DNA sexing

[younggeezy]

The methods of gathering the sample seem cruel to me. The bird doesn't understand why you're plucking its feathers out or cutting its nails too deep. What are your thoughts?

 

[MikeyTN]

To me it's only needed IF your thinking of breeding them! You can tell their sex as they mature, I did NOT DNA any of my birds! I know ALL their sex. It's especially easy for me to tell since I have bred in the past, each sex do certain things I caught on very quickly. So sexing my birds were pretty simple. Doing nail trim is almost inevitable that you might snip too short!!!! Which makes the best time to collect sample. It happens! For parrot conservationist, it's necessary to do! To prevent certain issues, it's nice to know their sex. So depends on how you see it!

 

[lene1949]

I did DNA on my birds by just pricking their toe (further up from the nail) and collecting a drop of blood... It did not seems painful to be birds nor to me. The one I was most worried about was Cory, my corella, but she just sat on my leg, while I got the blood sample...

 

[kc_y0]

I haven't done it, because I don't need too with an eccy lol.. But I think it would be okay. I would prefer cutting the nail rather then plucking a feather though!

 

[Scotty T]

I went for her vet appointment and had them do it so she would be mad at them not me.

They plucked 4 breast feathers and put it in a sterile vile.
She didn't even make a noise, she acted like it didn't even happen.

By the way, she's a girl!!! I may get her a boy friend so she can make whoopee and give us some red factor offspring

 

[Mayden]

I had the vet yoink some feathers from him whilst he was still half passed out from the anesthestic from his microchip inplant

So Merlin was farrrr too sleepy to notice anything and it caused him no distress, yey!

 

[roxynoodle]

When I first got Rowdy her nails and beak were overgrown. And of course she needed a vet check. When the vet was doing her beak, it began to bleed a bit and I said, get that blood drop! So that is how we got blood for her DNA test. My BC conure the breeder did using a toenail. So I admit, I haven't had to do it myself, which is good because I'm a baby about these things. I was going to do Pete, but I think he has proven he is a boy with his most recent hormonal behaviors so I'm not going to bother now.

It is true that if you live with them long enough, they will tell you. But, when they are babies it can be hard to wait until they reach maturity. I wanted to know with my babies what they were.

 

[Helitorian]

I was too scared to pull Con's feathers and refused to cut her nail so I had the vet do it while she went in for a weigh in. They took 6 little orange feathers and the only thing she didn't like about the whole experience was the towel.

Scotty T, if you do end up with red factor offspring and I am in the position to acquire another bird, I would like one from you I think red factor Suns are pretty lol

 

[Amber]

Alex came DNAed, but it was really unnecessary. The breeder had 16 chicks of various species at the time and picked all but ones sex based on behaviour and slight physical differences. For example Alex 'stands' like a male, he holds his legs out wider, and he has a flatter head then his sister and the other female conures there. I never notice until she (the breeder) pointed it out to me, but now I see it and how she picked him out as a male before the test.

If he didn't come DNAed I would have had the samples taken at the same time I had his microchip implanted, like Mayden had done.

I think DNA can be important in situations for a non breeder, If you know you have a female you know to watch out for egg trouble, etc. If you have a m/f from a species where that gender is known for hormonal issues, you can prepare for that a bit better too. You can also plan your future flock around knowing your birds gender, for example Alex (as a general rule) gets very aggressive with other male Ara conures, so I would probably use DNA to source a female if I wanted another jenday, or a sun, or similar species, regardless of whether I wanted to breed or not, in order to keep the peace.

Plus, it it just nice to know

Incidentally, you can even DNA with eggshells for breeders not wanting to take blood or feathers. As long as the shells are not contaminated or handles with non gloved hands, the residue can be used for DNA tests. It's 99+% accurate, like most forms.

 

[Scotty T]

I was too scared to pull Con's feathers and refused to cut her nail so I had the vet do it while she went in for a weigh in. They took 6 little orange feathers and the only thing she didn't like about the whole experience was the towel.

