Question about Emu Behavior

[ShannonsChimkens]

If you can record it’s sounds, we can tell you what it is.

 

[emupriya]

I have a video of him making noise, but I’m not sure how to post videos on BYC since I don’t have YouTube ):
I’ll just assume he’s a male for now, unless I find a clutch of eggs!

 

[Pyxis]

I can’t be sure if what I felt was just fat or the sack.
Anyway, I contacted the breeder we got him from, and he said they were genetically sexed. There’s a 1-2% chance its wrong but I think it’s unlikely. Guess I just got a really strange emu. Thanks for all the info and help!

Can you grab a few feathers from him/her? You'll have to get them root and all, but if you can snag a few, you can have the DNA test done yourself to confirm.

Was he marked in some way when you got him? Even if the breeder did have them DNA sexed, which they would have had to have done by eggshell or blood at that age, they could have mixed them up. Eggshell is more likely than blood, since most people don't draw blood from baby emus, so maybe they mixed up what egg it came out of, or mixed up the chicks after sending the samples out.

But if he/she is making a drumming or booming sound, she is almost definitely female. Males don't make that sound.

 

[emupriya]

Can you grab a few feathers from him/her? You'll have to get them root and all, but if you can snag a few, you can have the DNA test done yourself to confirm.

Was he marked in some way when you got him? Even if the breeder did have them DNA sexed, which they would have had to have done by eggshell or blood at that age, they could have mixed them up. Eggshell is more likely than blood, since most people don't draw blood from baby emus, so maybe they mixed up what egg it came out of, or mixed up the chicks after sending the samples out.

But if he/she is making a drumming or booming sound, she is almost definitely female. Males don't make that sound.

He was marked with a band when we got him. I did some research comparing his sound to those of other emus, and found his call is more of a grunt rather than the boom/drum of a female.
If I have any more suspicions then, yes, I’ll get him DNA tested but I’m pretty sure he’s male.
One more question- will my emus be okay in nighttime temps as low as 10 degrees(F) ? They have a fully enclosed shelter and lots of bedding.