# Male Pearl cockatiel



## DJ83 (May 17, 2009)

how long does it take a male pearl to start losing his pearling?


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## *Tiel_Heart* (Feb 19, 2008)

Male pearl 'tiels normally start loosing them around there 1st molt. It can begin as early as about 8 months and normally they are gone by a year old.


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## Cheryl (Dec 27, 2008)

Usually you notice a difference by the first and second molts. Occasionally you may get one that takes a bit longer. Sometimes males even retain some of their pearls! And in rare cases, all of them.


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## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

Mine started loosing his at 5 months by 10 months he just had a few white specks - it looks like some one took a air brush to him 

here is as a baby All pearled up

1 1/2 months old 










3 months old (about)











5 months old 










11 1/2 months old - he'll be one in August 










if he takes after his dad, those white specks will stay


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

ATV...GREAT examples!!!

Since I live in FL, and it is ususally warm I am noticing that my babies are just starting their molts just after weaning. I found different temps (climates) can trigger an early or late first molt.

Mine start molting as early as 3 months old. Right now most of my babies from late Apr.-first of May feel like pin cushions when I pick them up.

Thus...there is no precise answer of _*when*_ a molt can start. General rule tends to be approx 5 months, and most of the pearls gone by a year old. Note...if pearl pied male, it may take longer to lose the pearls.


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## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

Thanks  I was going to post my normal Pearl male too but i couldn't find a good back shot of him, seemed every pic had something in the way, either toys, cage bars or another bird lol and since I sold him a while back i couldn't go snap a couple quick pics lol


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Your CP male turned into a handsome boy. And as he gets older and a few more molts he looks like he is going to have a nice pattern to his back similar to the pix... Some of the ghosting of the former pearl will actually look like partial diluted pearl as they age.


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## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

srtiels said:


> Your CP male turned into a handsome boy. And as he gets older and a few more molts he looks like he is going to have a nice pattern to his back similar to the pix... Some of the ghosting of the former pearl will actually look like partial diluted pearl as they age.


that's what I'm hoping for, Thats how Sun Dances is, not as prominent as in the pics you posted but you can tell its there and I think it just makes them look so pretty


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Yes...your boy looks like fine wine...'It improves with age'


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## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

he's such a Romeo - i really gave him the wrong name LOL 

he's in with Ice (WF FALLOW) but every time you open the cage door to do their food/water and or clean the cage he's climbing up the door and will start singing to the females in the cage above his, and if you don't put him back in time he climbs on to their cage and does his mating whistles 

such a sleaze LOL


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Hmmm..it sounds like he is a Casonova. What a bad boy


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## DJ83 (May 17, 2009)

Thanks everyone. atvchick95 your cockatiel is so pretty.

The reason I asked this question is because I bought a pearl cockatiel a year ago & I was told it was a male. It still have all of it's pearling but acts a lot like a male cockatiel.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

If it was bought over a year ago, and it still has 100% of it's pearl it is most likely a hen.


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## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

DJ83 said:


> Thanks everyone. atvchick95 your cockatiel is so pretty.
> 
> The reason I asked this question is because I bought a pearl cockatiel a year ago & I was told it was a male. It still have all of it's pearling but acts a lot like a male cockatiel.


thanks 

oh and don't let the Male antics fool you 

listen hard- my quakers and other birds wouldn't cooperate and pipe down LOL








that's sadie at 10 months old, Sadie never made a peep then one day i heard male mating whistles at 1 am snuck in it was sadie!

she did all the whistling for about 2 weeks or so and hasn't made a peep since


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Is this the same pearl 'male' you were asking about in another posting as to what babies will be when paired with a cinnamon? If so, lots of eggs...


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## DJ83 (May 17, 2009)

FYI no it's not the same cockatiel I was talking about in my other post.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

OK...then since you have a male pearl cockatiel then you can see the visual difference between male and female.

Some females when looking for a mate will actually start whistling to draw out the males to solicit (sp) one for a mate.


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## allen (Aug 25, 2007)

yes i still have 2 male pearls with some of there pearls at 3 years old but yes i agree the 1st molt they start to loose the pearls


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Ah...I found some pix's of pearls molting... By the time they start molting out pearls from looking back at saved pix's, it looks like most pearl males have already got the adult facial mask.


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