dying my Cockatiels

[FireTigeris]

I already said birds see color, they also pick mates based on health with is determined by color/feather health...

*shrug*

If it were dogs that don't pick mates the same way, or horses, or rabbits- *shrug* but birds are visual creatures.

(and cats and dogs both see -some- 'color' just not the same way we do, they have 1/2 the types of color cells and 1/3 as many (approx) )


Quote:
Not the stress of the coloring its the stress of suddenly being a diffrent color for two or three weeks-

it be like if I kept you away from all reflective surfaces (because its not known how much birds understand about self reflections)

and dyed you glow-in-the-dark purple on your back and hair...

then everyone else treats you odd because you are purple where you can't see yourself (so you are acting normal).


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Chickens don't pick mates the same way as waterfowl and parrots/'parrots' do- its different and altering the apprentice of one or both may brake the bonding.

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http://www.webexhibits.org/causesofcolor/17B.html

http://mbe.oxfordjournals.org/content/20/6/855.abstract (you need a membership to see the ful version, fortunatly the previous link I linked has the same info)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1404065/

http://www.esajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1890/0012-9658(1997)078[2532:HBAMOS]2.0.CO;2

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1439-0310.1987.tb00679.x/abstract

...

and many many many more- color is important to all birds, but some it can distinguish a mate from a threat...


Ohh one on Red Jungle foul - http://www.jstor.org/pss/2462188

and on chickens, but its light color not body color http://ps.fass.org/cgi/content/abstract/76/3/452

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Quail- http://www.jstor.org/pss/2459502

 

[BAMABIRDS]

Quote:
How would you like it if you were a cockatiel and I dyed you some goofy color just because I could, and there was nothing you could do about it? Wouldn't b so nice would it?

This whole idea of dying your animals is completely rediculous!!!!!! If you font like the color of your bird, why'd you get it in the first place???? If you want something green or blue or yellow, go buy a parakeet, they're a whole lot cheaper than a cockatiel.

 

[FireTigeris]

Quote:
How would you like it if you were a cockatiel and I dyed you some goofy color just because I could, and there was nothing you could do about it? Wouldn't b so nice would it?

This whole idea of dying your animals is completely rediculous!!!!!! If you font like the color of your bird, why'd you get it in the first place???? If you want something green or blue or yellow, go buy a parakeet, they're a whole lot cheaper than a cockatiel.

\\\\I already asked that, the worst part is you won't know why your mate was suddenly treating you differently, as you won't 'see' your reflection.

 

[quintinp]

i am being quoted by a lot of people, would i do it to my cockatiel,(if i had one), "NO", i think that these birds are very pretty cute little animals, but if the person wants to color it i dont see a problem if they are not a mating pair, i would see what your talking about, because you're putting myself in the place of a cockatiel

 

[FireTigeris]

Not sure what ya mean,

The OP said they ARE a mated pair... you said it was OK to do, either you missed that part of the OP's post or it got changed later or something.


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OP: I want to color my mated pair of cockatiels...

quintip (you) : sounds cool- as long as its food coloring in water...

Almost everyone else: Not a good idea.

JulieNKC: I did it to a chicken, (directions)

Me: lots of links and reasons not to-

You:
Quote:
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[Akane]

I suppose if you have multiple birds together it's not a good idea. Chickens will often peck odd colored spots which is one way feather plucking each other gets started and reds like blood especially attract them. If it's a single animal though or something like a dog I don't see the problem. Provided the animal is not stressed by the process. I've always wondered what color shiba I'd get if I applied some of my henna hair dye but that has to sit for 4-8hrs which would be stressful. She'd probably try to lick it all off. I've colored horses white socks and mane/tail various colors for parades. We've done red, white, and blue before. It was probably less uncomfortable and annoying to them than the colored leg wraps they were wearing. If I had a single cockatiel and all it took was a few drops in the bath water I might consider making it blue for awhile. A blue parakeet is not a cockatiel is not a linnie is not a conure.. etc... I have blue parakeets. I'd rather have a blue cockatiel.

Actually a bluish purple linnie would be great. Or a sun conure in blues and purples instead of reds and yellows. Too dark to dye. I guess I'll have to wait for selective breeding or genetic modification to progress.

 

[crtrlovr]

Quote:
Not a good idea, IMHO. Suddenly having one or both of the pair see their mate as a different color would be stressful at the very least, and could possibly cause fear and aggression toward the partner. It may not cause them to attack each other or be aggressive, but why take that chance? Cockatiels are unique personalities just like people: some are more laid back and easy-going, not easily rattled, while others are VERY easily stressed by anything new or different. I suppose the bottom line is: no one knows your birds like YOU do. If they're the extremely laid-back, easy going, not easily startled or stressed, you may not create havoc, but if it were me, I STILL would not chance it. Let them be the color they were born to be, and go get yourself some marshmallow Peeps.

ETA: I have 23 cockatiels, and I sometimes use a Q-tip and paste food color to put a color stripe on the wing patch or a foot so I can tell some of the younger ones apart. I do not dye them for entertainment, though.

 

[Stacykins]

I don't think it is a good idea at all. Most birds, excluding incredibly calm silkies, stress so easily. Any changes can set a parrot off emotionally and traumatize them. Don't do it to your 'teils. Instead, dye some easter eggs or something. I know I'd be tempted to Easter dye my sun conure's occasional egg for Easter, it is so teeny and cute.

Done to a calm animal, it can be kinda fun! This is not a photoshop. This is my cat Tonks, and yes, she is pink! She is so chill, so dying here was just a warm bath with sugar free koolaid. She loved the massage (towel drying), blow drying and brushing the best afterwards, though! She is fully clawed and would have sent me to the ER if she disapproved of her 'spa'. As you can tell, her head is free of color, as that would be cruel.

She got into that position all by herself and is apparently comfortable and could move at ANY time, silly goose!

 

[BAMABIRDS]

Quote:
if you don't want to be quoted, don't post ignorant things like "I think it would be kinda cool"

As I said before it's not cool and not good to do!!!! And the OP said that they were a BREEDING PAIR

 

[markbirds]

I wouldn't risk the life for my own fun, it could kill them.