ranae
Weaned Todd
Okay, I'm ready for my close-up! I've always thought my right side was the most photogenic!
Joined: March 2005
Posts: 86
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Post by ranae on May 28, 2005 15:29:26 GMT -7
Hi All! Sorry to ask again, as I know I've posted a similar question. I am trying to guess Pearl's sex (obviously by the name, I think she's a girl) I looked at the undersides of her smaller tail feathers as suggested, and I still can't tell. Her longer tail feathers, as well as the shorter sets above and below, are all red but upon closer inspection, they have a mottled black mixed in. Is that normal? Also, she has little "hairs" sticking off the tips of those feathers. She is also developing some small, muted white stripes horizontally across her tail. All these little oddities (or maybe not so, I could just be naive) are puzzling me. What is your take on this? Thanks so much!
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Post by Jane on May 28, 2005 16:08:38 GMT -7
I think she is still too young for you to be able to tell. That is why she has the black as this is associated with young birds. The silver edging is very subtle and won't be apparent until after the first molt. The horizontal lines are called stress bars and can mean there was a dietary deficiency at that particular time.
Jane
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ranae
Weaned Todd
Okay, I'm ready for my close-up! I've always thought my right side was the most photogenic!
Joined: March 2005
Posts: 86
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Post by ranae on May 28, 2005 17:08:58 GMT -7
Awwww,
I feel bad that she would have a dietary deficiency. I feed her a mixture of pretty bird pellets, sun mix (with lots of seeds and nuts, boca nuts, and fresh fruit such as apples, bananas, and kiwi, and also bread. Am I missing ssomething important?
Thanks!
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Post by JK on May 28, 2005 20:57:58 GMT -7
YES VEGGIES... Very important....
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ranae
Weaned Todd
Okay, I'm ready for my close-up! I've always thought my right side was the most photogenic!
Joined: March 2005
Posts: 86
|
Post by ranae on May 29, 2005 13:55:56 GMT -7
I thought about that, but I am having a difficult time getting her to eat veggies, even with the numerous tricks suggested by this board. She eats tomatos, but I know that's a fruit... She also gets cooked pasta, white rice, and the occasional piece of boiled hamburger. What else should she get?
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Post by Jane on May 29, 2005 16:47:56 GMT -7
It can be difficult to get them to eat vegetables but they can have all sorts of vegetables. Vitamin A is good for feather condition. For example, sweet potatoes, watercress, broccoli, cantaloupe melon, apricots and peaches (remove the stones) are rich in beta carotene which gets converted to vitamin A in the body. Pearl can also have some scrambled egg and cooked chicken once or twice a week but really she sounds as if she is getting a good diet. Don't worry too much about the stress bars, the causes are transient.
Jane
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ranae
Weaned Todd
Okay, I'm ready for my close-up! I've always thought my right side was the most photogenic!
Joined: March 2005
Posts: 86
|
Post by ranae on May 29, 2005 20:50:05 GMT -7
Jane (and everyone that replied),
Thanks very much for the input and advice. I really appreciate it, even though I am a little worried about her lack of eating vegetables. However, I will keep trying! Thanks again!
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