Congratulations, It's a GIRL.

[Java]

So, I have not been here in a while because I have been busy with work. I work from home and the kids are home for the summer and so my spare time is usually booked.

Anyway, stupid me attempted to cut Java's toe nails a few weeks ago and apparently cut too much off of 1 toe (which made me stop doing the rest) but I had just ordered a DNA card from Health Gene in Canada like a week before. I had not planned to do this test because I could not imagine hurting Java on purpose, either by pulling a feather or cutting his nail too short. However, as soon as I saw the accidental blood, I was scrambling for the DNA card they sent me and I was lucky enough to have enough blood to put on this card. By the way, his toe was fine. I held pressure on his toe until I was sure it stopped. I don't even attempt it any more, I'm too scared, I do have one of those rough perches and put some sandpaper on another perch so that they may help keep them short. If they continue to grow, will have to bring him to the pet shop. I hate to do this because it involves a car trip of at least 30 minutes each way.

Any who, I was convinced Java was a boy by his behavior and bonding with me that he does, the feeding me he tries to do, and what I perceived as some sexual type of behavior, which I discourage, and the fact that he seems to be bolder (although I do not have one of each sex to see the differences in behavior) and not at all shy (read that males were more bold and less shy). However, I just got off phone with Health Gene, who I sent the card and 20 bucks to after the bleeding incident, and Java is officially a FEMALE. I am completely shocked. It makes me rethink all the behaviors I think I am seeing.

I am sure I will get over this, because she is still the same bird she has been since I got her, but I am a wee bit disappointed that Java is a female. Why, I have no idea? I think maybe because I was thinking all these behaviors I see must be cause he thinks I am his mate, but how could that be if we are both girls. So, now I will likely think the behaviors I am seeing is because she thinks I am her mom, maybe?

Anybody else disappointed when they found out the sex of their birds?

Also, are there any traits that females have, like do they not talk as easy as males, are they more boisterous, nasty? I see sometimes she gets like all annoyed and will make like she is wanting to bite me and she doesn’t; it is weird, almost like playing. I will go, “I am going to get you” and will touch her tail feathers, and she will mouth my hand but not bite. She absolutely does not like anybody else touching her and I have to work on that. God forbid something were to happen to me, somebody would need to be able to interact with her.

Also, since last here, I rescued 2 baby kittens that their mom is nowhere to be found and they were only like 3 weeks when I rescued them so they needed hand feeding for a while and I did all this with Java on my shoulder usually, but she hates these little kittens. I can understand why, cats eat birds, but say I am holding one cleaning it up after it ate, she will try to climb down to where she can get the babies and tries to bite them. She seems so jealous of them.

So, any suggestions or information no female Senegals that any of you may have, I’d appreciate it.

Seems I picked a good name, but now that I know she is a girl, I may change it. Although, she does respond to Java. She definitely knows her name.

Oh and she says like 2 things now, what and brat, LOL, and she also does the sound when you roll your tongue and it makes a 'r' sound. I don't know what it is called. Oh and she does the woo woo woo woo sound of an ambulance too. You hear them going down my block all the time.

[Kim S]

I understand what you feel. I am pretty confident about Kika being a girl. But I spoke with her breeder recently and he is pretty sure its a boy. So I am planning to get a dna test soon.
But hearing an experienced breeder saying its a boy kinda upset me a little. I dont even know why, but I understand how you feel.
Its a kind of image you created in your own mind how you look at the bird. Finding out theyre a different sexe doesnt change a thing about the bird itself, but the way you look at her/him.
Funny the way the human mind works.

I wouldnt change her name though. Java works for girls too. Its in your own mind that Java is a boys name

[Java]

I understand what you feel. I am pretty confident about Kika being a girl. But I spoke with her breeder recently and he is pretty sure its a boy. So I am planning to get a dna test soon.
But hearing an experienced breeder saying its a boy kinda upset me a little. I dont even know why, but I understand how you feel.
Its a kind of image you created in your own mind how you look at the bird. Finding out theyre a different sexe doesnt change a thing about the bird itself, but the way you look at her/him.
Funny the way the human mind works.

I wouldnt change her name though. Java works for girls too. Its in your own mind that Java is a boys name

Thanks, so I am not too crazy then. If the bird in your avatar is Kika, I would say she is a boy, only beaause she/he looks so much more bright than my bird, who is a girl.

I also have a bias to male animals period. I just find male animals to be more docile and friendly, not in every single case, but in most cases. Maybe Java is here to change my opinion on female animals. She is so sweet, totally messes with my preconceived notions.

