# My First Cockatiel Is Here: Meet Lilo



## AmyIndira (Nov 28, 2012)

I picked up my first cockatiel today and I am bonding with her already. The lutino sex-linked mutation makes a gender of female more likely from what I understand, but I gave her a relatively unisex name, Lilo just in case a male gender becomes more apparent upon maturing.

She is being quarantined in the living room away from our two budgies, but she didn’t want to go in her cage at first. She preferred my finger, and liked her coconut swing outside the cage too. 

I'm pleasantly surprised at how tame she is already. Even S.O. who is new to birds is charmed by her as well. She's a real sweetheart.  I still love budgies, but am very happy with my choice so far to try out another species. Hopefully Lilo gets along well with Archie and Sashi.


----------



## Blingy (Feb 26, 2018)

She is gorgeous! I had one the same mutation and her name was Lilo too!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## AmyIndira (Nov 28, 2012)

Blingy said:


> She is gorgeous! I had one the same mutation and her name was Lilo too!


Thanks! Huh, that's funny! Guess I'm not as original as I thought haha.


----------



## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Lilo is beautiful! *


----------



## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Lilo is gorgeous, I'm glad she's settling in well  

It's not really more likely that you'll get a female if the mutation is sex linked. Genes transmitted on the X chromosome have, technically, the same chances of being expressed in either gender, even though in small populations there could be more females with the trait. Unless you know her parents, you can't really confirm that she's a girl just by her mutation


----------



## AmyIndira (Nov 28, 2012)

Thank you! Starlingwings, hmm I've been told that there's about a 2/3 chance the lutino cockatiels are female, but that's a good point. Anyway I'm no expert on the subject.

I'm still inclined to assume she's female based on her personality as well though. She's very quiet, whereas the male cockatiels are supposedly much more vocal. She barely makes a peep except for the occasional tiny squeak when she apparently becomes excited or wants attention. 

I can already see her becoming attached to me with me after just a couple of days! Today she didn't want to leave my shoulder to preen me after I got home from work and was nuzzling my nose affectionately. :love2: I finally pacified her with some millet. I'm hoping she becomes a little less clingy when she finishes quarantine and is introduced to my budgies because I'm becoming concerned with leaving her alone for long periods.


----------

