How to tell if my parrot is female & what general care does it need?

Question

I found Julie in my yard a few months ago. I don't know which breed she is, but I read that if you touch its pelvic bones and they are widely separated from each other (like hers), it means it is a female. Am I right? Also, I would like to be given some general advice on how to take care of parrots (frequency of checkups, trimming wings, etc.), as it is the first time I have one. Pet's info: Bird | Unknown - Bird | Female | 0.15 lbs

Jeffrey Milner · Accepted Answer

Palpation of the pelvic bones is certainly a valid method of sexing birds, but a somewhat difficult one. Even experienced veterinary professionals still have difficultly sexing birds by this method or many others. In all honesty the only way to truly sex these parrots is by either waiting to see if it lays eggs or with imaging modalities at your veterinarian. In terms of general avian care, the first thing I would do is locate an avian veterinarian and establish a relationship. It does not have to be a specialist, but at least someone who is familiar and comfortable working with pet birds (unfortunately there are not too many). They can help walk you through some of the quirks of parrots in particular. In regards to general husbandry, wing clipping is not usually necessary more than once a year. Occasionally, twice a year is needed but this is uncommon. Nail trimming / beak trimming frequency will be determined by their environment and behavior. The more time Julie spends moving around and gnawing on things, the less likely and frequently you will need to have her trimmed. With a new pet bird, I would recommend a thorough check up by a vet as soon as possible to try and determine age and health. I would also bring in a fecal sample to make sure there are no parasites that might require treatment. Hope this information is helpful!

How to tell if my parrot is female & what general care does it need?

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