Scotty T, if you do end up with red factor offspring and I am in the position to acquire another bird, I would like one from you I think red factor Suns are pretty lol

I hope some day I can do that. I know nothing about breeding. My baby is only 10 months old. I don't even know how old they have to be to breed let alone how to get the red factor.

I've done a lot of reading on genetic mutation which is what a red factor is and it's very complicated.

 

[roxynoodle]

I agree it's important to know what gender your bird is. Female birds need extra calcium in case they lay eggs. Also if your bird is ill, the vet knows where to palpate in case of a tumor on an ovary or testicle. And it helps to know what to expect when the hormones do kick in, and in flock planning as Amber mentioned.

 

[amysaviary]

I have all my babies DNA for health reasons. It is very important to the vet to know and in an emergency it can save lots of time and lives of birds. Some people could care less if u r not going to breed but I think u can better care for a birds needs if u know the gender. I do egg shell on most my babies but sometimes have to do blood. I was told by my vet to do blood over feathers. I bought a DNA's male(by feathers) that ended up being a female. now no DNA is ever 100% they tell u but the vet said he has seen more wrong with feahters then blood.

Also think of it this way if u take blood u can also do disease testing to make sure ur bird is healthy at the same time. we all have to have blood taken at some point and it is to help us in the long run.

 

[Helitorian]

I hope some day I can do that. I know nothing about breeding. My baby is only 10 months old. I don't even know how old they have to be to breed let alone how to get the red factor.

I've done a lot of reading on genetic mutation which is what a red factor is and it's very complicated.

Don't worry about it Mutations and genetics are complicated. I had a thing for them when I was in high school. I loved doing stuff like that. Maybe I should breed birds lol

 

[cockatielfan17]

I was too scared to pull Con's feathers and refused to cut her nail so I had the vet do it while she went in for a weigh in. They took 6 little orange feathers and the only thing she didn't like about the whole experience was the towel.

Scotty T, if you do end up with red factor offspring and I am in the position to acquire another bird, I would like one from you I think red factor Suns are pretty lol

I hope some day I can do that. I know nothing about breeding. My baby is only 10 months old. I don't even know how old they have to be to breed let alone how to get the red factor.

I've done a lot of reading on genetic mutation which is what a red factor is and it's very complicated.

hello, if u would like to get red factor babies i would suggest u get a normal sun conure male for her.
if u get a red factor and they have babies. Most babies will become double factor and will live very short lives. They barely ever make it to one year. But if u get a normal sun conure. half of babies will be red factor single factor and and other half will be normal sun.

 

[Amber]

I was too scared to pull Con's feathers and refused to cut her nail so I had the vet do it while she went in for a weigh in. They took 6 little orange feathers and the only thing she didn't like about the whole experience was the towel.

Scotty T, if you do end up with red factor offspring and I am in the position to acquire another bird, I would like one from you I think red factor Suns are pretty lol

I hope some day I can do that. I know nothing about breeding. My baby is only 10 months old. I don't even know how old they have to be to breed let alone how to get the red factor.

I've done a lot of reading on genetic mutation which is what a red factor is and it's very complicated.

hello, if u would like to get red factor babies i would suggest u get a normal sun conure male for her.
if u get a red factor and they have babies. Most babies will become double factor and will live very short lives. They barely ever make it to one year. But if u get a normal sun conure. half of babies will be red factor single factor and and other half will be normal sun.

This is right Red factor is a dominate cumulative allele ('gene')

It's believed that it's not the red factor that is fatal itself, but another gene that separates along with it, and that two copies of that gene are fatal. Hence why very few suspected 'double factors' exist

There are ways to breed it safely (Red factor to normal, the offspring will be 50% RF and 50% Normal) and ways to increase the red in offspring through selective breeding, as it is a cumulative mutation, but it's very long and complex

 

[cockatielfan17]

how do u increase red in normal suns always wondered that

think i might make an event on that