Lutino Cockatiels

Lutino cockatiels go by the scientific name Nymphicus hollandicus. They are not seen in the wild and are developed by breeders. The grey variety is most found in Australia but not in Tasmania. It is said that though these birds are Australia’s best flyers, their flying power is actually insufficient to help them in bridging the waterway that separates Tasmania from mainland Australia.

The lutino cockatiels are spectacularly beautiful birds. They usually are yellow-white birds with red eyes and vivid orange cheek patches. The lutino gene is referred to as a sex-linked recessive gene, meaning it prevents the production of the gray/black colors or the melanin pigment which is generally found in a regular grey cockatiel. They can be readily combined with the cinnamon, pied, pearl, white face mutations in order to produce stunning colored selections.

The stunning lutino cockatiels were the second cockatiel mutation established, with the pied cockatiel as the first. But unlike the pied, it conquered the aviculture world away. It turned into an instant hit as it appears like a small white cockatoo with a pallid yellow breast and nearly white wings, body and tail. The crest and the head are primrose yellow.

These cockatiel breeds can grow up to 12 inches or 30 centimeters long and weigh three to four ounces. Lutino cockatiels need good sized cages. A spacious cockatiel cage is needed and should measure at least 24 inches long and 18 inches wide. This will make enough room for a few toys and still provide the birds a space to fully stretch their wings without hitting them. A lot of birds can spend a lot of their time on their perch or playpen. Meanwhile, their food is made up of a variety of seeds, sprouts, nuts, vegetables, commercial pellets and fruits.

There are so many opinions on how to tell the sex these birds. When it comes to lutino cockatiels, like the ordinary grey cockatiels, juvenile will have barring on the underside portion of their tail. The male barring is lost with their first molt at about six months. On the other hand, the female barring is retained although it can still be difficult to determine mature hens from cocks since the barring can be somewhat faint. A DNA test is an ideal way to distinguish the sex of your pet.

Though the health of the lutino cockatiels is easy to maintain because they are resilient pets, any pet bird have the potential of acquiring a health problem in the long run. For optimal health care of your pet bird, it is important to know the signs of bird illnesses that you need to be very cautious of. In terms of availability, the lutino cockatiel is readily available for sale though they are not as ordinary as the grey cockatiel and are generally pricier.