X-breeding a COCKATOO and an ECLECTUS

[cockalectus]

Hi everyone! I just become a member of this group and I hope someone can give me some helpful thoughts/inputs on the above subject-title.

I am an owner of a few bird species, my concern is; is it possible that an ECLECTUS and a COCKATOO be crossbreded?

I got this attention sometime when my two birds became really good friends and ultimately mated, it did not come to my imagination that they can be crossbreded because they are of different bird specie (i think).

In some of my observation I actually happened to see and took some photos of the two birds making love or actually mating.

My observation became more often as I became so curious of the happenings.

Then 1 day when I enter the cage I saw a broken shell of a small egg, for sure a bird egg in a hollowed wall part of the cage. So, I instructed my househelp to enter the cage everyday and really watch that same spot and lo and behold, another bird egg.

I decided to took it out of the cage for fear that it will be crushed again. Now it is in an (DIY) incubator for already 10 days because I haven't found anyone in my place that had an incubator.

My questions are:
-Is this possible to hatch?
-What is the right temp for the incubator?
-How many days does a cockatoo egg hatch?
-If hatched, what are the foods for the chick?

These are just some of the questions that lingers in my mind, but i guess this will do for now.

Will be attaching pictures of the actual mating and the egg next time as I don't know yet how to upload them.

Thank you.

 

[MikeyTN]

This is a highly debatable subject as cross breeding is not welcomed!!!! I am personally very much against it.....I don't think it would work due to different specie. IF the egg is fertile you should be able to check it right now for fertility. I don't think your make shift egg incubator would work cause the eggs needs to be turned every so often. The temperature should be set at 99 degrees F. Humidity matters too!!! Unless you understand the meaning of breeding and hand raising, I would highly suggest you not to try it!

 

[MomtoPercy]

I am no expert by any means but I'd imagine crossbreeding to be a very difficult and complicated endeavour. My question would be : WHY? Why mess with something as perfect as a too and an eclectus? They're gorgeous already, no embelishments needed. I realise that you didn't specifically set out with this in mind but considering you observed mating behaviour, perhaps its best to seperate them for the time being? I would imagine that any chick produced in this situation would have some problems and may not survive.

Just my (uneducated and inexperienced ) 2c worth

 

[Empath]

I'd be curious to see if the egg was fertile and hatched just to see what it looked like. I'm not a fan of intentionally doing it though .
In Australia there's been crosses between the cockatoo species corella and Galah but these birds share similar genetic links which a cockatoo and electus don't. Also these crosses I believe are aviary birds not wild ones

 

[JerseyWendy]

I whole-heartedly agree with Michael and Michelle.

Please, do NOT do this! WHY would you even consider cross breeding these 2 species???

 

[Allee]

I wholeheartedly agree with everyone else. If the offspring of these two birds survived at all I wouldn't want to see the results.

 

[SilverSage]

I think it is pretty clear that the OP did not intend this to happen, but has observed his birds and is wondering. I am glad you chose to ask a parrot community rather than just going it alone!

I doubt the egg is fertile, as those two species are very very different. I would suggest googling how to see if the egg is fertile, and checking it out right away.

I doubt your homemade incubator is working, due to the very specific rotation, humidity, and temperature needs of eggs. However, in this situation that may be a good thing.

Any babies that did happen, if it were even possible, would be highly confused birds and would have some VERY complicated nutritional needs, etc. I suggest ordering some dummy-eggs that are about the same size as the eggs that are being produced. If your birds lay again, replace the eggs with the dummy eggs and leave them be. This will hopefully stop your bird from laying more eggs than her body can handle. Eventually when they do not hatch, she will hopefully abandon them.

I do not agree that the two should be separated, this could be very stressful and trigger emotional problems in the birds. However if you really feel you must do it, please keep them close enough to see one another. Hopefully as spring draws to a close this behavior will lessen.

What are your birds eating? Egg laying is very hard on a bird's body, and whether she raises the babies or not. Please make sure your birds are eating high quality pellets and lots of veggies, not seeds or nuts. Do some research on the calcium and other nutrient needs of a brooding hen, and make sure those are being met.

