OMG: He...is a SHE? Help please...

[Iktomi]

Okay, thanks to this wonderful site, I learned that there are ways to visually sex a CAG. It was sworn to me that mine was a male and I was told DNA was the only good way to check so I never followed up. Now...I don't know what to do.
Two of these pics are blurry, but if what I read is correct, it shouldn't matter. What I'm looking at is clear enough. Can someone please verify their opinions? Please?
I'm a bit freaked out. Will it matter if I start saying "good girl" instead of "good boy", etc? I know it seems small, but its going to drive me nuts and I don't know what to do. Thanks!
(PS...he just lost a couple tail feathers, but the ones we are talking about are clearly tipped in silver, right?"

 

[TexDot33]

OK OK OK ... calm down! The only 99.99% way to correctly sex a grey is by DNA ... I don't care what you read ... Hamlet, my Sun started as a "he" and when we got Mac we referred to them as "the boys" but we actually had Hamlet DNAed and he is a SHE (we had our suspicions that she was a she anyway) ... it's ok, they don't care what you call them as long as you love them and care for them!!

Don't freak out, and if you are really curious just have your vet take blood from a talon next time you get them trimmed.

 

[Iktomi]

Okay...I'm calm.
But I don't know what to call him/her!!
Boy George? Argh.

 

[TexDot33]

Okay...I'm calm.
But I don't know what to call him/her!!
Boy George? Argh.

This one is very easy ... you gave your little buddy a name, right ... use that!

 

[Auggie's Dad]

"Good boy" or "Good girl" obviously have no meaning to the birds by itself, they have meaning as secondary reinforcers by being paired with attention, food, etc (perhaps also a natural reinforcer of voice inflection.)

In other words if you've been saying "Good boy" all along and you decide to change to "Good girl" s/he will figure out the new phrase very quickly, especially since they are so similar.

As far as the name, as Tex said, s/he already has a name. No reason to change.

P.S. I also second the fact that the only reliable way to determine the gender is DNA or surgical. Obviously the birds have some other way of knowing which we dont understand.... once again proving that THEY are smarter than US ;o)

 

[TexDot33]

wouldn't it be so much easier if they would just tell us if they were a boy or a girl ... or, at the very least, wear more pink or blue items ...

 

[Parrot16]

Okay...I'm calm.
But I don't know what to call him/her!!
Boy George? Argh.

well George is a easy enough name where if you do find its a female you could just make it Georgia.

Where if it was different name for example ill use, Hamlet that name is kind of hard to change to a girls name unless you change it completely or you just keep it the way it is. I mean what can you do with Hamlet? Hamleta? lol

For the record i think Hamlet is an adorable i was just using it as an example.

Also instead of saying good boy or good girl you could say good bird.

 

[TexDot33]

We call her Hammie ...

 

[Iktomi]

Well, his/her name has been Butkus for 9 years. (I didn't do it.)
Butkusina? Butkusana?
Seriously, the will stay the same, regardless. I'm just a bit psychologically...tricked. The problem is clearly all mine. My wife thinks this is hilarious. I will probably have to get the DNA done now because I simply can't live like this. I have to know because I guess I'm a freak like that.
The article about the visual sexing said the silver tips on the feathers under the tail was 95% accurate. Is there anyone who is willing to conclude with an above 90% chance that my bird is a female? I could live with that.
Ha. You all must think I'm a nutcase. Thanks for all the help, though!

 

[Auggie's Dad]

those tail feathers MAY provide a clue. I don't know much about CAG's but I'd be surprised if such a marker could be that accurate. So in other-words I can verify nothing.

But not knowing doesn't trouble me. Technically I have no idea if my Auggie is a male or female. If he ever lays an egg I suppose that'd make it pretty clear (unfortunately lack of eggs says nothing.) His behavior just seems much more "male". And I dont mean how he likes to veg out infront of the tv and make a horrible mess when he's eating - though those are true to. But my main clue is his posture when ... pleasuring himself. Again, it doesnt mean a whole lot, but it is much more of a male posture. He never backs up against things to rub, but rather dips his tail... etc etc

I suppose thats been graphic enough, we dont need any birdy-porn in here.

 

[JoT]

We thought our nanday (Bandit) was a boy for years until "HE" laid 2 eggs.

 

[boncoh]

My double yellow amazon's name was big guy she is now big girl, but my lilac crown's name is lilly and he does not mind, as long as he gets kisses and treats

 

[Chewy]

wouldn't it be so much easier if they would just tell us if they were a boy or a girl ... or, at the very least, wear more pink or blue items ...

Sorry Tex!!!!! Chewy is almost completely pink and he was dna'd male, so that wouldn't help lol

 

[Auggie's Dad]

So.... Chewy is in touch with his feminine side ;-)

 

[TexDot33]

wouldn't it be so much easier if they would just tell us if they were a boy or a girl ... or, at the very least, wear more pink or blue items ...

I would like to amend this statement ... I would like to exclude: Galahs, red factor canaries, blue and gold macaws, and the biggest of the BIG BLUES - those wonderful Hys (along with any other parrots that have large amounts of blues or pinks in their plumage) from this statement ...

 

[nzchickadee]

Lol
I kond of sympathize, my male blue budgie turned female. She is still called Pete. Took a month to decide not to change it.

 

[Auggie's Dad]

Transgender birds and the families who love them, on the next Oprah.

 

[NicoleN]

I'd also like to point out that a while ago we had two members on here, and one of them was totally sure that the other's Grey was a girl b/c of the tailfeathers, but it turned out that he was in fact a he, and not a she after all.

So yeah, visual sexing isn't all it's cracked up to be.

I have 2 male 'zons. Gigi is a male, but his previous owner thought he was a she because of his pretty eyelashes. We still call him GiGi, or just Gi

 

[TexDot33]

*giggle* POOR CRICKET!!

 

[sophee24]

Well according to some sites looks like you have a female right? She looks female but I'm second guessing mine as well. Time for DNA sexing!