# This is sad...



## Guest (Sep 10, 2012)

I'm unable to find a NORMAL natural colored cockatiel. I have been searching for days. The natural cockatiels are healthier (more hardy) and live longer. I think it's a shame that I cannot find a normal natural cockatiel. It's driving me crazy!

Even the male pearled cockatiels who eventually lose the pearly are not as healthy/hardy and the NORMAL cockatiel. This is ridiculous. I have looked at the adoptions but none in my area. 

http://www.funtrivia.com/en/subtopics/Cockatiel-Color-Mutations-88909.html

http://forums.petlovers.com/vb/archive/index.php/t-512.html


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## Erinsmom (Sep 7, 2012)

I don't know where your at but in our local humane society they have 7 right now....not to mention there is a huge bird sanctuary about an hour away that has IDK how many. Call a few local breeders and get their advise....
I have seen many BEAUTIFUL mutations especially at the shows so I have no idea what you mean by sickly looking...my male WF is anything but...but good luck to you.


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

I have heard that it can be difficult to find a normal grey. But the mutations around here are beautiful and healthy. Where are you located?


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## Guest (Sep 10, 2012)

I'm located in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Sorry if in this thread I'm sounding frustrated... probably because I am frustrated!  I cannot find a normal natural male cockatiel. I spoke with several breeders and they agreed with me that they also find the natural colored tiels more hardy bla bla... but they don't sell well. Thus, they are focusing on mutations. No longer on natural colored tiels.

I really don't want to adopt because I was hoping for a younger tiel. On the other hand, adopting wouldn't be a bad idea though. I'm not sure.


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## Oni (Feb 20, 2012)

Maybe an American thing? True normals with no splits are rare but normal looking with hidden splits are quite easy to get in the UK from what I've seen.

It's true some of the mutations have become weak from selective breeding but there are breeders trying to fix that and it will take time. Most of us have birds that aren't our favourite mutation because the personality or situation endeared them to us. If you are that dead set on one you may have to travel by the sounds of it. Good luck.


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## Guest (Sep 10, 2012)

I spoke with two breeders. One has a cinnamon grey (she said he is a unique color) and the other had a grey (kind of a pearl) male. I'm thinking of just driving to see them tomorrow and get one of those... because at this rate I'll never find a bird.

I would love to adopt from a rescue but I'm worried I'll end up with a really old grumpy bird and I was hoping for a younger bird.


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## Guest (Sep 10, 2012)

Erinsmom,

I can't find the 7 tiels you mentioned. I checked but see none? Thanks


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## moonchild (Jul 29, 2012)

Have you tried Craigslist or Kijiji (eBay classifieds)? In my area there are always several tiels up for adoption, some quite young (under a year, sometimes under 6 months). There's usually at least a couple of "natural" looking ones.


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## Guest (Sep 10, 2012)

Craigslist was a disaster. The breeders I spoke to today were from ebay classified.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Its actually not true that other mutations are weaker...good breeding in recent years has greatly improved the health of other mutations so that they live just as long as a grey. I have a 10yr old WF pearl hen who is just as hardy as any one of my greys. And I have a WF lutino hen with no bald spot due to great breeding on her breeder's part. So its coming along just slowly. And really, there is nothing wrong with getting a bird from a pet store if its a good pet store. I've gotten several birds from pet stores and they are all very healthy and sweet birds (found more greys in the pet store then anywhere else.)


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

you were given some rescue/shelter options in your state that DO have normal greys. what was wrong with the shelters?

and though normal greys may be a bit more hardy than mutations, they all live the same lifespan.


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

I completely understand the appeal of a younger bird but don't rule out a tiel if you find one that you like just because of his age. I have a rehomed 15 year old cockatiel and he is a total joy. I don't think he had much out of the cage time prior to us and was on an all seed diet. We've had him about a year now and it's amazing the progress he's made. He is a complete love bug, eats his veggies, etc. Also, I think we have some members on here from Florida who might be able to give you suggestions on where to find a tiel....


