# Buying a Cockatiel for the 1st Time



## Adoril (Jan 11, 2009)

I've been looking for an adult female cockatiel for my male cockatiel for quite some time now. So today while I was searching on kijiji.com, I found a breeder. I asked the breeder through e-mail if he/she had any female cockatiels that are 18+ months old. The breeder replied back answering me that he/she did and the mutations he/she said were, cinammon, lutino, and white pastel. I'm guessing by white pastel he/she meant white face. The breeder had posted some pictures of the cockatiels. So what my question is, if anyone can help me identify which one of the cockatiels looks like a female through the pictures. My male cockatiel is a normal grey. So I would like a female cockatiel that will make it easier for me to identify their chicks if it is a male or female (when they have chicks). Also, since this is my 1st time buying a cockatiel, I was wondering if there are any helpful tips that I need to know before I buy one. Thank you for reading this, have a great day.


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## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

1st pic is male - white face Split to pied 
2nd pick the lutinos and white face lutino COULD be females depending on their parents mutations and splits there is a White Face female on the top far end left corner - white face male behind her 
3 rd pic - right to left 2 white face lutinos (or thats what they look like from the pic) with a pied - the pied can be either sex, again the White face lutinos could be girls depending on their mutations 

what he/she probable meant by pastel is Pastel face - their cheek patches are extremely light compared to a normal tiel 

this is a pastel face(they come in different mutations though this is just an example)


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## Adoril (Jan 11, 2009)

Oh ok thanks for replying.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

What country do you live in? Many breeders have different terms for some mutations.

Also can you ask the seller to take pix's of the 'specific' birds for sale?

From what they sent you it appears that they are colony breeding and have no clue really on what they have in regards to mutations.

The first pix is a male, and a whiteface. it is either a molted out pearl or a dominant silver.

2nd. pix, on top of the box: Lutino, Lutino WF, WF male, Cinnamon WF hen. Below: lutino (poss a cinnamon lutino) WF pied (poss. DS) and lutino

3rd pix: Pearl pied, Lutino WF, and other is hard to tell, but the back appears to be darker and can be a cinnamon pearl pied WF ot cinnamon lutino WF.


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## Adoril (Jan 11, 2009)

srtiels said:


> What country do you live in? Many breeders have different terms for some mutations.
> 
> Also can you ask the seller to take pix's of the 'specific' birds for sale?
> 
> ...


I live in the US


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Ok...if you have a normal male, with no splits, it does not matter what mutation the hen is, all you will get is normal babies.

Do you have any info on what your males parents were?

Since you are in the US, the breeders comment: _*and white pastel*_ This is an inexpereinced breeder that is unfamilar with mutations and guessing at names on what their birds are.

Please post a back view pix of your male.


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## Adoril (Jan 11, 2009)

srtiels said:


> Ok...if you have a normal male, with no splits, it does not matter what mutation the hen is, all you will get is normal babies.
> 
> Do you have any info on what your males parents were?
> 
> ...


Ok I just took pictures as he flew out of the cage and onto the blinds.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Thanks! very good shots. From what I am seeing your male was pearled when a baby, and in looking at the light colored wing flight feathers he is pearl lightly pied. So genetically he is a pearl pied. Light pied has just a few pied Ilight colored/yellow) feathers, on the flights or patches on the body.

So if he was paired with a hen that was pied or split to pied, you would get pied babies (some babies will have alot more yellow than the father) and pearl babies, and pearl pied babies. if you get any other colors that are not the same color as the parents or the hen, that means he would be carrying those genes too.

This helps because you can say you have an adult pearl that is lightly pied, and you would like a hen carrying the pied gene.

If the seller is unfamiliar with mutations or does not know what you are talking about find someone else.


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## Adoril (Jan 11, 2009)

srtiels said:


> Thanks! very good shots. From what I am seeing your male was pearled when a baby, and in looking at the light colored wing flight feathers he is pearl lightly pied. So genetically he is a pearl pied. Light pied has just a few pied Ilight colored/yellow) feathers, on the flights or patches on the body.
> 
> So if he was paired with a hen that was pied or split to pied, you would get pied babies (some babies will have alot more yellow than the father) and pearl babies, and pearl pied babies. if you get any other colors that are not the same color as the parents or the hen, that means he would be carrying those genes too.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the reply. So my cockatiel was a pied all along and I thought he was a Normal Grey.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Yes...he is very lightly pied...but still a pied....and a handsome bird.

By looking at the tail feathers spread that yellow mottling is an indication that he was also a pearl when young. So genetically a pearl pied.


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## Adoril (Jan 11, 2009)

Wow, thank you for everything. I'm just wondering, but are you a vet? You seem to know everything about cockatiels, lol.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

No, I am not a vet, but have had 2 vets that were generous with their time and taught me alot, including what medical books to have on hand so that I can do my own self-diagnosise and treatments. Every once in awhile my 2nd vet will call with advice for treatment of a tough case with a cockatiel. My 2nd vet has been after me to do a book to be promoted to the vet profession to have on hand for clients. The client can look in the book and point out what is going on.


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## Adoril (Jan 11, 2009)

Bump Up My Topic


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## Adoril (Jan 11, 2009)

Bump Up My Topic


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