I see in your profile picture you have captured the mating. I hope you are able to find a peaceful way to stop this for the health of your birds and to make sure you do not risk a hybrid. If you feel you cannot destroy the eggs, please find a veterinarian, scientist, or wildlife rehabilitator to take the eggs to and do not attempt to care for them on your own. Again, I do not think this hybrid is possible, but with such different species, if it happened, a novice hand raiser is unlikely to be able to meet the needs of the chick.
Best of luck! Please keep us updated.

 

[Constantine]

i dont understand why everyone is so negative to cross breeding...mixing the genes in nature is how the species evolve and change, in much greater periods of time...at the end of the day it is the very same process, accidental matings which turn out to be successfull....i would be totally intrigued by such a thing, it would be natural history...

 

[JerseyWendy]

....., it would be natural history...

Only is THIS not happening in nature but to captive birds.

 

[labell]

Look at the user name this person chose and the first thread. Either number one this person hopes that they are fertile and can produce babies from what I would think is just a HIDEOUS cross or number 2 they are a TROLL.......

 

[Kiwibird]

I have refrained from commenting on this, but I kind of had the same feeling about the poster intentionally wanting to breed them and is trying to think of a way to ask how to do that without actually coming out and saying it. The profile picture alone is not, erm, what I would expect to see on here as a profile pic.
I am not inherently against cross-breeding, like the "milligold" macaw someone just adopted or some of the mixed zons you occasionally see. Birds who are unlikely to have any genetic issues due to species being close enough genetically to produce viable offspring, and are something that could possibly occur in nature I don't take issue with. But this kind of cross breeding is really very irresponsible. The potential for chicks with genetic defects/incompatible with life is extremely high, if fertilization would be possible at all.

I will say it is probably highly inadvisable (especially for someone with no experience) to try to breed these 2 birds, and the eggs the female is laying are most likely infertile. Many female parrots lay infertile eggs, just like how chickens do. A quick google search could have told the user how to candle an egg to check if it were fertile and one would think they would have done that FIRST before searching how to build some kind of DIY "incubator". And in the highly unlikely case a chick were to result of this unholy union, it would likely have some pretty serious issues due to incompatible genetics. This is not the same as cross-breeding different species of macaws or zons or toos that would result in hybrids in the same family of birds, these are 2 entirely different families of birds altogether. It would be like trying to cross a human and a monkey- close, but not THAT close.

IF it is true the birds are attempting to mate of their "own free will", the owner should separate them until the breeding season is over. Better for the birds, better for the owner (breeders are nasty and vicious as a rule). An AV should be consulted in regards to the laying female as to the best way to curb her laying and advise on any dietary changes that need to be made for her due to the laying. Sexual behavior from both the male and female should be ignored/discouraged. And if there is somehow the one in a million chance a eclectus-cockatoo hybrid chick on the way, there is no doubt a AV should be on call to advise on care and do a full physical examination to check for significant issues with the chick. Even better, an AV should recommend an EXPERIENCED breeder to assume care of any offspring this couple has 'accidentally' produced, and steps should be taken in the future to AVOID any further offspring.

 

[RavensGryf]

Look at the user name this person chose and the first thread. Either number one this person hopes that they are fertile and can produce babies from what I would think is just a HIDEOUS cross or number 2 they are a TROLL.......

I have refrained from commenting on this, but I kind of had the same feeling about the poster intentionally wanting to breed them and is trying to think of a way to ask how to do that without actually coming out and saying it. The profile picture alone is not, erm, what I would expect to see on here as a profile pic.

EXACTLY. When I saw it, first thing I thought was 'nice' username and profile pic.

 

[MikeyTN]

i dont understand why everyone is so negative to cross breeding...mixing the genes in nature is how the species evolve and change, in much greater periods of time...at the end of the day it is the very same process, accidental matings which turn out to be successfull....i would be totally intrigued by such a thing, it would be natural history...

