# 7 Week Old Cockatiel's Gender



## amandayan (Jun 18, 2011)

Hello!

So, I bought a cockatiel about a week ago ... a Lutino!  I was told that it was a male when the breeder felt the cockatiel's stomach area. Afterwards, I brought my baby to the vet for a generic check-up and I asked the vet for my baby's gender. He just said, "It's a female. Look at those bars on the tail." I think he forgot the fact that the cockatiel is only 7 weeks old ... that's just only about 2 months. 

Anyway, is there anyway to determine my cockatiel's gender? The bird does have some bars on it's tail, but it's marking is starting to become weaker when I first got it. Same with the spots on its wing. :O 

Personality-wise, the cockatiel is super sweet! The cockatiel makes soft purring noise, likes to put its head against my nose and can stand still on my finger. It can make loud noises when it wants, but not as often. Sleeps a lot too. 

I wish I could take pictures but I can't seem to find my camera's battery. Wahhhhh. 

Anyway, what do you guys think?

Thanks! ^_^


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Check out the wing spot sexing thread in the breeding section that should help you sex your bird. Bars on the tail are only an indication of female if the bird has gone through its first moult. And the pelvis test isn't 100%, I've had two girls with narrow pelvises and both were female.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

The only way to be sure at this age is to get a DNA test. Lutino is a sex-linked mutation so females are more common than males, but there are still plenty of males and your bird could be one of them.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

You might want to ask the breeder what the parents were. If the mother *was not a lutino* then the baby would be a female. If the mother was a lutino it can be either sex.


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## amandayan (Jun 18, 2011)

Whoa! Thanks everyone! I don't care for the gender but I am curious because if my cockatiel is a girl, she'll need extra care when it comes to the egg laying season. 

Hmmm ... the breeder showed me the parents and they are both Lutinos! I guess I gotta wait for the first molt.  I never knew female Lutinos are more common than male Lutinos! Fascinating!! The more you know.


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