Old but New

[tlfisher]

I have been avoiding the forum since my husband left and took Wylie with him. I miss her so much that I have avoided anything that reminds me of her. This forum was a life saving source of information since I had no clue how to take care of a bird. Now I am totally in love with birds Someday I hope to provide a rescue home for a macaw or cockatoo. I am trying to save up for a cage large enough so I can be ready to take on a special needs bird.

My daughter was giving a baby cockatiel and I thought it would be wise to return to this amazing forum so that I am providing the proper needs of this particular bird. We don't know the sex yet, but will as the bird molts. Right now it is 3 months old and pearled.

We still have one parakeet named Trish. I should rename him Trash since it turns out he is a boy... his nares turned blue. He misses his buddy Billy who had an accident and did not survive

Tracey

 

[MonicaMc]

Sorry to hear you lost Wylie (to your husband), but hopefully your new feathered companion can help fill that gap!

If you knew what mutations this tiels parents were, you might have a chance of knowing gender without having to wait, but then again, you might have to wait anyway! Perhaps you could try sexing via behavior? Males tend to be more vocal than hens. Sweetie is pretty!


Are you sure Trish is male? As per the picture you posted, Trish appears to be a female, and females can have blue ceres, too!


Here is a picture of a hen with a white cere with some blue.

Same hen with a tan colored cere

Same hen yet again with a flaky brown cere that has half fallen off, showing the white/blue underneath.

Trish appears hen based on her photo, and if her cere has any white, that's a definite sign of hen! Males don't get the white ceres.

 

[tlfisher]

Cool my daughter I'll be happy to know that Trish is a female. There is white on her nares. She's really small for a parakeet. But she sure can talk up a storm! She absolutely loves sweetie. However sweetie isn't so fond of her. When I have them together I've got to watch both very carefully.
I've been told our cockatiel is a pearl and if its male will turn grey as he molts. He is talking quite a lot and he's learning to whistle already so I'm thinking we got a male teil. He has a few tail feathers that are coming in all yellow and has quite a lot of yellow on his face in his crest with bright orange patchs on his cheeks.
I'm hoping someday when my kids grow up and I have extra money that I can rescue macaws and cockatoos. Wylie taught me a lot about how to care for a bird that doesn't trust. She was in my life for a reason. I was able to earn her trust and fell completely in love with caring for birds that have been hurt. I know she misses me, but she was rescued by my ex and he wanted to take her with him.
It breaks my heart to see all the special need parrots that need a good home. I am hoping to dedicate a room just to rescues. Everyones teasing me that I'm turning into the crazy bird lady. I don't care I love it!!!

 

[MonicaMc]

Sounds like Trish has typical budgie behavior! The last budgie I owned I ended up rehoming her because she became infatuated with my mitred conure at the time and he didn't like her. Huge size difference between the two, but she didn't care!

Sweetie is indeed a pearl. What you are looking for is clear grey feathers when "he" molts. Here's a photo of a pearl hen I had, with her father behind her.

And here's a photo of an adult pearl hen I came across that has "clear" yellow tail feathers. (not completely clear - the center of the feathers, the quill, is dark)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/reversedmemory/3580245930/



I also have a pied hen that can whistle, but she didn't learn it from me! LOL



Here's an image from Susanne Russo that shows pearl males losing their pearls. This is what to look for if Sweetie ends up being a male. - From Pearl - Just Cockatiels!

We do have a member here who has both male and female pearl cockatiels. She goes by DallyTsuka, Tsuka being her pearled boy. Tsuka now looks like a normal grey, for the most part.

http://www.parrotforums.com/hatch-dates/42027-happy-hatchday-tsuka-boy.html



Sounds like Wylie taught you a lot. Do you have any parrot rescues near where you live that you could perhaps volunteer for? Perhaps even foster for?

 

[tlfisher]

Yep. Wylie taught me alot! The closest rescue is an hour and a half drive for me. Right now I just can't afford it.
Those are some excellent pictures thank you! The way I kinda hope that he is a she. The pearl in on the females is absolutely gorgeous.

I have always loved whistle and it's just awesome to teach the birds to whistle. I swear I heard sweet tell me that he "want out" yesterday. I don't know if I was just hearing things are not. He is trying to wolf whistle. Trish tells me "no" all the time. She was older one we got her and was not handled it very much. She sure does love to fly though!

Yeah I have to keep Trish away from sweetie. He is twice your size she's such a tiny little thing.

 

[MonicaMc]

Chances are, Trish is more likely to harm Sweetie instead of the other way around! LOL Budgies are usually more aggressive than cockatiels are. I often equate budgies to an 'in your face chihuahua' and little dogs often have the "Napoleon Complex", where-as cockatiels are more like the 'laid back golden retriever', often more bark than bite.


I also love the pearls! My favorite mutation is a whiteface pearl! I've had both mutations, just never together! lol



Hopefully Sweetie turns out to be one talented female! And it's a shame the closest rescue is so far away from you. It can be fun going and interacting with a variety of birds and helping to socialize them!

BTW, have you tried interacting with Trish using millet as a reward?

 

[tlfisher]

Yup I've tried using the millet as a reward with Trish. Sometimes it helps sometimes it doesn't. Trish just want to fly when she gets out of her cage And you're right she bites harder than sweetie. She will draw blood when she gets ahold of you.

 

[tlfisher]

The female seem to have more of a grayish head too.