IS AMY A GIRL, OR A BOY???

[lovezebs]

Hello Fellow Finchers.
Now that Amy has come home, I'm not so sure if she's a 'she' or 'he'. Could one of you Parrot Finch enthusiasts give me an answer?

I know one thing, her nails have not been cut in ages, so that's something that needs to be done right away. He/She is really cute, but needs some good nutrition, to get those feathers in better shape.

~Elana~

[KarenB]

Animal Genetics could tell you for certain

horsetesting.com/avian

[MiaCarter]

lovezebs --- If memory serves, I believe you can sex PFs visually by checking the vent.
Males have a little nub. Females don't.

Give that a try.

[lovezebs]

MiaCarter
Yikes!!! I really don't like blowing up little birdies butts!!! Always consider the birdies sensibilities and what they must think of this procedure.

~Elana~

[MiaCarter]

LOL I know it!

Birdie's probably thinking

You could go by feel, I suppose.
But I think she's going to end up feeling molested no matter which way you go.

Your post made me think of the indignity we had to put one of our cats through. She was found as a stray and we didn't know if it was a neutered male or a female. Annie is the proudest, most dignified cat ever. And she was all when we started trying to....ahem.....assess the situation. I won't get into the gritty details, but let's just say it involved a couple vet techs, a pair of hair clippers and a total loss of poor Annie's dignity!
(The worst part: it was inconclusive. Apparently, Annie looked more she than he. So we went with girl. But I personally think she's a boy.)

[MariusStegmann]

The red mask generally just go past the eye with the hens. With the cocks the masks extends well past the eye, like it it does with "Amy"
There are exceptions to the rule. I have a hen that looks a cock, but she was paired up with a cock that flew away last week. If you have a pair they will follow each other around. If you hold them both in your hand and compare their beaks, the cock's mandibles will be much bigger and more robust looking.

[Rox]

Yikes!!! I really don't like blowing up little birdies butts!!! Always consider the birdies sensibilities and what they must think of this procedure.

hahahahaha, thank you, that just made my day

[MariusStegmann]

Mia, in my country we have laws against doing just that.

[Ginene]

Amy is a beauty...and is she is a he, you call name her Amos ;)

[lovezebs]

Well my good people.
It would appear that several folks seem to think that Amy is the BOY , and Alfie is the Girl..... Go figure.....
And Mia, I agree with Marius, about the touchy feely stuff, if there aren't any laws about it, well by Jove, there ought to be!!

@MiaCarter
Re: the he /she kittie. I also have one that I was told was a neutered boy kitten. Then when 'he' hit one year, 'he' went into heat. SURPRISE MA, I'm A GIRL!!!

~Elana~

[monotwine]

lovezebs first guess would be girl, but it could also be a reflection of poor feather condition. You will know soon enough.

One other way of almost true sexing (only true ways include DNA or behavioural sexing), is to look under the tail near vent. No blowing required. The males usually have a smattering of red feathers near their vents. Rarely if ever a hen will have them.

AND you get to keep their individual privacy pantihose on and feelings intact.

[lovezebs]

monotwine
LOL!!! I think I can do 'that', if I can get my hands on the little imps. They are super fast. Maybe a little mirror, attached to a millet spray.
"Look, a treat, ummm, yummmy.... eat the millet sweetie , while I stick this little mirror...." "You're going to stick the what? WHERE?" YIKES!!!

Seriously I think this just might work (not the mirror) I mean a quick peek.
I wonder at times, what these little guys think of us. Giant weirdos, who feed us, and give us treats..... but wierdos with some preverted tendencies non the less. They probably warn their chicks against these strange creatures. "Run babies, fly as fast as you can least they catch you and look under your tails..."

~Elana~

[Colt]

Haha I know I've certainly offended and affronted several of my birds. Not be lifting up their skirts but doing other things they clearly wanted no part of.

I'm dying to get a pair of RF Parrot Finches. They are like Christmas all year long.

[lovezebs]

Colt
Well, so far couldn't bring myself to pull their tails up and peek . That would mean catching them and traumatizing them (and me) Time will tell, I guess.

They are sweet birds, I have to say. So curious about everything (which gets them into all sorts of trouble with everyone else) and so pretty to look at. I do wish that Alfie would hurry and colour up already. It seems to be taking him forever. Even baby Goulds are already colouring up, and then there is Alfie... LOL.

~Elana~

[MiaCarter]

Te he he.
You know what came to mind when you mentioned the mirror?
One of those mirrors on a stick that dentists use. Perfect! They sell them at the drug store. I've been meaning to get one for nest peeking.

That's hilarious on your he/she cat! We had a similar thing happen with one of our feral kittens. Eliza looked and acted female. She was around a year old when we finally caught her. Of the outdoor cats, the males consistently walk with their tails up; females walk with their tails straight out or down. Males also have a thicker neck.

So we assumed female. Then one day while she was still in quarantine, Eliza jumped down off a chair and there they were!! Peanuts!
It felt so wrong! My girl was a boy! It was disturbing. LOL
Eliza just fits, so she's still Eliza. And we use both he/she. I view her as something in the middle - not entirely male, not entirely female (but closer to female than male.)

I can't wait to see your Amy all cleaned up! I bet she's going to be so lovely when her new feathers come in.
(Or maybe she'll be one of those bird's who's inexplicably scruffy? I have a couple of those with feathers that never sit flat, especially on the flanks. It confounds me!)