Katy

What a beautiful Lutino! He/she is in great feather. I love the pictures, what a sweetie. Great shot of the tail feathers too. I think that it's possible you have a female. I read an article, that says occasionally a male can retain the tail barring. Very interesting! I guess you will need to wait until Bunsen either talks or lays an egg to be positive. If you are very curious and want to know sooner, you can get a DNA done. That's not going to change how much you love him/her though. Here is the link to the article I was reading: http://www.cockatiels.org/main/ncs-photo-gallery/lutino-cockatiels/

Thank you for the welcome Dan. I am enjoying this bird so much. All of our non-human family members hold a special place in our hearts, each one is unique. Our GSD is the best example of an animal that understands our moods and our needs. He speaks volumes with his eyes and is so willing to do what we ask. Domesticated animals are a whole a different thing than birds, or other "wild" creatures. They are so much easier to train and understand for me, because I have always been more of a dog person. I do find it amazing that this little guy considers us all part of "his" flock. I'm learning that I have to switch gears from a pack mentality, to a flock mentality with him. Thinking like is a bird is more challenging also! He certainly keeps me on my toes.

Thank you so much ChelseaB, I'm finding great information here. I am trying to learn all that I can about these magnificent creatures. I've had birds all of my life, but this guy has been really special joy. BTW, Simon was named after Paul Simon the singer, not "Simon Says." All of our pets names start with a "S" except the cat...he's just Bubba. The GSD is Sebastian, the Ibizan is Serena, Sophie is our Mini Schnauzer and Sully is our Cockatiel. I tend to do the SSSSSS thing, like a any mom of multiple kids when I call them. OMG...does this mean I'm getting old? LOL My kids are starting to call me Dr. Dolittle, because of my love of animals. Nurses are natural caregivers, even after retirement.

Oh you are absolutely right about that Ray! I'm finding that it's like having a two year old in the house again. One minute he wants to be on me, and the next he wants to explore his world. He even has the "NO" down like a little kid.

We've had Lutino Cockatiels for 40 years, and it's almost impossible to tell the sex of Lutino's without a DNA test. Unless of course, they start to lay eggs. Our little Sully is now 5, we thought "she" was a he because her cheeks were such a bright orange and her crest was a very bright yellow, there were no bars on her tail feathers either. Wrong we were, she was very vocal with tweets and chatter, but said no true words. Actually the kids said she was "special" and that's why she didn't talk...LOL. We assumed "he" was just slow to talk or wouldn't talk. When "she" was 3 years old, she laid 6 eggs and that solved the mystery. Now, she lays eggs at random times, usually 6-7. She's always very social even when she is sitting on eggs. We leave them in her cage for about a 7-10 days then remove them. She does put her little butt in the air, and her vent opens and closes when she is stroked anywhere on her body. I don't recall my males over the years doing that. So perhaps, Bunsen is a "she" and not a "he." My males all talked and whistled tunes by 9-12 months. Also, they were DNA tested, so I knew the sex from the breeders.

My birds are not clipped, and never have been. I would only clip for safety reasons, if needed. Sometimes clipping one wing or every other feather of fight wings will give an aggressive bird an attitude adjustment. They will grow back. When my birds are out and flying, they must be supervised at all times. I think it's decision only an owner can decide what works best for their personal situation. Our family knows the birds may be out, and we don't leave doors open or take any risks of escape, or injury. Also, we have 3 dogs that do have that natural prey drive. The dogs must be outside when the birds are off their perches or out of cages. I would be devastated if my birds were injured or lost. But I do feel it's necessary for them to be able to fly and be a bird too. Just my opionion.

Hi everyone, I'm a new member with a 1 year old CAG, Simon. Looking forward to learning all that I can to keep my African Grey happy and healthy from the experienced owners, and hearing about your birds and other pets. We fell in love with this guy at our first meeting. I waited about 10 years, until the time was right before actually committing to the time involved for care and training of a CAG. Now that I'm retired, I was ready for the challenge. This guy is simply amazing, and I can't believe his intelligence! He is learning to talk and speaks very clearly, using my voice and at times my son's voice. What a character! We never know what will come out of his mouth! Our family also consists of 3 dogs, a GSD, Schnauzer and an Ibizan. One Himalyan cat, Bubba and a Cockatiel, Sully. Simon loves them all but especially the German Shepherd. He bosses him around and tells him to "sit" then tosses pellets and fruit to him. We live in the country and Simon is learning the bird whistles and calls from the many species that live in our evergreen trees. Sometimes it hard to tell if it's him or the birds outside. It's incredible how fast these birds learn.