Sexing Orange Cheek Waxbills

[sammyj]

Does anyone have a clue how to do this with these birds? I think that I have male/female but not sure (they came from Petsmart). One is larger than the other and the larger one seems to sing instead of just "peep" so I am thinking it is a male but is there any other way to know? I have gone onto the finch center but I didn't see anything about it unless I missed it which is totally possible.

Thanks

[JohnBoy]

Males have a larger brighter cheek patch than females. The females cheek patch is usually blotchy and smaller. Also females have a paler beak color than males. I have also read that this isn't always reliable because the orange cheek patch fades after some time in captivity. But this method has always worked for me.

[ikhom]

When last time I talked to the manager of PetSmart (1750 Innes Rd, Ottawa) about Orange Cheeked Waxbills they told me that they don't sex them and from the look I wasn't able to sex them myself. I find the price of $70+TAX without knowing a sex is too high for these birds. (I paid $30 at the bird show.) I'm looking for the hens for my boys. The latest purchase
was a male too. For a while I thought that I had a pair; one was singing the other wasn't, but they sing only when they want to mate. My other Orange Cheeked started to sing when my Golden Breasted lost his hen and this Orange Cheeked wanted to mate with him. Silly little bird.

[sammyj]

OH wow, you live close to me. I bought mine when they were on sale $26 each. The Petsmart in Barrhaven seems to always have their birds on sale and alot less expensive than any of the other ones. Apparently they won't price match their own stores. Which is weird.

I knew buying them that we did not know the sex and I was fine with that as I am not mating them but was curious to know what I had. They have a basket but never use it but are always together preening. I thought this was a male/female thing but perhaps not?

[ikhom]

I've been in Petsmart at Barrhaven ones, but the prices were the same as in the rest of the stores. You got them at a very good price. I would definitely take the chances if it was in that price range.

[Domenic]

Orange cheeks are extremely social with their own kind. I'm not sure what kind of pair I have, though I'm leaning towards male/male, but they sit together and preen all day long. They have looked inside nests before but that's about as far as they go. It's pretty frustrating. I'm hoping to buy a couple more and let them pair up on their own like psilocybin said.