# Breeding Mutations



## Abby (Jul 30, 2010)

I currently have one cockatiel. His name is Merlin and he is a Whiteface Pearl Pied.

If, in some time, I were ever to breed Merlin, what kind of mutation should I breed him with? I think this is more an opinion kind of thing...but what would make really pretty birdie babies? Just more Whitface Pearl Pieds or what?

Thanks.


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## Cockatiel132 (Aug 27, 2010)

do you kno if he has any splits? cuz that will also make different mutations if you pair him up with the right female..


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## Abby (Jul 30, 2010)

I'm sorry, I'm not too good on bird mutations, but what are "splits"?


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## Cockatiel132 (Aug 27, 2010)

its what the parents have passed on to them. 
for example., if he was split to cinamon and or lutino, then you would have those mutations show up in females, unless both parents carry the lutino and cinamon. im not the best in explaining this lol.


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## Abby (Jul 30, 2010)

I wouldn't know anything about the parents. :/ 

I bought Merlin from another owner who seemed as if she didn't know much about birds, or about the history of mine. 

Is it necessary to know that to determine what their babies will look like?


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## Cockatiel132 (Aug 27, 2010)

well as long as you choose a female that also has pearl pied, you should get some nice looking babies. but just in case, if you want to breed him, i wouldnt breed him with anything out of the whiteface/pearl/pied..unless you want some greys.


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## Abby (Jul 30, 2010)

Okay, so I should stick with breeding my cockatiel with another cockatiel that has whiteface or pearl or pied in their name? So what about a Whiteface Cinnamon Pearl? And if that's okay, would you have any idea what the babies would look like?


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## Cheryl (Dec 27, 2008)

You REALLY want to avoid breeding birds that are the same mutation. If you want to keep whiteface, try pairing the bird up with a pied split to whiteface or something along those lines. 

If you did breed a whiteface cinnamon pearl with your bird (not knowing any other splits) you would only get pied whiteface males and pied whiteface pearl females.


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## Cockatiel132 (Aug 27, 2010)

why not breed the same mutation? or if it has 1 or 2 of the same?


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## Abby (Jul 30, 2010)

This is....confusing. Just, what do you think I should breed my cockatiel with if I were to ever breed him in the future?


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## Cockatiel132 (Aug 27, 2010)

if you are going to breed using splits of the same mutation, then ud have to search for a breeder that knows what he or she is talking about. it is easier to just visually pick a mutation you want, but youd need to find a good breeder that knows the splits of the birds if you wanted to keep the whiteface pearl or pied. but i dont kno why you cant breed the same mutation. ive never heard this.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Breeding the same mutation...or 'like to like' many times results in going backwards in quality and size. it can also increase health problems with the offspring, and in extreme cases babies that can die in the nest before they are 10 days old or have difficulties getting out of the egg.

It is always best to breed a visual (meaning a bird that shows the color mutation it is) to a bird, preferrably a normal grey, that is split (carrying complimentary color genes) to pied and WF.

When we choose to breed it should also be our responcibility to *improve *each successive generation.


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## Cockatiel132 (Aug 27, 2010)

so hes going to want to avoid visual whiteface, pieds and pearls?


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Cockatiel132 said:


> so hes going to want to avoid visual whiteface, pieds and pearls?


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What he/she want to find is a nice normal, or pied that is *split to Whiteface. *

If the hen is not visually showing the pearl then this makes it easier to visually sex the offspring when they feather out. Any will pearls will be females and non-pearl males. 

If the male/father is split to anything else, such as lutino or cinnamon, these would be females too.


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## Cockatiel132 (Aug 27, 2010)

oh ok..i understand the whole pearl thing..since your already going to be getting pearl or pearl/pied females from the male..i understand that..i commented to quickly without thinking.


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## luffy3001 (Sep 1, 2010)

i think ether pearl or lutino ur choice


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