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## nassrah (Feb 27, 2012)

At first I was thinking about buying an albino cockatiel,but now,I am really pleased with our normal pied gray,with some other mutations in him.(yes,there are some mutations hidden,because he came from a local breeder who,we found out later,wasnt so experienced as it seemed at first)He is a lovely looking,healthy, spoiled rotten little lad.Our second cockatiel is a WF pearl,this time bought from a reputable breeder.To be honest, we dont really care about rare or fancy mutations.Our lads are the two most precious babies in the world and they ve brought a lot of happiness into our lives. X x


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## Erinsmom (Sep 7, 2012)

Juliet said:


> Erinsmom,
> 
> I can't find the 7 tiels you mentioned. I checked but see none? Thanks


I am confused ...why would you be looking in Colorado. I said "in OUR local humane society" 

If your STUCK on a certain type of bird and expect immediate results and don't want to adopt....maybe a little patience on your part will help.


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## Guest (Sep 10, 2012)

Apologies, I misread what you wrote.


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## Erinsmom (Sep 7, 2012)

sunnysmom said:


> I completely understand the appeal of a younger bird but don't rule out a tiel if you find one that you like just because of his age. I have a rehomed 15 year old cockatiel and he is a total joy. I don't think he had much out of the cage time prior to us and was on an all seed diet. We've had him about a year now and it's amazing the progress he's made. He is a complete love bug, eats his veggies, etc. Also, I think we have some members on here from Florida who might be able to give you suggestions on where to find a tiel....


So agree both my birds are "rescues" and one hasn't been handled in years the other at least a year regularly. It is very thrilling to see the progress and then they surprised me by laying their first clutch almost immediately after moving in with me....so I must of done something right. It is very gratifying to have taken a living being that others don't want because they are "small" or not friendly or what ever and giving them a good home which all of my rescues( I have 7--- 2 pitties, 3 kitties and my 2 cockatiels) pay back a thousand fold.


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## Guest (Sep 10, 2012)

A moderator here has become offended when I stated that I find those mutated cockatiels to be unattractive. I'm sorry but that is just my opinion. This isn't a big deal. Everyone has different tastes. No biggy.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

> A moderator here has become offended when I stated that I find those mutated cockatiels to be unattractive. I'm sorry but that is just my opinion. This isn't a big deal. Everyone has different tastes. No biggy.


It is a big deal when you offend other members, break forum rules, and state inaccurate info.


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## Guest (Sep 10, 2012)

I do not find mutated cockatiels attractive. It is as simple as that. This is becoming rather childish and I fail to see how the fact that I prefer natural cockatiels over mutations because they are not attractive IMO to be offensive. *Give me a break.*


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Its not childish. Its OK for you to say that you don't like a certain mutation and that you're looking for a particular one. That's perfectly OK. But to say that other mutations but the one you like is sickly and not as healthy as normals is completely wrong and incorrect info and we don't let incorrect info stay on the forum. And if you offend people, we have to let you know, otherwise how can you change the way you word things right? So lets get back on topic!

I would definitely check out some local pet stores and I'll see if I can find the email addy for that breeder I got my mom's bird from.


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## moonchild (Jul 29, 2012)

That's true about pet stores. I work at one, and while I won't say it's the best place ever, we get our baby tiels from a lovely local breeder. And there are two "specialty" bird shops in my area who breed and raise their own. Sure, there are bad stores, but there are also "bad" breeders. I would say keep looking around, and don't rule anything out.


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## Homer2012 (Aug 19, 2012)

To bad you do not live here. The pet shop I got Rusty at had
A bunch of normal grey cockatiels. Good luck. I hope you find one.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

> It's true some of the mutations have become weak from selective breeding but there are breeders trying to fix that and it will take time.


I'm happy to report that this information is incorrect! Some of the mutations (especially lutino) had genetic issues in the beginning because of the excessive inbreeding that was used to establish the mutation, but smart selective breeding since then has greatly improved the quality and health of mutation birds. 

The links that were cited in the first post to substantiate the claim that mutations are physically inferior don't look reliable to me. The one at http://www.funtrivia.com/en/subtopics/Cockatiel-Color-Mutations-88909.html gives absolutely no substantiation for the claim that normal grey is healthiest, and was written by an unknown person who is apparently repeating something that they heard from an unknown source. Without any credentials to check, it's just dubious info from the internet.

