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Posts: 7
From:
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 07-22-2003 10:37 PM         

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Hi, I'm a brand new bird owner, I have a female grey cockatiel named Wookie. She's molting for the first time while she's been with me. The new feathers that are coming in are darker or brighter. Like the grey is really dark like a males, the yellow is really yellow, like that on the smiley face icons, and the orange is really bright. I'm not complaining she's absolutely beautiful it's just I want to make sure she's o.k. and that I'm not doing anything wrong. Please help if you can. Thank You!
Wookie's Mother

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New Member

Posts: 3
From:USA
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 07-25-2003 01:28 AM         

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Just wondering, what foot is your cockatiels band on?

I was just wondering, because the band tells what sex a bird is. When I first bought my cockatiel, the pet store said it was a female, and it looked like one too. But after a few weeks, my fiancee and I noticed that our cockatiel was getting brighter feathers and a darker tail.

Then we got a few books on cockatils, and found out that if the band is on the right foot, it is a male. If on the left it is a female.

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Posts: 7
From:
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 07-25-2003 01:34 AM         

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The band is on her left foot. I've read somewhere not sure, but that sometimes a bird can like have a sex change but just like I dunno naturally and all by itself?!?!?!?! I don't know if it is true or not but please if you know for definate and are like an avian vet and positively sure then please tell me which is or isn't true. I've heard that it is most common in peacocks but can happen in other birds as well. Thanks again

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Posts: 6
From:Plymouth, IN
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 08-06-2003 08:22 AM         

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Hi.........
I have two Cockatiels and I have to disagree with the band theory. The bands are for identification and used to be put on birds coming in from other countries.
The only way to be positive that your bird is a girl or a boy is to have a blood test done, which I don't suggest because of putting your bird through pain.
I do think you have a male though. Their heads are much brighter and their orange cheeks are too. I've never heard of them changing sexes though.
If it makes you feel any better, we have a budgie that we thought was a boy and named it "Buddy" and "SHE" just laid 4 eggs yesterday.......LOL. Well, we did figure she was a girl(later on) because her cere stayed tan. We also have an Albino Budgie and I think it's a boy because it's cere is a little purple, but loves up to the blue male that fathered Buddy's brood. Just keep the name you have for it if you've had it a while and have fun! If you want to breed, then you might want to take her/him to a breeder and see if the breeder can determine what sex it is by looking at it.
Good Luck! Betty

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Member

Posts: 790
From:uk
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 08-28-2003 02:30 AM         

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a female cockatiel orange patches on the face are duller than of a male never put your bed through anything scary like blood tests unless your avain vet needs to for other reasons but the only way to tel if your bird is male or female is by the patches on the face i have a grey male cockatiel with a yellow head and bright orange cheek patches and a cinnimon hen wif cream head and pale orange cheek patches the male is the singer of the sex ....

mike

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Posts: 7
From:
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 08-28-2003 09:54 PM         

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Great News! I took Wookie to the vet and she is in absolute perfect condition! The vet said she is in very good health and I thank all of you for helping me with my little problem. However, Now I have another question..LOL..do you think it would be o.k. to get Wookie a friend? Either a finch, parakeet, lovebird, or of course another cockatiel. They wouldn't be caged together just be allowed to play *supervised* together. Wookie is in her cage for her required sleep and just a little longer so she can play by herself but other than that she is with me a lot. She is rather attached to me so I don't know if this would make her jealous and damage our relationship? I just want to make her lifestyle as wonderful as I most possibly can. Tell me what you think if you don't mind! Thanks!

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Member

Posts: 790
From:uk
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 08-29-2003 02:57 AM         

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thanks for your help with my egg problem.now to yours yeah you could get a friend for you bird i wouldnt advice to get a finch as its a small breed and larger birds tend to bully the smaller breeds i have an avairy and i have my budgies and cockatiels together and they get on great together but aslong as you keep giving your bird attention there shouldnt be any problems at all hope this has helped you my email address is boro_lad1976@hotmail.com if you need any more advice

mike

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