Just curious

[Pricey_boy]

Just out of curiosity what would happen if 2 related parrots mated but didn't know they were related

would they still have normal babies or would they be deformed in any way

[pennyandrocky]

i've never heard of inbreeding parrots. there was a dog breeder last year who decided to breed cockatoos so he bought a brother and sister. when he figured out they wouldn't breed he tossed them out on his porch in their rusty cage without toys or perches and tried to sell them on craigslist.i hope they found a good home but from the pictures he posted i doubt they survived.

[Pricey_boy]

That's terrible he couldve easily regimes them while keeping them in an aviary and keeping them healthy

[Pricey_boy]

I meant rehomed stupid iPhone auto correct

[marie83]

Unfortunately inbreeding does happen with most animals, in the wild this isn't a problem, it may cause a small problem but that problem ends pretty quickly as usually inbreeding causes inferior, weaker animals which usually die before they get chance to breed themselves so the species gets stronger as a whole. So a little problem stays a little problem.

In captivity humans actively encourage inbreeding, this isn't a massive problem to start with but it quickly becomes a massive problem because babies with bad genes that would get killed off in the wild are actually surviving because we give them heat if they are born with a thinner coat, we protect them by keeping them away from the predators that would catch an animal with a dodgy leg etc. But then we breed them because we "like" the way the thin coat looks or the way the leg has a funny bend in it so then it passes on even more badly mutated genes.

Look at racehorses, they have genetic issues of course they do because they have been inbred too, but they have been bred for their strongest points so they suffer much less genetic disorders than dogs which have been specifically bred for looks. The pug has about 8 different genetic disorders alone, if not more and that is just 1 breed.......because it looks cute with its scrunched up nose and corkscrew tail (apparently, I disagree with that one). The UK kennel club had to set regulations stating that mothers and sons cannot mate, brother and sister cannot mate etc. I would bet on it that it still goes on though. Dogs are being bred even though they have known health issues.

Now we are breeding parrots for looks and of course money too, the budgies and 'tiels and getting smaller and less able to fight infection, I don't think there is a massive problem yet but there soon will be. Other parrots are getting bred for colour now too, the further away a bird is from its natural colour, the more it is almost guarenteed that alot of inbreeding has gone on. Blue quaker parrots will be less inbred than the lutinos for example but guess which one sells for the most money? it isn't the blue thats for sure.

Like I say I dont think there is a major problem yet like there is with dogs but if you seriously think that there isn't any inbreeding going on I would think again.

Knowing what I know now, I would never buy any bird that has deliberetly been bred for its looks. I do have a yellowsided green cheek conure from a breeder but nearly 3 years ago I was alot more ignorant to what goes on than I am now.

[marie83]

Ops yes Ithink I got carried away there

In answer to your question then yes there is a chance of deformity or other health problems.

The more inbred the birds are prior to being bred the bigger the chance of deformities and health problems.

Anyone considering breeding really needs an excellent understanding of genetics and know the history of the animals bloodlines. Please dont go there.

[pennyandrocky]

the rescue i adopted from tried to get the birds from him but he wanted money.all the money the rescue gets goes to housing / vet care and she sometimes like in my case even waves the adoption fee so they don't have any money to buy birds. he told the rescue if he didn't get what he wanted for the pair they would stay where they were til they died.she even tried turning him in for cruelty but she was told there were no laws protecting the birds from cruelty like there are for other animals.this was in the winter on a freezing porch in the pictures he put up on craigslist the food and water dishes were filthy and rusted.the birds were both badly plucked.

[Pricey_boy]

I hope lutinos aren't to prone to getting diseases because I own a lutino scaly breasted lorikeet but when I bought him I didn't even know what a lorikeet was

[GreenWing]

I agree with Marie. To answer your question, these beasts are lusty. Related or not, it is likey the birds would mate. I'm not of Tiki's species and she does a mating dance for me (although there has been improvement on this as I distract her with treats, but she feels rejected and ignores me).