The Albino Parakeet is a fairly rare and beautiful bird that makes for a great pet.
These birds certainly have a unique appearance that sets them apart from all other parakeets. They also have a wonderful personality that you’ll be sure to love.
Albino parakeet Appearance
Albino parakeets have all white feathers, red eyes and pink legs. This unique appearance is the result of an Ino mutation. This particular gene causes all dark pigmentation to be removed from the skin. This results in an all-white bird without any dark coloration whatsoever. These birds can grow up to 18 inches and 1.4 ounces, depending on the species.
Albino parakeet Lifespan
This bird has an average lifespan of 10 years, but they can live longer depending on how well you take care of them. The reason that most parakeets do not live longer than five or six years is due to inadequate care.
Lutino vs. Albino Parakeets
A lot of people confuse lutino and albino parakeets, but there are some distinct differences you should be aware of. While both of these birds have the ino gene, the lutino is almost entirely yellow, whereas the albino is all white. These are two complete separate parakeet mutations with distinctive appearances. Sometimes an albino parakeet will have a little bit of silver around the cheeks.
Male vs. Female Albino Parakeets
It can be rather difficult to tell whether an albino parakeet is a male or female. This is mostly due to the fact that both genders have the same exact colors. With regular parakeets, the males and females are easy to tell apart by appearance alone. If you really want to find out this information, you’ll most likely need to consult with an expert. There is a good chance that your veterinarian can provide you with an answer.
Personality
The Albino Parakeet is a very gentle bird with a sweet overall disposition. These birds are pretty easy to tame, but they don’t particularly like being held. It is best to appreciate them from the distance while they remain in their cage. Some parakeets have more of a tolerance for this than others though, so you’ll want to keep that in mind.
Natural Habitat
Albino parakeets are found in the same general regions that other parakeets are. This includes grassland, woodland, and scrubland areas of Australia. These birds tend to stick together in relatively small flocks compared to other birds. They go wherever there is am abundance of water and food.
Albino parakeet Care Guide
1. Diet
It is important that you not give your albino parakeet only seeds, as it can quickly lead to excess fat deposits. An overweight bird can develop all sorts of very serious health conditions. You should instead give them a high quality seed mix, along with fresh fruits and veggies. This will keep your bird healthy so it lives a good long time.
A lot of people only give their parakeets bottled water, as it doesn’t contain any potentially harmful chemicals like tap water. While tap water is perfectly safe for humans, this is not always the case for birds. It will raise your pet-related expenses a bit, but it can be well worth the extra cost.
2. Environment
You should get a cage that is at least 40 by 18 by 32 inches for your albino parakeet. This will give your bird lots of room to flap around. Inadequate housing can place a lot of additional stress on your bird, which can in turn shorten its lifespan.
Make sure that you do not keep your bird’s cage in direct sunlight. These birds do not tolerate extremely hot or cold temperatures very well, so you want to keep that in mind. If you are uncomfortable, there is a good chance that your parakeet is too.
You also want to make a point of putting your parakeet’s cage in a place that isn’t typically very loud. This will serve to keep them calm and minimize stress, which is an important part of caring for this bird.
Put at least two or three fun puzzle toys in their cage as well. It is crucial for you to keep them stimulated, both mentally and physically. These types of toys will be very effective at preventing boredom, which can manifest all sorts of destructive behaviors.
3. Common Health Problems
While albino parakeets might look quite different from the rest of their kind, they aren’t particularly vulnerable to any diseases or conditions. Parakeets in general are prone to kidney disease, testicular tumors, and lameness. They can also develop problems with their thyroid, which can be quite serious. These albino birds sometimes develop feather issues as well, so you’ll want to keep a close eye on how they look each day.
Albino parakeet Price
An albino parakeet can easily cost several hundred dollars if not more. This is due to the moderate rarity of this particular mutation. You definitely want to be ready to spend a good amount of money on one of these birds. This is all the more reason to check your budget to see if you can afford the expense.
Conclusion
- Albino parakeets have what is known as the ino gene, which is what causes this mutation to occur in the first place.
- These birds are all white with pink feet and red eyes.
- Both the albino and lutino parakeets have the ino gene, but they do not have the same appearance.
- The overall demeanor of these parakeets is quite pleasant and gentle. They can, however, be pretty skittish when it comes to being held.
- It is best to appreciate your albino parakeet from a distance.
- Make sure that you get a good size cage for your bird so that it has lots of room to move around freely.
- These birds need plenty of toys and other things in their enclosure to stay occupied.
- A good quality pellet seed mix will keep your albino parakeet healthy over the years.
- Albinos are prone to some mild feather issues, so you want to look out for them.