The one at http://forums.petlovers.com/vb/archive/index.php/t-512.html is based on comments about the problems that result from careless inbreeding, which are very real but not applicable to modern cockatiels coming from good breeders. The link assumes that changes in feather color or pattern are a genetic fault or weakness. This is ridiculous. Unusual coloration can be hazardous to a wild bird until conditions suddenly change, and then the ability to evolve to a new color scheme can be the salvation of the species. Color difference alone causes no harm at all to a captive bird who is protected from predators. The link also includes this quote, indicating that any weaknesses in color-mutation birds were fixed a long time ago: 



> in an old issue of BIRD TALK in the ASK THE EXPERTS section, someone asked about color mutations in cockatiels. a long answer followed, ending with "i hope you are convinced that the color mutation of a cockatiel has no bearing whatsoever on its pet potential, talking ability, longevity or breeding production."


I searched several different ways for reliable information indicating that mutation birds were weaker or shorter-lived than the natural grey and found absolutely nothing, not even a general unsubstantiated opinion that mutation birds are inferior. I did find this quote on avianweb at http://www.avianweb.com/cockatielinfo.htm :



> The "wild" natural grey tiels are said to be the hardiest and smartest of all. This might have been true for the longest time, as a lot inbreeding was done to produce mutations. Many color mutations are now well established and may very well be as hardy and smart as the original greys. The opinions differ as much as the personalities of the great numbers of cockatiels out there. Over the years, I have owned very smart mutation tiels as well normal greys. I would choose a pet on the basis of its personality over its coloration any time.


Everybody has the right to have different tastes in which particular type of bird they prefer. But claims that mutation birds in general are physically or mentally inferior to normal greys are unsubstantiated and based on outdated information. Careless inbreeding is always a recipe for trouble, but you can do that with normal grey birds as easily as you can with mutation birds.


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## Oni (Feb 20, 2012)

Thanks teilfan, got that other information from another forum a few months ago, not from you guys.

my lutino didn't even have a bald patch


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

I would also like to add that genetic risk does not determine a bird's health. A risk factor is just that: a factor which may lead to an increased probability of something happening in the future, given certain interactions of many, many other factors. Having a genetic risk factor does not mean your bird will have health problems. Nor does having a certain mutation determine whether or not a bird has genetic risks. In today's world of breeding, it's possible for a bird to look totally healthy while incubating horrible illness, or for a bird that looks small or sickly to lead a long, healthy life. 

I am not saying this to be rude but it seems to me that you are ruining the bird-owning experience for yourself by over thinking things. Why not just look for a bird that bonds with you and enjoy the ride? Nothing is a guarantee in life, and trying to prevent so very many contingencies can make us miss the joy in the present moment.


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## Guest (Sep 10, 2012)

Yes, I agree. I'm going to take a drive down to Boca/Fort Lauderdale tomorrow to look at the birds these 2 breeders have. Hopefully I will come home with a bird


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Can't wait to see pictures if you do!!!


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## Guest (Sep 11, 2012)

The breeder only has one male and just texted me a photo. He looks like a female? She told me he's a cinnamon. He has no yellow on the face... is this because he is young? 

This woman is over an 2+hrs from where I live. I'm so busy with business I can't justify driving that long distance to see just one bird.


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## Guest (Sep 11, 2012)

I just found this: http://www.hoobly.com/cygq3ikt/cockatiels.htm

He said they have a ton of grey cockatiels (30+)... young and older. Some hand fed some aren't. I guess I will drive there and check it out as it's much closer to where I live. He was surpised when I told him I'm looking for a natural normal grey... he said nobody wants those anymore and are cheaper to buy.


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## Guest (Sep 11, 2012)

Looks like it's my lucky day... I found yet another place:

http://ezlocal.com/fl/stuart/bird-shop/37144

She told me they have several greys and also does DNA testing. I'm going to visit both of these and will get a bird from either place... hopefully


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Fingers crossed!!!

As to the first one you posted, yes its a male, just a very very young one. But its not a cinnamon, too dark to be a cinnamon. Good luck!


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