What are the different mutations?

[Birdieboy]

I am going to breed cockatiels, But I do not know how to tell apart the different mutations. Can some one tell me what the different mutations are and look like and what the usual prices are for each mutation? Thanks.

 

[Birdamor]

Please don't take this the wrong way but if you don't even know the different mutations, I would think that you don't know enough to breed them.

 

[apatrimo94]

I agree with Birdamor. Are you even experienced in breeding? If you want to get that serious, first learn the all the mutations (and there's a lot, ranging from lutinos to pieds to pearls to greys). Then learn how to breed (big enough cage to put several pairs? how many pairs? next boxes? handfeeding in case you might have to do it. brooders, do you have enough money and time to do this, because it takes A LOT of work etc). Honestly, if you're new to birds, I would highly suggest not to breed until you have a lot of experience and have a lot of confidence in what you're doing. Judging by your previous posts, I can see that you don't have very much experience with your post. Hope you don't take this the wrong way.

 

[Birdieboy]

Well I was not going to breed until I found out the mutations and learned more. I have been looking up how to breed them andthe different mutations but I didn't find very much. I figured this would be easier. I have expeeriance with birds. Mainly parakeet and cockatiels. I have not bred anything yet That is why I am going with cockatiels cause they aren't as high maintnence. I have one parakeet right now. I have not gotten the cockatiels yet because I want to get the info I need first. I am getting a proven pair once I am ready. I did not take it offensively but you said I was inexperienced with my posts. I was kicked off a different forum for this I am guessing. He did not tell me that was the reason but he kept telling that to me so I am guessing. If you think I am to inexperienced and should leave the forum I will. It won't hurt my feelings I just want to know before I post more cause I don't want to embarasse myself again.

 

[apatrimo94]

Oh ok, I'm sorry. I suppose I stepped out of line. What I said was uncalled for and I was wrong to judge. My apologies. And don't leave, ever forum member is valued.
Here's a good site showing the basic cockatiel color mutations, you might have to google each mutation to see a better picture of the ones of given: Cockatiel Mutations

 

[apatrimo94]

Here's another good one, probably better than my first one: Cockatiel Color Palette

 

[Ratzy]

Don't leave, it is just some people have heard terrible stories about people breeding with no knowledge. I'd get the cockatiels when they are young, then research until you can breed them. I breed budgies, and know people off other forums who breed cockatiels. I myself am just starting to learn about cockatiel mutations.
Lutinos
Whiteface
Pied ( light and heavy )
Silver
Pearl ( males lose markings after first moult)
Cream ( very rare)
Normal grey
Emerald
There is no such thing as an albino or pink cockatiel. So called albinos are just whiteface lutinos. My favourite mutation is pearl. My information may be a bit faulty ( I may have missed out mutations ) but I think I got most of them. Nobody is faulting you for not knowing, they are just wary that you want to breed when you seem to have a few gaps. As long as you research and ask plenty of questions, you will probably be fine. Just be aware that breeding doesn't usually go to plan and you may have a lot of problems. Ask your avian vet questions and get their phone number. Good luck!
Ps. I was like you when I started breeding budgies, with the help of another budgie forum I got four healthy chicks.

 

[Birdieboy]

Okay I will try those sights. Thank you. At the last forum no one liked me. I just didn't want to get kicked so I figured I would leave before that happened. You said I didn't sound like I had experience with my posts. Could you tell me how to post and sound experienced,

 

[Ratzy]

No, it was just how it sounded. I myself am not very experienced with cockatiels, I am taming a male pearl at the moment and I have had a light pied but that is all. It just sounded like, OK, I am going to breed cockatiels, what are the different mutations? It just sounded as though, okay, I have no experience and I will breed them. I hope that doesn't offend you. We know now that you have researched and done your homework.
It may shock you to know that I am only 12 years old, so who am I to judge who is experienced ( I just sound older because I use long words and I have been studying birds since about 5 years old, I am a junior ornithologist )?
PS: If I were asking this question, I would say, I have been researching breeding cockatiels and have just started on the different mutations, can anyone give me a quick run through of them.
PPS: I really hope this doesn't offend you, I am pretty bad at putting things my way.

 

[Aussie Ben]

Cockatiels are great birds. You should do some good research though before deciding to breed them, it really is a huge commitment. Thats why its good that you have come here, plenty of people that can give some advice on things they have learned.

Could you tell me how to post and sound experienced,

lol no need to sound experienced on here mate, we are all learning all the time. Really, we are all 'inexperienced' - If anyone ever tells you they know everything about birds, chances are they are probably telling porkies . We are still learning about these magnificent creatures. Ask as many questions as you want and people will be happy to share their 'experiences' and things they have learned, that is what a forum is for. Truth of the matter probably is, the more inexperienced you sound, the more help you are likely to get lol. So don't leave, hang around and learn, thats what I'm gonna do.

 

[Birdamor]

The thing is that it's hard enough to keep a bird healthy and happy so you should start by learning to do that - and that takes a few years in itself because anybody can keep an apparently healthy bird for 4 or 5 years, even if they don't do all the right things... Then, if you still want to breed them, you should not only read everything available about breeding but also about their physiology, diseases, behaviors in the wild, etc. because you will need this knowledge to do a good job. After that, you should find yourself a mentor because there are lots of things that you simply cannot learn from the written word, you need to see somebody doing them and then do them yourself with supervision from somebody who knows (like the proper way of catching, toweling, medicating, handfeeding, etc). And last but not least, you need to take into consideration that there are thousands and thousands of tiels in rescue (even more than budgies, if I go by the rescues I know) and producing more when the market is obviously already super-saturated does not seem like a very good idea because it's not that easy to find good homes for birds. Everybody wants a free or cheap one and everybody promises to take good care of them but few people actually pass the test of time (and tiels last a good long time if you treat them right). Especially tiels and budgies who, as you mentioned, they are considered low maintenance -something that, when it comes to birds, doesn't even exist.