Sexing Conures

[Flavy]

Hi guys,

I would really like to know the sex of my green-cheek conure. I am wondering if vets will do it for a relatively small fee without the $60 "check-up" fee beforehand? Thanks!

 

[weco]

Some vets will & some vets won't, but you can take your own feather samples, send them in & get your results back, for between $18 & $25 per bird. Here's a list of companies & Healthgene is a Canadian company.....

All of these companies will send you free collection kits & mailers, with instructions.....

Feather sexing for birds

Accu-Metrics- DNA-Vian Testing

Avian Services Center: DNA sexing and disease testing for all species of birds.

Avian DNA Testing l Bird DNA Test - HealthGene

 

[MonicaMc]

You forgot Zoogen!


When I asked my a-vet about drawing blood for DNA sexing, she said that she wouldn't charge me an appointment fee, but she would charge a blood draw fee - unless I was having blood drawn for a CBC/blood panel - in which case, it would be "free". She wouldn't charge me any extra for taking a little extra blood for DNA sexing. She told me she could send it in (for a $40 fee) or I could do it myself (for however much I could get it done for).

Other vets may charge an appointment fee and some may refuse to do blood draws unless you use them for DNA sexing. That alone could cost $40 to $80 in fees. It really depends on what they are willing to do.



Do you know if your green cheek conure's parents were normal green cheeks or if they were mutations?

 

[Flavy]

I'm not sure about his parents, but the breeder told me he was a split-blue, whatever that means.. As I understand it, a colour variation?

Thanks so much for the replies, very helpful!

 

[MonicaMc]

That means that one parent must have been a visual par-blue mutation. Blue doesn't exist yet in green cheek conures but par-blue aka turquoise does. If the breeder can guarantee the split then one parent is a visual. Doesn't help with sexing, though!

 

[Flavy]

Thank so much for the replies, I ordered a free kit for sexing.

Another quick question. Is it possible to mate green cheeks to sun conures, or is it unlikely?

Thanks again!

 

[Featheredsamurai]

Yes, sun conures and green cheek conures can create hybrids, but hybridization is a controversial thing and most people believe it should be avoided. It seems the only hybrids the general parrot community is alright with accepting is the hybred macaws, and even they are overall discouraged if you can keep the species pure.

http://www.parrotforums.com/conures/19769-baby-suncheek-conure.html

 

[MonicaMc]

Sun x GCC hybrids often have high chick mortality rates, are born with foot deformities (among who knows what else), may die early of cancer (i.e. before a year old) and fertility is unknown.

Suns have also hybridized with black capped conures.

Green cheeks have also hybridized with nandays, dusky's and supposedly patagonian conures.

There's also maroon bellied x dusky hybrids.




None of them are particularly interesting hybrids to look at other than the fact that they are Pyrrharu x large conure hybrids.



Of all the hybrids out there, I do not feel it's right to hybridize Pyrrhura and large conures together due to the potential health problems. With most hybrids, the worst that you see is infertility. Well, the majority of hybrids created are rather healthy birds that can reproduce!

 

[mfromond]

The cheap method requires patience... But it's 100% guaranteed.

If the bird lays an egg... then you know.
If you manage to teach the bird how to talk, then take it outside on a cold day. If he comes back saying "I was freezing my balls out there"... then you know.