An New Behavior

[Carole]

I gave Adagio and Dolce a piece of paper to play with. Dolce is making nice little strips of paper and putting them in in her wings. Adagio just stands around looking at her. He seems to like to bite at the paper but that's all. Dolce keeps the strips and takes them back to their cage. Is this the behavior of a female?

I still haven't had them sexed as I'm still dealing with all the physical ramifications of my car accident. And now it's too cold to take them out. It's snowing like crazy here today!

Carole

[linda040899]

Tucking paper is usually a female behavior, but I've seen males do it, too, so it's not a guaranteed indicator of gender. Males usually are not as good at it but they try anyway.

Blood sexing or feather sexing is much cheaper if you take samples and send them off by yourself. Many of us use Avian Biotech (http://www.avianbiotech.com) and you can order whichever kit you need online. You send your payment with the samples and you only have to go as far as your mailbox! :) Results are available within 72 hrs after they get the samples and you can view them online, as well.

There's no harm in waiting to sex them. :)

[Bill's Birds]

:rofl:jUST WATCH THEM LONG ENOUGH, AND IF THEY ARE A MALE & A FEMALE.....YOU'LL KNOW! :rotfl

[Carole]

Well, my biggest problem now if I have them sexed is that they are identical twins and unless I look very closely, I can't tell them apart. Adagio is just a tad larger than Dolce, but you have to really look closely to see it. Their forehead markings are identical.

As most of you know they are from the same clutch. I adopted them when the birdie store went out of business when the owner died. No one wanted them as they were siblings, and people looking for lovebirds wanted to be able to breed them. I didn't want to see them go to the bird refuge as they don't belong there, so I adopted them (they were 4 months old at the time). When they were babies, I could tell them apart as Adagio had an all blue forehead, and Dolce had the same but with two little peach dots. But once they molted (they are 10 months old now), they are identical.

Adagio tears at the paper and plays with it, but doesn't tuck it into his wings the way Dolce does. Dolce often tucks the paper into her wings, but then shakes her wings and it all goes flying. I always refer to Dolce as "she" as she is a bit smaller and the sweet one. Adagio is a bit larger and is the brat of the two, although he has gotten better the last month or so :)

Yea, Bill, I've been keeping an eye on them and watching for eggs, but thus far, nada. They get along fine and play all day with each other. When they take a nap, Dolce nuzzles up to Adagio. They look so cute :)

Right now, Dolce is playing with paper and Adagio is on my shoulder playing with my hair. Maybe I should teach him how to use a hairbrush and I could have my own hair stylist :)

Carole