Scarcity Of Mutated Varieties

[trefto 0]

I was wondering just why there is a greater scarcity of some varieties of color mutations, compared to others, For instance the sex linked varieties of Lutino, Albino, Lacewing and Texas Clearbody are much scarcer even very rare in pet stores as opposed to Opaline and Cinnamon wing varieties of the same genetic code.

 

Then there are the recessive varieties of Danish Pieds, ( harlequins) that although still a little scarce in pet stores, they far outnumber another variety of recessives in the Fallow budgies.

 

It seems the most popular variety available on the pet markets today are the Spangles, not only in their true original form, but also in every possible conceivable combination with every other variety as a mixture of varieties, such as with pieds, recesive and dominant, also opaline, cinnamon, greywing etc. etc. seems there are no varieties the Spangle hasn't crossed over with as a combination. And all this from the Spangle which has only really been one of the latest varieties to arrive on the budgie sceen.

 

Just curious on this observation, perhaps someone has some theories on why the seeming inequity of some varieties compared to others. Would be pleased to hear them.

Edited December 15, 2013 by trefto

[Budgie_Mad 0]

Well my theory would be that we as humans have a dominant gene and recessive gene, dominant being more common and recessive and being scarcer for e.g. Brown eyes are more common in humans as these are the dominant genes and blue eyes are recessive, and then hazel, green and other eye colours, there are many other examples such as ones like the hitch hikers thumb gene. Anyway, budgies and other animals have dominant and recessive genes just like us, and green is probably the dominant and blue recessive, and then you can compare other colours like the cobalt vs. the lutinos and albinos etc. some are just more dominant in the genes than others.

 

So if that didn't help, think about this. Although the parents are both lutinos, you could still have a Cobalt as that may be the dominant gene so mums gene would be l (little l for recessive, and l being lutino) and C (Capital C for dominant genes, and C being cobalt. So she has both genes, one being recessive and the other being the dominant.

 

 

Now the father had the same too, now they are likely to have out of 4 babies 3 cobalts and 1 lutino budgie. Now if that doesn't make since i'm attempting to add a table/diagram that clearly shows how it works.

 

Sorry for the lecture.

 

Fathers genes

C (for dominant cobalt gene)

l (he also has a recessive gene)

 

Mother genes

C (dominant gene)

l (she has the recessive gen too)

 

the two parents are then taken and crossed with each gene in a 2 way table and these are the genetics that occur after the cross.

 

CC, (so this chick would be cobalt)

Cl (this chick should be cobalt)

Cl (this chick should be cobalt)

ll (this chick would be a lutino)

 

Out of 4 chicks these are what genes they COULD have 3 cobalt's and 1 lutino budgie, and could happen in any order, and or more of one or the other, but that gives a rough idea of how and why there are scarcities of some colours.

Edited December 15, 2013 by Budgie_Mad

[rachelm 0]

I believe it is knowledge of genetics, cage vs colony breeding. What breeders want to breed for the pet market and show breeders breed for desired features. My first texas clearbody was purchased from a petshop. My first pet fallow was bred from my own birds that I didn't know were split fallow.

[Drogo 0]

So if that didn't help, think about this. Although the parents are both lutinos, you could still have a Cobalt as that may be the dominant gene .....

 

No you can't.

 

Lutino is a sex linked trait, not recessive

 

If you breed two lutinos together you will only get lutinos and possibly some albinos as well if both the lutinos are split for blue.

Edited December 17, 2013 by Drogo

[Pebble 0]

Perhaps what is available in pet stores reflects what is NOT desirable in budgie shows.If I understand the ANBC Standard correctly Spangles are listed around 15. So most birds combined with spangle must show as a spangle. However people may simply be breeding with spangles to improve size etc rather than wanting to show spangles. Hence most of the chicks bred would be sold on. Just a thought.