[Natacha]

For a while, the only one I knew the sex of was Joey, since Red-bellied adults are sexually dimorphic.

I got Shade (Senegal) DNA tested first; I was at the vet for other things and she was going to take blood anyways so I figured I'd include the DNA test as well. There was no doubt in my mind she was a female but I wanted confirmation and the test proved me right. Honestly, had that one came out otherwise I would have been shocked and possibly somewhat upset.

I then did Piper (Lovebird), Petey and Zuri (both Meyer's) on my own, after calling HealthGene for some kits.

Although I always had referred to Piper as a "she", based on his behavior and compared to what I read about female Lovies..I started to believe "she" might have been a male. Turns out he was. It wasn't a surprise, I was well prepared for that one, and I wasn't upset.

Zuri I had also referred to as a female at first, but after having him for a few months and having his adult plumage come in, it seemed to change other things about him (like more feathers in the nape area elongating the head shape), I started to believe "she" might have been a male as well...and he was. Again, I was leaning towards believing that before doing the test so no surprise and no deception.

Petey....Petey's result did trouble me, although I won't say I was upset. Although the head shape might have led to believe he was a male, so much in his behavior, specially when hormones kicked in, seemed much more like what a hen would do; I believed it, my boyfriend and mother believed it..even my vet. Well.....he turned out to be a male. It was somewhat of a surprise.

I understand what you feel. I am pretty confident about Kika being a girl. But I spoke with her breeder recently and he is pretty sure its a boy. So I am planning to get a dna test soon.

Assuming Kika is the one pictured in your avatar, I always believed she looked more like a male. Do let us know what the test reveals, I do think the breeder is right.

[Java]

For a while, the only one I knew the sex of was Joey, since Red-bellied adults are sexually dimorphic.

I got Shade (Senegal) DNA tested first; I was at the vet for other things and she was going to take blood anyways so I figured I'd include the DNA test as well. There was no doubt in my mind she was a female but I wanted confirmation and the test proved me right. Honestly, had that one came out otherwise I would have been shocked and possibly somewhat upset.

Snipped for space

What made you have no doubt in your mind that Shade was a female?

Anybody with both a male and female, are there differnces you notice in each sex?

It realy does not matter, she is still my little birdy bird, and love her to death.

Will she make eggs when she is ready to mate even if I don't have a mate for her? Is this hard on the females? Pet shop could only tell me she was 9-1/2 months old when I bought her and i have had her like 2 months now, so she is around 11 months old, how close to being hormonal is she?

Thank you so much!!!

[Natacha]

What made you have no doubt in your mind that Shade was a female?

Anybody with both a male and female, are there differnces you notice in each sex?

It realy does not matter, she is still my little birdy bird, and love her to death.

Will she make eggs when she is ready to mate even if I don't have a mate for her? Is this hard on the females? Pet shop could only tell me she was 9-1/2 months old when I bought her and i have had her like 2 months now, so she is around 11 months old, how close to being hormonal is she?

Thank you so much!!!

Well it does help that I had her brother as a comparison.
Obviously, visually sexing Senegals isn't a 100% guaranteed method. However, both siblings did look quite different and based on the few visual pointers available (head shape, were the V ends, etc), Shade definitively seemed like a female and her brother a male. I've also read that males are a bit meaner when hormones kick in (not on a continuous basis, but around mating season), and this seems to apply to her brother more so than to her; in 4 years, I've never seen her acting mean but that doesn't mean that all females will be that way.

I wouldn't worry about eggs necessarily; not all hens will lay eggs. Mine is probably at breeding age and I think it's probably the last thing on her mind.

[Java]

Thank you Natacha, I was beginning to get a little worried about the laying egg thing, but I won't now.

Silently, in my mind, before the test results, I was coming to the realization that Java was probably a girl, mainly because of the feathers by her tail, having slight specks of green in it and not being completley yellow, and websites telling me that they would be all yellow if he was a male.

[Java]

OT, but gosh I write long posts. I love to talk and you can imagine I drive hubcap nuts, cause most men do not like to talk too much, LOL.

[pchela]

Just so you know, there is no need to be disappointed... a female bird can and will bond with a female human and a male bird can and will bond with a male human. So don't feel like your relationship has changed!

[Rue]

Congrats! My Amazon is a girl (surgically sexed at some point)...and she preferred males before she came to us...now she prefers me...lol...

You just never know...