is it important?

[fatma]

hello :icon_smil ,I would like to ask that if it is important to know the sex of my Africn Grey? why???????
and in what can this help me?

[SavvyMoon]

Personally, I don't think it's 'very important' at all.
The bird doesn't care if you think it's a male or female. They don't get
offended by gender assumptions or being given the wrong name... :icon_smil

I adopted a TAG several months back and for the first 12 years
of her life her former owners thought she was a He.
They called her "Timmy".
When the rescue took her in and she went through a thorough vet check and DNA test, it was discovered Timmy was a SHE.
Because she was used to her name, and used it in phrases and all, I didn't change it. I did change the spelling of it though, so her exotic bird permit and the vet has her listed as "Timi". A more "feminine" spelling of her name.
:icon_smil

Timi has turned 13 now, and it doesn't matter one bit that she's only been a girl for the last 6 months! :icon_wink

[danforth3]

I personally like to know the sex of my bird; however, it is personal preference, not one that is absolutely necessary. Check with your vet to see if there is any importance to knowing the sex of your bird. The cost for the test if minimal and could be done at the next well visit.

[Tiki]

I personally like to know too, my birds are family members and they have sex-appropropriate names. It is really easy to have a bird DNA sexed. I used

http://www.dnanow.com/ausmain.htm

There is a link at the very top for all the international branches, just click on whatever is closest to you. Prices are very reasonable. They will email results to you.

[birdyland]

It may be good to know so that if the bird ever has health problems they can quickly rule in or rule out gender specific things like egg binding. I posted a thread on DNA sexing a couple of days ago... an inexpensive and rather painless test that can be done by mail by Avian Biotech.

Male or Female? Easy and inexpensive testing

[kensbuns]

I would say only if it is important to you. The bird really doesnt know the difference.

[Franciscus]

I wanted to know for the same reasons as birdieland. If there ever is a health issue it can rule out certain things and would eliminate certain tests and therefore saves valuable time. If a bird is eggbound, one of the symptoms is a paralized left leg. This is due to the temporary severing of a nerve there when the egg passes through. If the egg is stuck, the nerve is severed for as long as it's stuck. If you have a male bird and he has a paralized leg it's obviously due to something else, such as a stroke.

[SavvyMoon]

Well Dana and Frank made very good points as to why the gender of your birds might be something worth knowing in the future.
(for medical reasons) :icon_smil

Something to consider, for sure!

Savvy*