My Little Princess! Watch me grow!

[basketbagley]

Most of you know I'm (im)patiently waiting for my baby Princess of Whales to be weaned. It should be about 6 or 7 weeks old now so it's getting close to take home time! Not sure how fast they wean.

I couldn't get the video clip to work when the clutch was hatchlings, but am waiting for a photo to post of that time.

Here is couple I got a few weeks back, I think they are around 3 weeks old here. I will post more when they come in.

also, here is a photo album that shows how they grow.

www.mandtexotictamebabies.photosite.com/album1/

I can't wait to get my new baby! Still haven't picked out a name yet. Not sure if I want to do the DNA test and then name it, or even do the test at all. I'm nervous about doing the blood sample card. and I think I'd be nervous about plucking feathers too.

Anyway, some names I have so far are::

Princess or Prince Pepsi
Calypso
Aloha

[The Outlaw]

Tracey:

She is truly stunning. I wish there were more of them around. Seems they are rarer than hen's teeth. I really like your breeder. I have spoken to her on 3 occasions and she's always very helpful.

THE OUTLAW

[Tiki]

Tracy, he is gorgeous! You can have a DNA test done with only a feather, you don't have to do bloodwork. That's what I did with my young tiels, because I like gender appropriate names for my own birds.

[basketbagley]

Originally Posted by The Outlaw

Tracey:

She is truly stunning. I wish there were more of them around. Seems they are rarer than hen's teeth. I really like your breeder. I have spoken to her on 3 occasions and she's always very helpful.

THE OUTLAW

Thank you! I think she is quite a beauty too! Funny, I was at Parrots Plus yesterday to see if he had any baby budgies, and he had a female adult POW there. she was VERY pretty, but VERY quite. hhhmm.... I wonder why there aren't more around? They are suppose to be easy to breed, and quite personable and good talkers?

I meant to ask you about my breeder. You had said you contacted her about princess's before? Why didn't you end up with one? Was there something about Mary you didn't like? or where there just non available or just wouldn't work with the flock you already had?

Hope you don't mind me asking!

[basketbagley]

Originally Posted by Tiki

Tracy, he is gorgeous! You can have a DNA test done with only a feather, you don't have to do bloodwork. That's what I did with my young tiels, because I like gender appropriate names for my own birds.

Thanks Tiki! I'm a little worried about pulling feathers too! Does it hurt them at all? Do I have to hold him down? I'd like to do Tinkerbell too, send them in at the same time.

Do you just use your fingers? Wish we could just use the molting feathers! (I know you can't!)

[smallonion]

What a little darling. I can't believe my Humphrey once looked like that. By the way, you DON'T have to do a blood test! POWs are sexually dimorphic. THe males have bright blue heads, while the female's head is a more dusky grey blue. The males also get a wing extension that grows on the third primary. THe males tails are a lot longer too. Once your baby feathers out I will be able to tell from a photo. I can't wait to see more of your dear baby

[smallonion]

Here's info I found about sex differences in POWs

They are sexually dimorphic; hence males and females can be distinguished visually. Males have longer tail feathers than females, and the males generally have brighter coloring than females. For example, the male has a bright blue head, and the female's head is a more muted grey-blue color. The male has a coral red beak, while the female's is more of a wine color. Another unusual way to distinguish between the sexes is with eye coloring. The male has an orange iris, while the female's is much browner. In addition to the normal and the three color mutations, there are also some color variations such as the Red Princess of Wales.

from http://www.secretgardenexotics.com/B...alexandrae.htm

[basketbagley]

Originally Posted by smallonion

What a little darling. I can't believe my Humphrey once looked like that. By the way, you DON'T have to do a blood test! POWs are sexually dimorphic. THe males have bright blue heads, while the female's head is a more dusky grey blue. The males also get a wing extension that grows on the third primary. THe males tails are a lot longer too. Once your baby feathers out I will be able to tell from a photo. I can't wait to see more of your dear baby

Thanks for all the info! There's not too much around about them. I knew as adults they could be sexed visually (not that I could w/out seeing a male & female together) but as babies Mary from M&T said it was impossible to tell. So if I want a gender specific name, I may have to pluck some feathers!

Not sure yet if I want to do that to my little baby or not!

[basketbagley]

I just talked with Mary, and she said that my baby is getting so beautiful and is in the weaning process!!! She said about 2 weeks I can bring him/her home!

WOOOO HOOOOO!!!!!

I'm going up there the begining of next week to get a budgie buddy for Sunny. I'm excited about that too! Even though they aren't hand fed, they are very tame babies. I'm really gonna have my hands full!!!

I'm soo Excited!!!!!!

[CKD]

How exciting. I cant wait to see pics.