Budgie Albino (Complete Information)
Last Updated on December 27, 2023 by Ali Shahid
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At least 32 mutations affect the color of budgies. Ino is one of these mutations that result in albino/lutino budgies. An albino budgie is a very rare and expensive breed of budgies characterized by white plumage, pink cere, pink legs, and red eyes. This transition from normal budgie color is caused by the ino mutation, which eliminates the melanin pigment responsible for dark colors in budgies.
Albinos cannot be distinguished from one another without DNA sexing, but sometimes the cere color will turn white or brown for a female. Compared to male albinos, there are more female albinos because female albinos only require one ino gene to manifest albinism while male albinos require two ino genes.
Albano budgies need the same care as regular budgies, including a spacious cage and proper housing, a balanced diet, plenty of interaction and exercise, and regular vet visits. The albino budgie has a lifespan of 10 years and is an excellent choice for families with children seeking an easy-care-for pet parrot. If you want to get an albino budgie you can get one at the ParrotCrown website for $50.
Budgie Albino
Appearance
Albinos have red eyes no matter how old they are. There is a misconception that albino budgies cannot see because of their red eyes, but this is not true. They also have orange beaks and pink feet and legs. The cere color in male and female albinos is pink.
The Ino mutation also affects nestlings. There is only a small amount of white down on the back, never covering the center. In order of appearance, feathers along the spine and the centerline of the ventral wing appear last.
The Ino gene in budgies hides many other mutations like Opaline, Dark, Dominant Grey, Dilute, and Clearwing. Whether these mutations are in one or two copies doesn’t change how the budgie looks with the Ino gene. But the Ino gene doesn’t completely hide the cinnamon mutation.
People often mix Albino budgies with another type called Dark Eyed Clear. You can get a Dark-Eyed Clear budgie by breeding a Recessive Pied with a Clearflight. While they look like albino budgies, the main difference is in their eyes. Dark Eyed Clear budgies have solid black eyes without any iris, unlike albino budgies.
In addition, it is hard to tell apart Cinnamon Dilute German Fallows, NSL Inos, and Inos because they look so similar. However, not many people have the first two types as pets because they’re rare.
How to Recognize Male and Female Albino Budgies?
As long as DNA sexing is not performed, it is difficult to differentiate between albinos of males and females. The Cere color which is brown in normal male budgies, and blue in normal female budgies becomes pink/purple in male and female albinos.
In addition, albino parakeets don’t possess any pigmentation that distinguishes their colors from other birds. The color of the ‘cere’ often indicates albino status, and normally it is pinkish or purple.
A female albino can sometimes have a brown or white cere, but this is not a common occurrence. However, these methods are not always accurate. So, it is always best to consult a vet for DNA sexing for accurate results.
Budgie Albino Breeding
When they have a close bond with their cage companion, albino Budgies can breed just as well as any other pair of parakeets. You just need to keep male and female albino budgies together and they will breed as normal budgies to produce albino chicks. Normally, they lay 4-6 eggs and produce white chicks with pink eyes that are smaller than average.
Albino Budgies Price
Albino parakeets are rare, so they can cost much more than other color varieties, and some breeders may charge as much as $200-300 for them. However, an all-white parakeet can be found at the pet store for less than $25. In addition, you can find albino budgies for sale at the ParrotCrown website for $50.
Albino parakeets can differ in true value depending on their age and whether they are bred from pure-bred albino stock or common ‘white’ birds passed off as albinos.
Albino Budgie Health Problems
Parakeets or budgies with albino feathers are no less healthy than those with more colorful ones. Several problems can affect a budgie’s health including lameness, frayed feathers, allergies, kidney disease, and reproductive tumors.
Despite reports that albino parrots may have vision problems, including hypersensitivity to bright light. If available, an albino budgie’s diet should be well balanced and it would be enough if the bird isn’t inbred or showing signs of disease.
Diet
An albino budgie has a similar diet to other budgie breeds. Despite their love for seeds, seed diets cannot satisfy budgies’ dietary needs. A variety of fruits and vegetables will satisfy both the nutritional requirements of the birds as well as provide a source of variety.
The lifespan of Budgie Albino
As with most parakeets, the Albino variety typically lives for seven to ten years. If you provide them with a good diet, adequate exercise, and regular veterinarian visits, you can increase the chances of them living longer.
How hard is it to take care of these Budgies?
The good news is that taking care of your albino budgie is the same as caring for others. Their skin and eyes do not show any signs of the disease. Even some of these birds have perfect plumage and are normal size.
Care for Albino Budgies
The right environment, feeding, and stimulation are all important components of good care.
- Housing
It is always best not to keep budgies in a place that has a draft, high humidity, high temperature, or too much noise. Don’t line the cage with the newspaper at the bottom.
Budgies love tearing things apart. A piece of wet paper can be lethal if it is swallowed. Ensure that the cage stays out of direct sunlight and away from predators such as cats and birds of prey.
- Food and Water
Supplements should be provided. In addition to raw items and iodine-enriched chewy nibbles, there are seemingly endless options available here. Budgies should not be fed a diet consisting solely of seeds.
Such a diet will shorten the lifespan of your pet. Fresh vegetables, fruits, and greens are also important. Don’t give budgies any food containing plant matter unless you have researched the food. Bottled water is best.
Chemicals used to treat tap water might harm budgies over the long term.
Interaction
Whenever you handle or clean the cage, try not to cause stress or fear.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the majority of albino budgies female?
It is more common for albinos to be female due to their genetics. The reason for this is that a female budgie with a single ino gene will visually show albinism, whereas a male must have two ino genes to exhibit this condition.
Are the albino budgies blind?
Albinism in birds and mammals is often associated with vision problems, so it is a misconception that albino parakeets are completely blind. There may be slight differences in the eyesight and focus of albino budgies, as well as occasional sensitivity to light in them.
Conclusion
The Budgie Albino is the rarest of the budgie breeds and the result of an ino mutation. The birds of this breed stand out from others of their species. The diet and breeding are the same as in normal budgies. However, they are more expensive.