Lutino Bald Patch

[melissasparrots]

I have seen very few lutinos around at pet stores lately. I'm not sure if people just aren't breeding them, or if I'm just not seeing them. Anyway, many years ago the average lutino cockatiel had a very noticeable extended bald patch behind its crest. I'm just wondering to what extent that has been reduced to eliminated. So here's a poll. If you have a lutino, lutino whiteface, lutino pearl or any other bird that is lutino, please answer if your bird has a larger bald patch behind its crest than a normal cockatiel. This is my first poll, hopefully it works.

 

[Gambitlover]

I have a lutino pearl cockatiel. He has a noticeable bald patch but it isn't that big. I live in India, but i have no idea what the breeders are doing. The bald patch wont fill in either.

 

[finchly]

I read on a breeder's site that the bald spot occurred when the first lutinos were bred - it came along with the coloration. Perhaps some breeders are not being picky enough to choose their breeders? Seems like it could be bred back out, with selection.

 

[kathykeltsy]

I have 3 WF lutinos. All of mine have a very small bald spot. You don't really notice it.

 

[suileeka]

My lutino did not.

 

[Bokkapooh]

Freddie's most common nickname was "Baldie". His parents were inbred. Both him and his sister were bald. Hiz sister was a white face pearl.

 

[Bokkapooh]

Or and Freddie was the classic yellow lutino but the white with yellow face lutino.

 

[srtiels]

....

 

[kathykeltsy]

But.....how many have naked chests ? My two babies sure are bald there

 

[Gambitlover]

Chest baldness? That's alarming. The bald spot behind their crests is genetics but chest? isnt that a sign of illness or feather plucking?

 

[Bokkapooh]

Sounds like the parronts plucked their offspring.

 

[Yogesh]

My lutino has poor feathers under the wings. Overall the bird is healthy but perhaps not suitable for breeding.

 

[Yogesh]

I meant whiteface lutino (albino)

 

[kathykeltsy]

They did get plucked that's why I pulled them. Most of the feathers have grown in. I think they were born this way. It was right over their crop and it was only the two white babies. They are 8 weeks today and Sat. All feathers are filling in now

 

[rocky'smom]

Rocky has large bald spot and is featherless under both wings. it's much worse now becuz of his picking at a ouchie. i always have made sure that he has extra heat during the winter.
and his mom

 

[h_banks]

My new white face has a small one...I thought it may be from molting. I just got her and she is going through her first molt. Could I be wrong?

 

[melissasparrots]

My new white face has a small one...I thought it may be from molting. I just got her and she is going through her first molt. Could I be wrong?

Unless the bird was previously plucked by another bird and in the process of growing feathers back in, you are probably stuck with the bald patch. It may seem a little smaller when well bathed and a full head of newly grown in feathers. However, assuming its from the lutino trait and you have a whiteface lutino, it will probably always be there. They all have a little thin spot up there, But there shouldn't be skin showing. My very first lutino was unusual in that she did not have the bald patch. I'm reasonably confident that the reason she won so many bird shows at the time (early 1980's) was because she didn't have the bald patch and most other lutinos did. However, her mate was a male grey split to lutino and apparently the lutino side of his family had the bald patch because all of their lutino offspring had it and they clearly didn't get it from mama.

My lutino pearl female did have it. She was out of a completely different lineage than my first pair were from. She was a poorly bred bird though. Beautiful and unique except for the bald patch on her head. She was always one of those cockatiels that never flew well, was always a little babyish looking. She lived to be 15 or so years old, so apparently she wasn't that unhealthy. But compared to what a cockatiel should look like, she was not a well bred specimen.

 

[h_banks]

It may be stress. He has been at the store for 8 months. I bring him home in 2 days. We'll see how the spot goes but I'll love him if hes a baldyor not.