Uh Oh....Zippy Kat, you might be right!!

[Logan]

Out of curiosity, after another friend questioned Willy's sex, Helen just went to Ask Jeeves and found pictures of a male vs a female. That female sure looked alot like Willy!!

Here's a quote:

For normal greys, cinnamons, and pearls, adult males and adult females are easy to tell apart. The male bird will have a bright yellow facial mask that covers most of the face, surrounding the orange cheek patch. Both sexes have the orange cheek patch, but the hen's is duller. For whitefaces, the adult male has a bright white facial mask; the hen has a slight mask that is a lighter gray but not the pure white of the male's. Whitefaces do not have an orange cheek patch, or any yellow markings.

Willy/Wilma is dull.....beautiful, but dull. Wish I could show you the picture, but it is on a Geocities website and I don't think we can link to there.

Another quote:

The hen has a fuller, wider chest than the male. Yep!

The male's crest is longer and more curved than the hen's. Yep!

I'm going to attach a picture of a female who looks very much like our Willy. And then we're going to start thinking up a new name for our new bird. A feminine one.

[Logan]

A female looks like this. Willy looks like this.

[Logan]

If Willy was a boy, he would look like this. "He" doesn't look like this:

[Heather Wallace]

Oh dear logan, maybe a family then?
Or maybe not!

Are you keeping them seperate until you know for sure?

[momoffuzzyfaces]

ROCK A BYE BABY?
Just have to tease you! I like your new signature. I was thinking of Logan's Ark!

[wolflady]

Originally posted by momoffuzzyfaces
ROCK A BYE BABY?
Just have to tease you! I like your new signature. I was thinking of Logan's Ark!

LOL LOL LOL

[Logan]

Originally posted by Heather Wallace
Oh dear logan, maybe a family then?
Or maybe not!

Are you keeping them seperate until you know for sure?

They will ALWAYS be separate, I promise.

[zippy-kat]

My sweet Jackie looked exactly like this--minus the tail feathers! When she was a baby, she fell out of the nest on her tail feathers and they never did grow very long (she kinda looked like a cocka-chicken )

I'm going to find a pic of my (though she liked Dad better than anyone lol) Jackie and post it...it might have to be a picture of a picture as I don't have my scanner hooked up...

[Kfamr]

Maybe you can name her Wilma?

[Logan]

Helen said last night, just as she was going to sleep, that she thinks its ok for a girl to be Willy, so Willy it will remain.

[zippy-kat]

Here's my Jackie...!

Again, it's not of terribly great quality...(it's a pic of a pic)

[luckies4me]

I am just curious as to why you would keep them seperated? Cockateils are very social birds and can become very depressed if kept singly. I have raised cockateils since I was 9 years old. If you are home most of the time then I wouldn't worry about the bird but if not it is advisable that the bird have a playmate. Also the information that you have on a certain color determining whether one is male or female is wrong. The only way you can tell whether you have a male or female is to have the bird sexed at the vet. I have several females that look like your so called male cockatiel. The albinos don't even have orange cheeks and the male and female look identical. I am not trying to be rude, if I come off that way I am sorry. Also females also mount males so this should not be used to determine sex either.

[Crikit]

Originally posted by Kfamr
Maybe you can name her Wilma?

Okay this just goes to show the frame of mind I'm in this week...I can see it now Roger coming home from a long day of uh...what do birds do all day? anyhoo Roger coming home a sqwaking WILMA!!! hehehe I've had a weird week.

[Logan]

Originally posted by luckies4me
I am just curious as to why you would keep them seperated? Cockateils are very social birds and can become very depressed if kept singly. I have raised cockateils since I was 9 years old. If you are home most of the time then I wouldn't worry about the bird but if not it is advisable that the bird have a playmate. Also the information that you have on a certain color determining whether one is male or female is wrong. The only way you can tell whether you have a male or female is to have the bird sexed at the vet. I have several females that look like your so called male cockatiel. The albinos don't even have orange cheeks and the male and female look identical. I am not trying to be rude, if I come off that way I am sorry. Also females also mount males so this should not be used to determine sex either.

Since I haven't had either of the birds sex determined by a vet, which apparently is the only sure way, I will keep them in separate cages. Willy/Milly (whatever) only joined us on Wednesday of this week. And fortunately, I am home all day, everyday. My office is in my home, and today, both birds were side by side in their cages, in my office. Roger is trying his hardest to teach his new "lady" to sing the same songs that he knows.

They have both been allowed out and have checked each other out from a distance. That's enough. I'm trying not to take offense, but to be on the safe side, since I am not the experienced owner that you are, I will be safe.....I do not think raising babies would be the right thing for us right now. Heck, we have only had our first Cockatiel for a little over 2 months!! We're new at this.

But I can assure you of one thing, they will be loved!!!

[Logan]

Originally posted by Crikit


Okay this just goes to show the frame of mind I'm in this week...I can see it now Roger coming home from a long day of uh...what do birds do all day? anyhoo Roger coming home a sqwaking WILMA!!! hehehe I've had a weird week.

LOL!!! Willy/Milly......I can't even keep it straight now, but Helen is now leaning towards Milly. How confusing for a mom, who tries to call a name when she speaks!! No wilma, although it is exactly what I thought first!!!