The endearing little cockatiel, the little heckler, which can tug at each and every one of your heartstrings! Once taught to wolf whistle you will hear it all day. Though I have often wondered if it might not be a natural sound, the cockatiel make in the wild!
A serious concern I have of cockatiel owners is that if a cockatiel is capable of living for 30 years, why is the average lifespan of this companion pet only 5 years. It seems like we all need to learn a great deal about nutrition and safety issues when it comes to the cockatiel. Breeders as well as pet owners need to become far more responsible in management care of the cockatiel.
Coloration of wild cockatiels is the normal gray. There are many color mutations bred into the cockatiel, to name a few, Lutino, Fallow, Whiteface, Pastelface, Cinnamon, Pearl, Pied, Olive, and Silver. Under the subject section to the left you will see the subject birds. There is a link to color mutations and the genetics involved; several pictures of exotic pet cockatiels.
Your New Cockatiel
If you are purchasing your first bird have the equipment ready first. Make sure you have located an avian veterinarian before making a purchase. If you already own a bird, make sure you quarantine the new arrival for at least 8 weeks before you introduce the new bird to the existing birds. Birds have a strong tendency to hide illness since it makes them appear weak in the wild. Have your vet that deals with avian health look your pet over before introducing him to the other birds. Look for the avian veterinarian article link at bottom of page.
Find and locate several sources of cockatiel breeders. Check them all out. Make sure you are purchasing from a healthy stock.
Look over your selection carefully as well as the surrounding birds. Are they chipper and responsive? Do they have bright clear eyes? Look at the vent area, is it clean? Are they all fluffed up and unhealthy looking? Look at the droppings at the bottom of the cage; do the feces look normal?
When you get your bird to its new house put it in the new cage and let it alone just softly speak and coo to the cockatiel, it will adjust to you and your voice helping the taming process. Use a calm voice. If you run out of things to say, you can always read stories or poetry to the cockatiel! Do not try to handle it for the first 3 days. Limit the initial play periods to 15 minutes with long intervals of rest in-between play periods. Obtain a book on taming and training. You will need to finger tame it, and teach it the up command. Cockatiels are not great talkers, but can learn a few words and phrases. Some cockatiels are better talkers than other cockatiels.
Housing: Cages and Accessories
The wires should be a thick wire and run horizontally. Cockatiels enjoy climbing up their cage. The wire should be spaced from 5/8th to 3/4 inch. Any bigger poses a safety risk. Their little heads can get stuck. Make sure color coating is non-toxic.
The cockatiel will enjoy a playpen on top of its cage or a separate playpen. Sometimes the only way to explain is to show what an object looks like. Look toward bottom of article for image.
Make sure the cage is not in a drafty area. Cockatiels need light, but do not put the cage in direct sunlight, if no light is available from natural sunlight, supply a full-spectrum artificial light. They do need 12 hours of darkness so that their internal clock isn’t confused. They will stress, get sick, and possibly die. If the cockatiel is in an area with the rest of the family use a cage cover at night. (They cage should be near the family. Cockatiels have a very advanced social structure.)
Make sure the cage is in a well-ventilated area. Fumes are especially hazardous to all birds. Teflon coated pans emit a deadly fume when the pan gets too hot. Since it is not possible to know exactly where the overheating point is. I have never, nor would I ever use Teflon coated pans around my parrots. Another product that is Teflon coated is some varieties of heat lamps.
There should be perches with varying diameters. The different sizes offered are beneficial to the health of the cockatiels feet. Natural tree branches work very well too. Be careful not to use any trees or plants that are toxic or poisonous. Branches that make safe perches are apple, ash, almond, apricot, peach, maple, and elm. If you live in a cooler area as I do you may want to consider a Thermo Perch, at least for small birds.
Avian water bottles are great in that the bird’s excrement does not contaminate the water. Make sure the bird has learned to use the bottle before removing the water dish. He or she will also need food dishes. One dish is for seed and one for fresh foods. Be sure to remove the fresh food after a short period of time so that the food doesn’t spoil. Keep the cage cleaned. It must be cleaned every day. The cage should be disinfected regularly (weekly). Make sure the cage it is dried and aired out before returning the bird to the cage. A drop through wire cage is the best. Make sure the food and water is changed daily (filtered water).
Dietary Requirements
Cockatiels need calcium. Provide the cockatiel with a cuttlefish bone. At one time it was thought that just seed was good enough for birds. This is not true at all. Protein is important. Provide a good avian vitamin/mineral supplement. Please remember to follow the instructions. More is not better.
Some pet manufacturers have formulated well-balanced pellets. Many manufactures have begun offering fortified seed mixes that include the other foods that they need. Dried fruits, vegetables, vitamins, and concentrated food supplements. You should supplement other foods for nutrition and variety, after all the same old diet everyday is boring for birds too. Supplement healthy people’s food. Serve your birds bean mixes and ready-made bird breads. A good diet helps the bird resist infection and they are stronger and healthier.
Health Management
You must take care of a bird’s wings and feet. Keep the toenails cut. If you cut too close use Clotisol - blood clotting agent.
Cockatiels are very strong flyers. You must trim their wings. Even trimming their wings only slows them down. When clipping the wings be careful to watch for new growth, or blood feathers. If you do cut one, the remaining part of the feather will act as a straw and siphon blood. This can cause them to bleed to death. Grab a pair of pliers and pull the entire feather out quickly. If you are unconformable, clipping wings for the first time have your avian vet do so, showing you how to do the clipping. Please see my article at bottom of page.
Birds will hide their illness. Birds that are ill in the wild become easy prey to predators. It is difficult without watching your bird very carefully, everyday for any signs that something could be wrong.
Safety issues are a great concern for your pet. There are many hazards in your home you might not recognize as a hazard. Watch your pet's access to ceiling fans, hot boiling water, or oil on the stove, toxic houseplants, chocolate, and cedar. I have just mentioned a short sampling of the dangers in a common house.
Summary
Cockatiels are wonderful, entertaining, delightful animals. They are a wonderful choice for most families. People that do not have a great deal of space, a bird could be a perfect pet. Please research before purchasing. After all, we want these little birds to survive as much of the thirty years that they are capable of living. Learn all you can about the cockatiel before you venture into this friendship. Above all else enjoy your pet cockatiel.
Diana Geiger Exotic Pets Editoron
*****My Article Avian Veterinarian
*****Emergency First Aid for Birds
The Complete Book of Cockatiels
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