Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 5/30/2006

Question
Yes, true alibino.  Chirps up a storm and is with another male.  Cere color in the other bird is blue, but I'm just not sure about the Alibino.  How do I do the DNA sexing w/out a vet?

Thanks.
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Followup To

Question -
Hi,

I have an Alibino Parakeet.  Is determining the sex the same as a "normal" parakeet?  The cere appears to be more of a pinkish color and the bird is approximately 2 years old.

Thanks,

Greg

Answer -
Hi, Greg.  Thanks for posting.

Do you have a true albino keet?  Eyes will be red if a true albino.  If eyes are not red, then this is not a true albino (a bird can be all white with black/dark eyes and not be albino).  Male keets are usually pretty vocal and their behavior is often different than a female.  Males kind of "stand tall" on their perches and prance around like they own the place, whereas females tend to be more docile, they chirp but don't have a distinct song/verbalize as much as a male.  

With a pinkish cere at 2 years of age, I wouldn't even want to guess at your keet's sex!  If you want or need to know for sure, you can have your keet DNA sexed (costs $20 if you do yourself...let me know if you want information on this) OR purchase (or borrow) a known male and put the two together and see how they get along together.  Two females will most likely fight/bicker with each other...two males normally get along well with each other.  You could also try putting up a nestbox or some type of nest and see if s/he lays eggs (a single female bird can lay infertile eggs without benefit of a male).

Chrys  

Answer
Hi again, Greg.

Here's a website that I use to DNA sex any parrots I need to:

http://www.avianbiotech.com/

You can call them to order free sexing kits (or order them via their website I believe).  Then follow the instructions that come with the kit.  It's very easy...just clip a toenail a little too short until it bleeds a little bit.  Place a few drops of blood on the card the Lab will send you, write a check, put all in an envelope, and mail.  You should have results in about a week, depending on how busy the Lab is.  You can also send in a blood feather, but I don't like doing this, as you have to pull out a blood feather from the bird's body and it hurts!  

Clipping the toenail is also easy...same as trimming a dog's nails if you have experience doing this.  If you need help to know how to do this part, let me know.

Come back if you need to.

Chrys