# Very Quiet Cockatiel



## ElaineS (Aug 31, 2010)

Hi folks

We brought home our new baby Sonnie who is a lutino, at 6 weeks and he is now 9 weeks old. My memory is vague of when Cheeko started to make real birdie sounds as Sonnie apart from the odd squeak is very very quiet. We talk often to him and not even the sound of the birds outside has him making more sounds. I know he is still young yet and to be honest with him being a lutino we aren't even sure if he is male or female. The breeder we bought him from said he was male but I know it isn't always as easy to determine in young lutinos. Cheeko our beloved boy we lost at the age of 11 was a pied and was easily identifiable as a male and had all the male traits. Is it possible that Sonnie is a girl and that they are normally quieter?


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

females are quieter so it is very likely you have a female. i would wait however, until theres a molt
with lutinos, after the first molt between 4-9 months old, check the wings. if theres slightly visible spots--female. if not, then male. but you will need a backlight to tell maybe. but he or she could be a late bloomer male and start singing at 4-7 months old. you just have to wait and see


----------



## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Lol pet shop told me that lucky was a boy 3 months ago and i always wondered why lucky is so quiet, turns out my lucky is a girl ( pet shop done this with my bunny said it was a girl and it was a boy)
I only now trust people who have pets like on here and do research on my own from internet


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

dallys breeder flat out told me she didnt know the gender but she GUESSED she was male based on bright face for a young female... but she also picked dally out for me cause she was calm and relaxed unlike her others. so she also just stated female traits lol
but personally, i like females better  dunno. i like males as they have charm but if i got another tiel, it would be a female


----------



## Hemlock (Aug 1, 2010)

Rio was always very quiet. Not much of a screamer, either. She's confirmed as a "Her". If you're curious, you cold always do the DNA sexing. We just had it done with Littlefoot. Both vets were convinced he was a She based on barring on the tail feathers (though my understanding that makes no difference in Pieds), and the breeder and myself were convinced he was a he simply due to vocalizations and activity level.


----------



## ElaineS (Aug 31, 2010)

Thanks for your replies. Sonnie is a real gentle wee soul, I put that down to being quite young when i brought him/her home and easier to handle but it could be that he is a she then. I'll look out for her first molt to check her. When is their first molt usually?

I'll post photos of her soon and photos of our beloved Cheeko.


----------



## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

They say around 6 months, lucky started when she is 4 and half as she now 5 month.
Im having doubt about her age as pet shop told me that she was a he and i got told she was 12 weeks when i got her


----------

