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Is my parrot a male or a female?
The only reliable method is by surgical or DNA methods both which can be done by an avian veterinary surgeon. Or alternatively a DNA sexing kit can be obtained via mail order. A blood sample is taken by cutting a toe nail too short. A drop of blood is caught in a special capillary tube provided and returned to the laboratory for testing. The sexing result is returned by post some days later. Advertisements for this method can be seen in many cage bird magazines.
There are many theories of how to sex these birds visually, Two of the more successful ones are. The hen has a smaller sleeker head and beak than the cock also the head is more rounded at the crown and the cock has a flatter crown large head and large beak. Another is that the "V" of the vest is shorter in the cock stopping somewhere between the upper part of the chest or midway down the front, whereas the hens vest is much longer and terminates between the legs.
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When should I expect to see a clutch from the Sengals pairs?
The Senegal usually breeds in our winter November to March but some birds have been known to breed at other times of the year. Like I said about the age at which they will breed, do not lay down hard and fast rules. They lay normally 2 to 3 eggs but cases have been recorded of clutches as high as 6 eggs. They lay with a two day interval incubation is carried out by the hen and lasts for about 25 to 28 days dependent on the ambient temperature. Commencement of the incubation is usually after the 2nd egg has been laid. The young leave tchashe nest at approximately 9 weeks and are independent at about 12 weeks.
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I just purchased a Senegal and she is 1 yrs old, when can I start breeding her?
It is commonly accepted that these birds to not breed until they are about 3 to 4 years of age
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Which Senegal Parrot do I have? There are 3 different subspecies of the Senegal Parrot
· Poicephalus senegalus senegalus: This is known as the nominate race it has a yellow belly. And comes from: Southern Mauritania, southern Mali to Guinea and from the Island of Los.
· Poicephalus senegalus versteri: This has a red belly comes from: The Ivory Coast and Ghana east to western Nigeria
· Poicephalus senegalus mesotypus: This has a orange belly and comes from: Eastern and North- eastern Nigeria, northern Cameroon into south-western Chad.
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What kind of behavior do Senegals portray?
Hand reared birds make very good pets. They are small enough to handle and can be accommodated in a medium sized parrot / parakeet cage. Not too noisy and will learn to talk and imitate sounds such as the creak of the garage door, the ping of the microwave,the ring of the telephone etc. Not with the accuracy of pitch and tone as would an African grey, but quite entertaining. My hand reared Senegal likes to whistle various tunes but not always getting the notes in the correct order. One minus point I have found is that some individuals can on occasions bite. When excited, or in protest at being put back into their cage before they want to go. This must be remembered when handling these birds. They must be allowed time out of their cage to exercise and interact with their owner. I have also found that these birds will attach themselves to one person in particular, but can also change their affection to someone else, if the mood takes them. My pet Senegal “Mookie” would only come to me for twelve years, but has now changed his affection to my partner, which took about 7-8 months to create the love affair.
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Where do Senegals come from?
Africa
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How can I tell just by looking if my Senegal is healthy?
· A curious and active disposition
· Clear, bright eyes
· Clean smooth feathers
· Eats throughout the day
· Normal droppings that are not excessively running for more that a couple of days
http://www.petcaretips.net/senegal-parrot.html
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How can I tell just by looking at my parrot that he may be getting sick?
· Change in droppings in excess of two days
· Decrease appetite; weight loss
· Decrease activity and grooming behavior
· Discharge from nose or mouth;sneezing
· Feathers flffed for prolonged periods of time
· Sitting at the bottom of cage
· Wheezing and coughing
http://www.petcaretips.net/senegal-parrot.html
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Why does my bird bite me?
The foundation you build with a young bird will make all the difference in how you can handle him when he reaches maturity. Books on parrot behavior may help you, but the best way to learn the signs is to watch your bird and make a note of specific reactions. For example, "When I move quickly like that he spins around. This means I've startled him and an instinctive response has kicked in. I need to talk to him first." One special thing to look for is when your bird seems to be in a trance-like state. This is a natural protective behavior. In the wild parrots "take turns" standing watch for the flock for any danger. They are in a hyperalert state at that time, blocking out all extraneous (i.e., nondangerous) stimuli. A sudden movement or threatening approach during that "trance" can make them lunge instinctively.
http://www.parrotparrot.com/avianvets/
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Should I use my pet bird to breed?
A big issue to take into consideration is your relationship with your pet bird. Many times a bird who takes a mate becomes less interested in his "human flock". Are you willing to risk giving up your bond with your bird to raise a clutch of babies? Many bird owners find that for them, the answer is a resounding NO.
http://birds.about.com/od/breedingyourbird/f/breedpetbird.htm
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