So excited, but nervous....

[TacoNTiki]

We have an appointment booked for this Thursday to have Tiki's DNA done! I am so nervous about it because I am worried that s/he might get hurt. It will be done by an experienced tech at a pet store, who does all the bird's nails, wings, and DNA. She's cut Taco's nails many times and she is great, so I shouldn't be nervous.

I am excited to have finally booked this appointment as we were procrastinating for a while.

We also just found out by talking to Tiki's breeder today that her/his mom is a pineapple and dad is a visual yellow-sided split to pineapple. Although she wasn't 100% sure at the beginning of our conversation and then decided she remembered because "those were the only gcc that bred last season".

It will be so nice to know Tiki's gender, I hope he's a boy as I already have a female tiel that I worry about in terms of egg binding.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

Congrats!

I hear you about female tiels. I have had soooo many problems with chronic egg-laying with Peaches. She'll be 21 in March and is too old to be laying eggs! LOL.

Luckily I don't have to worry about that with Skittles.

 

[TacoNTiki]

Yes I am hoping we will hear same news you heard... It's a boy!, LOL.

I was hoping that by asking what mutations Tiki's parents were that someone can calculate his gender.... But then I realized I will properly still wonder so i will just have to stop worrying and do the DNA test

 

[BoomBoom]

With me, I always somehow knew Boomer was a boy, and DNA confirmed that he was.

What does your gut tell you about Tiki? Male or female? Maybe your intuition is right! When you get the results, I recommend asking for a copy of the lab tests. It would be nice to have as some sort of 'birth certificate,' plus you can verify the accuracy of his sex.

 

[TacoNTiki]

Oh, I just assumed they always give you a certificate... I better ask because I definitely want it.

 

[TacoNTiki]

What does your gut tell you about Tiki? Male or female? Maybe your intuition is right! When you get the results, I recommend asking for a copy of the lab tests.

I actually don't know anymore if I have a 'gut' feeling what gender Tiki is. In the beginning I was guessing male just because of the breeder saying his head shape was more flat, indicating he could be male. I don't know birdie genetics, but based on mom being pineapple and dad visual yellow-sided, split to pineapple... I am guessing tiki is female??? Like I said I don't know genetics and my head hurts thinking about it, Lol. A few more weeks and we will know!

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I would definitely request a certificate. The lab is the one that makes the certificate so there shouldn't be any problem obtaining it. If they say they can't provide you with one, in all honesty, I wouldn't pay to have it done. I'd take the bird to a vet.

I know if you get it done at a vets office, you get one. I think it was Kyoto who recently had her bird Kyo dna sexed and she got a certificate as well.

 

[Tropical]

How come it takes so long for you to get the results? As when I had my tiel DNA tested for gender results came in less than 3 days and I was so happy he was a male

I'm really bad at guessing genders... so I'm not even gonna guess whether Tiki male or female... at least his/her name suits both genders

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I think the time it takes is dependent upon where the DNA sample was taken and who does the testing. I live in Maine and the vet took the sample which was sent to Zoogen labs in California. It was at least a few weeks before I got my results.

Given that it's a blood sample, I imagine there are certain protocols for mailing these things which probably add to the time it takes. But also how soon the lab runs the test and gets the results.

 

[TacoNTiki]

How come it takes so long for you to get the results? As when I had my tiel DNA tested for gender results came in less than 3 days and I was so happy he was a male

I'm really bad at guessing genders... so I'm not even gonna guess whether Tiki male or female... at least his/her name suits both genders

Wow, three days is fast. I have always heard it taking a few weeks.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

Me too, I've never heard of it being that fast. But again, it all depends on who draws the sample, where they have to send it and how long it takes the lab to run the DNA and return the results. I'd imagine some labs are speedier than others.

 

[Tropical]

I have actually never heard of it taking that long. The place I bought my tiel (Birds on Safari) in Florida took my tiel's blood and sent it off to the lab. I would find it unacceptable for any place to take that long and would find alternative... but that's just me I had results in less than 3 days.

Even when I have full blood panels done on myself results never take more than a week. I would not pay any company who takes that long for such a simple DNA test results on a bird... to wait few weeks for those results... that is absurd... that lab would not be getting my money. No way Hosay.

 

[TacoNTiki]

I know it will be hard to wait a few weeks, but I don't mind. Sometimes quality takes time (not saying that this lab is of any quality), but I try to be a patient person for some things, LOL. although I can't keep 'presents' or 'good news' a secret - ever! Drives my husband nuts that he will find out what he's getting for Christmas every year because I can't keep dropping hints.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

LOL, I'm the same way with my birds. I'll go to the store and buy them either birthday or Christmas presents and I'll end up giving them to them right away and then go out and buy more the day before. LOL.

Skittles probably won't get much this Christmas because I bought him that new cage, but I wouldn't hold myself to it. I just love to pamper my babies.

I get more excitement and joy from buying my babies toys than I do buying myself a video game or movie.