The problem with this one is that neither one of these species belong in the same area out in nature. So it is done by humans in captivity not naturally occurring thing out in the wild!!!!

 

[aether-drifter]

I highly, HIGHLY doubt it is possible for those two birds to produce fertile eggs. Anyone with more knowledge of science/genetics care to confirm? I don't think there is any point in debating the ethics of it when it is impossible (though hybrids that can actually be created are a different story entirely).

If they are bonded, let them be together. When you think about it, it isn't that weird that they would choose each other as mates, considering hand-raised parrots often regard humans (who bear much less relation to them than another bird) as their mates. Let them sit on infertile or fake eggs. But the idea of expecting them to actually breed is pretty ridiculous.

 

[veimar]

I'm not competent in this topic, but reading this discussion I had just one question in my head - WHAT'S THE POINT of this crossbreeding? Would the crossbreed chimera be better than beautiful Electus or adorable too? All my nature protests that idea…
BTW, I'm not able to upload my profile picture and it's very upsetting to me - so no picture is not a sign of a troll. :-/

 

[RavensGryf]

BTW, I'm not able to upload my profile picture and it's very upsetting to me - so no picture is not a sign of a troll. :-/

The reference was made about the person who did have a picture.
What happened when you tried to upload your avatar? Maybe the pic wasn't the right format or size? Try again? It will be fun to see what pic you choose!

 

[MikeyTN]

I'm not competent in this topic, but reading this discussion I had just one question in my head - WHAT'S THE POINT of this crossbreeding? Would the crossbreed chimera be better than beautiful Electus or adorable too? All my nature protests that idea…
BTW, I'm not able to upload my profile picture and it's very upsetting to me - so no picture is not a sign of a troll. :-/

Give it a try again, view this link here----> http://www.parrotforums.com/technical-support/6287-how-post-pictures.html

 

[Kiwibird]

BTW, I'm not able to upload my profile picture and it's very upsetting to me - so no picture is not a sign of a troll. :-/

No picture surely isn't a sign of a troll. Not everyone has a camera or maybe they just don't want one. I didn't mean to offend you Veimar And this user does have a profile pic, but it's not of something that most would necessarily want to highlight about their pets (if I am seeing what I *think* I am seeing in that pic). That was kind of what I meant.

 

[mtdoramike]

I am no expert by any means but I'd imagine crossbreeding to be a very difficult and complicated endeavour. My question would be : WHY? Why mess with something as perfect as a too and an eclectus? They're gorgeous already, no embelishments needed. I realise that you didn't specifically set out with this in mind but considering you observed mating behaviour, perhaps its best to seperate them for the time being? I would imagine that any chick produced in this situation would have some problems and may not survive.

Just my (uneducated and inexperienced ) 2c worth

The simplest answer here is "Because they can". Scientist do it all the time not thinking or even caring if there is a need or even a want for such a thing.

 

[Delfin]

There are some species of Cockatoo and Eclectus Parrots that are native to Australia, Papua New Guinea.
Cockatoos are all over Australia, from Tasmania to tropical rain forests of Queensland, Northern territory and Western Australia. There is a species of Eclectus parrot, native to the Australian tropical rain forests. These species do occupy the same areas out in nature. They just don't interbreed out in the wild.... well not that we know of.

I do Agree that Humans shouldn't be trying to interbreed different species of birds as it is a highly complicated and complex science with very high risks of defects and deaths in chicks and birds. To achieve any type of success, it requires a bit more than an aviary in the backyard and a person who knows next to nothing about breeding birds. I believe that this person could possibly be trying to breed designer type birds. This not to satisfy a curiosity but to satisfy a thirst for money. This is why some people try to interbred parrots. How much would a blue or red cockatoo or a white or yellow Eclectus sell for?

I came across a Blue Alexandrian Parakeet and the asking price was AUD $2500. where a standard hand raised Alexandrian Parakeet sells for around AUD $350 to $400. The Blue Alexandrian was a Genetic Mutation not a interbred hybrid.

Parrots are not the first animal to be designer bred.