Pics of my OC's strange wings and vent - opinions please

[Domenic]

Made a post a little while ago about my orange cheeks awkards wings and also asked for helping sexing it based on it's vent color. Well I finally got around to taking some pics so you guys can have a clearer idea of what I'm looking at. First thing's first - the wings.
Here's a pic:


This is what both of it's wings look like. Keep in mind that they aren't wet at all and that they have been this way for a few months. He can't fly very far and usually has to climb to his destination. Hopefully this pic can help clarify the situation. Any input?


Second of all I asked a couple of days ago what my orange cheek's sex was but I couldn't provide any pics. Well here are two:

Bear in mind that the flash has washed the color out a little in the picture below.


I purchased an orange cheek mate for it yesterday and comparing them now it appears they both have the exact same color vent. What do you guys think, male or female? The guy at the bird store compared two orange cheeks for me and I ended up taking the one with the most yellow because I assumed mine was a female. I'm not so sure anymore.

[JohnBoy]

Dom I have always went by the cheek patches. Usually in the female the orange patch is smaller. I remember reading somewhere that the female OC has a paler beak. I have not noticed this.

[Rayray]

I had this problem too a few years back with my silverbills , after i brought them to a vet ( specialised on birds ) she said it was a shortage of vitamins / sun / calcium ... i got some multi-vitamin + calcium and had to add this into the eggfood ... after molding the problem was solved ... she also said that its wise to spray against all little mites etc .

worth to try , but don't forget i ain't a vet

Ray

[cindy]

Ray I was thinking along the same lines. Possibly the finch was not getting his nutritional needs met by the previous owner and/or it could have been a result of past either internal or external parasites.

[earlybird09]

Hey Dominic, I believe the top is a female and the bottom is a male. Reason why, I see a burst of orange on the vent in the bottom pick, and a creamy yellow at the top.

[Domenic]

I think I'll try adding vitamins to his diet. Can anyone recommend a good vitamin supplement?

Brant, I think you're right about the bottom pic having a lot of orange. Both pics are of the same bird though. I just put two pics because it's vent looked different in both and I wanted everyone to have a better idea.

[Domenic]

I'm going today to swap out my latest orange cheek for a new one. I really need opinions here, should I look for one with a duller vent or one with a brighter vent if I want to pair it up with the orange cheek above?

[Rayray]

the thing with orange cheeks is the same as with the sint-helena's , there's so much sub-species going around and it does matter what food the birds had ( this makes a different in feather colors 2 ) , that you can't say when you see the bird that its a male or female , people always guessing and they pick the most brightest one and the most dull bird and think its a pair .... the only thing to do is buy a few , get them dna tested and than you are 100% sure , and can always sell the leftovers or make a deal with the shop/breeder to bring them back .

Ray

[MLaRue]

I think I'll try adding vitamins to his diet. Can anyone recommend a good vitamin supplement?

Brant, I think you're right about the bottom pic having a lot of orange. Both pics are of the same bird though. I just put two pics because it's vent looked different in both and I wanted everyone to have a better idea.

What kind of vitamin supplement do you want? One that is put on the food or one that is put in the water? Many choices out there... do you feed eggfood or chitted seeds? You could put vitamins on either food.

[Dario78]

Show us the face.. ;)

[MLaRue]

Show us the face.. ;)

I enjoyed your pictures Dario

[Domenic]

Show us the face.. ;)

I'll post another one:


Misty, you asked if I prefer water or eggfood medication; I definitely prefer vitamins that can be mixed in food. My birds defecate in their water often and I'd hate to constantly be mixing new vitamin water for them.

[MLaRue]

I really like the results I'm getting from this vitamin

http://www.zoomed.com/db/products/Entry ... I6IjE2Ijt9