what is this split to blue thing.

[primrose04]

I was in petland yesterday and their quakers were $400 and I asked them why and they told me that they were split to blue???????????. They looked just like the one I have. so I asked how can you tell? they said you have to know the parents. :oops: Yeah right! I think that this is just a way to get more money. Anyone could tell you they were split to blue and then say later oh sorry I thought they were. you know as well as I do that once you get a new bird home and start the training and loving that it doesn't matter if you find out later that what you were told is not true.NOT FAIR you already love it and you are not going to talke it back.
I got my lutino cockatiel and they said it was a boy and after 10 months found out it was a girl. The thought never crossed my mind to take it back. I already was in love with it.
Maybe it would make a difference to a breeder to have a split to blue but us regular people don't really care if they are or not since they look the same as a regular quaker. If I'm not going to breed it I'm not going to pay the extra money. Something really smells rotten here. Well thanks for letting me vent.

[Monica]

There is such a thing as split to blue, as if you pair two quakers that are split to blue, then some of the babies will turn out blue! "Split to" means that a bird is carrying a mutation that is not visable to the eye, and when mated to another bird that has the same "split to" mutation, they will have some chicks that will show this hidden mutation from the parents.

Say you have a breeding pair of quakers. One parent is blue, while the other is a normal green. The probability of the chicks is that %50 of the chicks will be green split to blue, and the other %50 will be blue. Depending on what parent is blue determines on what sex will be green split to blue, while the other sex will be blue, possibly, so may make sexing chicks easier (if quakers have sex linked mutations).

Now if both of the parents are green split to blue, then you will get a probability that %50 of the chicks are blue, and the other %50 will be green (no splits).

Two normal green quakers will only produce green quakers (unless, on rare occasions where a mutation might appear, even with parents completely normal, as that is how new mutations come about, unexpectadly).

This is just to give you an idea, and I'm not too sure how accurate it is. I did base these ideas from genetics from cockatiels, as I could not find an easy quaker genetic table quickly enough... I'm not really up to date on genetics, and know most about cockatiels and budgies, but only a bit here n there...

Maybe the chicks are split to blue, but I wouldn't completely trust what a PET store has to say verus a BIRD store as it may make a difference in the information that you get.

[primrose04]

I realize what the term means but they should advertise that they are for breedingotherwise normal people are not going to spend the extra money. Why should you if you are never going to breed them? Then you have to look for another split to blue to breed with. in order to MAYBE get a Blue. by the time you MIGHT get a blue out of them you could start your own Bird shop.
I left there very mad, they were selling a quaker with only one leg for the same price because he was also supposed to be split to blue. It didn't seem to mind only having one leg and got around just fine but it made me sad If it would have been the normal price I would have brought it home with me. I have this thing for the ones with the handicaps and strays. I just wanted to pick it up and give it some love. I'll never go back in there. :!:

[Joel]

Primrose,

I don't see what you are so upset about. Splits are worth more than normal greens and therefore the pet shop can fairly ask for more money. They don't know what you are in fact going to do with them or if ya are going to just resell etc.......If ya don't like paying the extra for a visual green that is split to blue, then don't, go elsewhere and buy a normal regular green for less $$$$......

I also (like you) would not trust what they or anyone told me about a bird being split. I would only trust the word of a very reputable breeder or a personal friend of mine but that is me.

If it was my shop, I would be selling that handicapped one for the price of a regular green or even further discounted if the right person came along to give it a good forever home. I probably would even give it to a good home for free if I could somehow guarantee it would stay there in good hands and not just be resold once it went out my door. They may be putting that price on the bird for its own benefit but may be actually willing to lower it if one was to give them a compassionate feeling, so to speak, if ya know what I mean. I say that because I always lower my prices when I see my birds will be going to a wonderful, most probable "forever home" even if over the phone I quoted a higher price.......Hope some of my views, on what you brought up, helps you understand a little better what is a normal practice for the most part regardless of whether or not you are or plan to be a breeder.......If you really want that handicapped bird, I would go back and talk to the owner and ask for his/her best price to a wonderful home and I would leave my phone number in case later on they decide to come down on the price which they most likely will, if it sits there for awhile. In the meantime I would go in there as often as possible and show a deep heart felt interest in that bird which may rightfully win their hearts over (if they have any, that is ). Take care & good luck.....

[primrose04]

Joel,
I didn't get a good feeling about the owner. she was rather rude and wanted to DNA test my quaker for $35. I know that that price is too high. I have a first impression of her but I won't say because it might offend someone.
I was angry because you are not allowed to touch the birds. I wanted to hold the one legged one but she said she would get it out only if I was going to buy it. Well I don't know if I wanted to buy it until I saw how friendly it was and that it would come to me. Anyway She was just rude. now I feel sorry for all the birds there.
I understand that they cost more but I don't trust her.
Thanks, Rose

[Joel]

Yeah Primrose, trust on your part & politness on hers are very important aspects of doing good business. Most of the time you do have to go with your gut feeling so if she does not feel like the type of person ya want to deal with, then just go elsewhere as it sounds like you will be doing. Heck, I gotta buy a couple more lotto tickets this weekend so maybe I can win and send ya the $$$$ for that poor handicapped Quaker......Heck, if I win that BIG, I should maybe just send ya the money to buy her out.

The $35 price to DNA really wasn't that high. Anytime you involve someone else then your price goes up. It would cost you anywhere from a usual price of $17- $25 or so if you withdrew the blood or feathers yourself and then sent it in but once someone else does that for you they want to charge you for their service which is only natural and part of doing business so please don't get too upset with her on that or her price on that. Some Avian Vets charge $45 for the office visit PLUS the lab costs of the DNA so it can be a bit higher than even $35 with them. Talk to ya later sweetie......

[primrose04]

Joel,
That really is too high because you can order a DNA test from Ohio and it is only $20. you swab the inside of the cheek and send it off. I live on the WV/ohio boarder so I am going to see how far away it is and go there and have it done. I found out about this in the cockatiel thread but I'm not sure which one it is in. It's the one were people are arquing back and forth about their female tiels being able to talk. I'll try to find it. Rose

[primrose04]

okay I found it it is in the thread that says "another way of sexing tiels"
or Veterinary Molecular diagnostics, INC.
5989 Meijer Drive
suite#5
Milford, Ohio. 45150

[Joel]

Isn't that what I said Primrose?......$20 is between $17 & $25 and of course anytime ya do something yourself it is cheaper. When you ask someone else to do it for you and be responsible for getting the results back to you, then ya have to pay for that service as people need to charge for their time, in order to survive & prosper.......I don't mean to sound like I am taking her side, just trying to explain a little clearer the way I see it.

Good luck with the cheek swab, I really haven't heard of that method before regarding birds but after having watched C.S.I. Los Angeles & C.S.I. Miami & now C.S.I. New York, I see that almost anything is possible these days, relating to where ya get your DNA from.....

[Paulie&Hedwig's Mom]

A cheek swab won't work. I like to see somebody try this though. "Open up Paulie we are going to test you." Hehe Birds don't produce saliva. It's either a blood , feather or sergical sexing. That second to last word doesn't look right but I can't find it in my dictionary.