[riverdog]

hello to everyone

we have a question (we are new to cockatiels)

how can we tell what sex our birds are?
we have been told so many things and are a bit confused
i can post some pictures if needed
like i said we are new to birds but are enjoying it

we have 2 cockatiels and would like to know their sex if possible,
please feel free to tell me off if this is in wrong spot or if im an idiot
but we would like to find out
if you need picture of them please let me know of what you need me to show....

thx for your time and i hope to be a long and returning forum poster..

 

[atvchick95]

pictures help a great deal

the only mutations you can look at and visually sex are normal Greys - the male has a yellow face, female has a grey face like her body

and normal white face's the male has a white face and the female has grey that matches her body

but there are many many different mutations, Some are Sex Linked (like cinnamon) which means normally they're only female, but there are males as well it just isn't as common.

 

[riverdog]

how's this?
i will post better pictures tomorrow...

 

[Bea]

You can also use behavioural cues to help with sexing. Do your cockatiels whistle or talk? It's usually only males that are particularly vocal (there are exceptions of course). Males also beak bang on things like their cage and toys, and they will do heart wings too which look like:

*edit* We must have been posting at the same time. In the first photo you've got a male. In normal greys the males will get the bright yellow face. How old is the tiel in the second photo? If it's over about 8-10 months i would say you've got a female.

 

[riverdog]

the first picture is what we have been calling FRED....he's mean and like to try to bite...but i stand ground and let him see that its not hurting even if it draws a little blood.....we had him given to us by someone that moved out of province and couldnt take him with them we are trying real hard to get him to be tame (alot of work so far) approx 13 months old...

second one is Zoey we were told be many people that its a she and we believe that the breeder told us she is 9 months its not that we dont believe here but when we bought her from the breeder she was kinda rude to us so we just wanted to find out

Zoey is very nice and allows us to pick her up hold her and even pet her but still seems a bit sqeemish (if thats spelt right)
but in time she will be fine....

any idea or comments are welcome and we will follow directions very well in oreder to get FRED to be a bit more tame (can not pick him up at all)

 

[atvchick95]

i thought in normal greys the females face isn't Yellow it's grey like the body only the males got yellow faces?

http://www.cockatielsplusparrots.com/genome-normals.html

 

[Bea]

i thought in normal greys the females face isn't Yellow it's grey like the body only the males got yellow faces?

http://www.cockatielsplusparrots.com/genome-normals.html

That's correct, but they will often have a yellowish wash because yellow is their base colour.

 

[atvchick95]

oo ok i've never noticed

 

[allen]

yea normally only the males will do the wolf whistle talk tapping things and yes males are verry voiceterious

 

[Sophia]

In the first photo you have a male, and the 'tiel in the second photo is a female! I really hope you can get Fred to be a bit more tame, we will gladly help, what is his behaviour with you (not with your hands).. ???

 

[huskymom]

I can´t see the first pic...... but the cutie on the second sure looks like a girl..

My Maui has a full yellow head but she´s a pied, cinnamon pied.....

hope you can share more pics .. and Welcome!!

 

[riverdog]

Fred has a behaviour thing with the hands (my fingers look like chopped liver) , he will charge from on top of the cage just to make sure you dont come near him, but if i put my face to him he comes over very gentle like he wants to give a kiss but i never let him only cause he's not trustworthy, we got Fred a friend which is Zoey in hopes of him seeing that she allows us to pick her up and pet and love her thinking that this might calm him down a bit

we are open to all comments on how to get Fred a little less aggressive and more fun for everyone here at home
we were told about getting him a perch for the shower?
birds seem to like the water (mist) from the shower

 

[Bea]

I take my guys in the shower with me from time to time, they all really enjoy it. I don't know how well it would go with an untame bird, but it's worth a try. My guys are always less grumpy after they've had a shower, it leaves them feeling less dusty and itchy.