Hi there~

1840 Views 11 Replies 7 Participants Last post by nic bike, Oct 23, 2007

Serenity

Discussion Starter · Oct 16, 2007

Hello. I've been a lurker for quite a long time now. I'm on the Talk Budgies forums as well. I didn't really have too much to say here because I didn't own a tiel ... until about five days ago.

I have wanted a cockatiel for more than a year and a half now. I was going to get one last year, but my boyfriend somehow talked me into getting two budgies instead (one of which I still own).

Recently, on one of my trips to the pet store, I stopped by the tiel section and picked one up. Generally this is no easy feat... most of them will just bite if you try to touch them, but he was very trusting. I found out that a lot of the staff members favoured him as well. After coming back to visit a couple times, I decided I was going to take him home... I went out and bought him a cage and now he's here~

Here he is still in the pet store~

Naturally, it took him a few days to settle in, but he's still quite tame. He's still very quiet, though. It took me even longer to decide on a name, but I'm almost certain I'm going to be calling him Sawyer.

I do have one question though. He's got a bald spot on the back of his head, which I have heard is a genetic trait with lutino/albinos... which he is not... so I just wanted to ask if it looks similar to that or if maybe one of the other birds was picking on him.

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Aly

· #2 · Oct 16, 2007

Welcome and CONGRATS! Gorgeous baby! I hope my Ziggy grows up to be as pretty as Sawyer. He'll start chattering in no time- I promise.

As far as the bald spot I really can't say much on that. I do know about Lutinos who have it (like Laura's Charlie)

but I wasn't aware that it could happen to pieds...It could be that they were picking on him or it could be just his bald spot. Are there any pin feathers there coming in at all? Ziggy has three grey feathers right in that spot...

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Laura

· #3 · Oct 16, 2007 (Edited)

Hi there welcome to the forum congrats on your new baby s/he is adorable do you know if its male or female? I did not know this but I read recently through the ACS that when the pieds first appeared it did have a bald spot but its been successfully elimanted due to selective breeding.
Its hard to tell in the picture when the crest is down can you see the bald spot or is it hidden under the crest? its hard to say but it very well could be a bald spot like you would see on a lutino or it could be he was picked on by other birds.

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Aly

· #4 · Oct 16, 2007

Yea- I noticed that too Laura- it does seem lower than the normal bald spot...

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Bea

· #5 · Oct 16, 2007

Welcome to the forum! I love the name Sawyer, it's really cute. Your tiel is adorable and i wouldn't worry too much about the bald spot. If it's from him being picked on then it will grow back, if not it's a genetic thing like in lutinos. My pied has one too. I have a theory. I think it means he's split to lutino, i know one of Bailee's parents were split to lutino, so he could've got the bald spot from the lutino gene...

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Serenity

Discussion Starter · #6 · Oct 16, 2007

Now that I'm taking a second glance at it, it kinda looks like there are a couple of feathers coming in there, but it's hard to be sure. I suppose I'll know in a few months if they've grown in. You -can- see it when his crest is down, it's directly on the back of his head, not so much on the top.

I can't be positive of his gender. The pet store told me male because he liked to sing a lot. Like I said, he's been fairly quiet so far, so I've yet to assess this for myself.

Forgot to upload this before, but I've also got a short video of some chittering he did on his second day. Totally wasn't expecting it... he was sitting up on his perch and he randomly climbed down and started to sing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flP3mno7aTM
Ignore the TV in the background...

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Bea

· #7 · Oct 16, 2007

Serenity said:
I can't be positive of his gender. The pet store told me male because he liked to sing a lot. Like I said, he's been fairly quiet so far, so I've yet to assess this for myself.

Forgot to upload this before, but I've also got a short video of some chittering he did on his second day. Totally wasn't expecting it... he was sitting up on his perch and he randomly climbed down and started to sing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flP3mno7aTM
Ignore the TV in the background...

He's a little boy, that chattering is classic male behaviour. You should try and teach him some words or whistles. Sounds like he might be a natural.

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Laura

· #8 · Oct 16, 2007 (Edited)

Babyluv12 said:
Yea- I noticed that too Laura- it does seem lower than the normal bald spot...

judging by the pic and this is just a guess I would say he was being picked on, the spot looks a little scabbed on my end I see little black spots, my lutino has the bald spot but its just smooth and flesh coloured and if she has her crest down you can't see it or if the feathers go over it a certain way you can't see it but for the most part its noticeable...lol

Just watched the video yup thats a male, he's a cutie sounds like he is trying to say something..hehe

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Aly

· #9 · Oct 16, 2007

Male for sure- he's adorable- I love how they sound when they're making up their own chatter..hehe- I think Bea and Laura are right. He's either been picked on or it's genetic. If I had to guess I would say he was picked on because the spot is lower than normal. Just my thoughts. Anyways, he's adorable- More pics are always welcome!

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