheek patch, they sing, and they have more of a bright orange belly than the one you have pictured. When you exchange the bird, ask to be in the bird room while they are catching your bird, so you can see these characteristics. Also, watch the birds behavior for some time before you ask an employee to catch the birds... and find an identifying feature on the bird you want, and keep your eye on that particular one!

[G8love4finches]

I waited to see one sing....They are extremely hard to sex....It will take a lot of sitting and watching to see one sing...Good luck

[epriddy]

Unfortunately, I do not believe these to be healthy birds and plan to return both tomorrow.

I hate doing that but with one's head being picked bald, the other having no tail feathers at all...but the decision was that both of their feet are bad. I cut their nails when I put them in the cage but their feet look deformed and the toes turn sideways and curl around so they're sitting on, i don't know, the side of their foot?

I feel horribly sad for these little guys but they'll be going back tomorrow.

[epriddy]

these orange cheeks are slippery little guys. both flew out of the cage while i was changing the paper today. took forever to catch them. thankfully, i did have enough sense to clip their nails while they were in hand. they're so much smaller than my RCCBs and the green singers. itty bitty guys!

[Ursula]

Does that mean you didn't return them and kept them after all?

With a little TLC and good food I'm sure the head and tail feathers will grow back. And if you supply them with various thinkness of branches and perches, and maybe one of these pedi perches to keep their nails trimmed, I'm sure they will one day look very pretty and healthy.

[epriddy]

unfortunately i did return them.
i cried at the store and felt a fool.
it wasn't the feathers that I was worried about, it was the knarled really malformed feet.
i exchanged them for two more orange cheeks from a different store. i think i have two males.
they barely eat anything and will not touch tastey greens or mealworms yet.

[Ursula]

My orange cheeks don't care for mealworms...

[epriddy]

mine don't seem to care for greens either.

and surprisingly, they haven't touched the fresh millet at all.

they stay on different sides of the cage currently.