Cockatiel care?

[binka_nugget]

My mom gave me the okay to get a bird. I immediately thought of tiels but I really don't know much about them.

Could you guys share some info about tiel care with me? :) Thanks

[Giselle]

This is what I wrote on another topic asking for Cockatiel info. I'm too lazy to re-write everything :p


Hello there! I have a tiel on top of my budgie flock, so I know a bit about them Allow me to digress...

1) At what age and where should you acquire your new cockatiel?

First things first, there are basically two ways to raise a human-tame chick. 1) Is human hand-feeding. This can be done multiple ways, but basically, the chick is taken away from its parents and raised on a man-made formula. This formula is then fed to the chick by a human, reinforcing the idea that "Humans = Your Friend and Caretaker". 2) Is the method that I use and prefer. The chick is NOT handfed, but raised by its parents. However, from around Day 10, the chick is continually socialized with humans through gentle cuddling. From this point on, these chicks are tame and generally very very friendly towards humans. *Generally*, quality, handfed/handtame cockatiels can only be found through private breeders. You can find a multitude of private breeders through Up At Six and BirdsNWays (sorry, you'll have to Google these sites).

Ideally, any age is OK to acquire a cockatiel. Think of a tiel like a dog. If you get it from a good, private breeder, you'll get a clean slate to start on. However, you could also adopt an unwanted cockatiel who'll take a little more time to "mold", but the rewards will be tenfold.

2) What should I feed my cockatiel?

I honestly don't remember the exact percentages, but I think it should be something like:
50% Pellets (Lafeber, Harrisons, Zupreem, KayTee, etc. brands)
35% Seeds
15% Veggies and Fruits (I like to have more veggies than fruits)
and you should always include the occasional yogurt treat, egg biscuit, eggfood, and various supplements from time to time.

A MUST: You should keep a continuous supply of cuttlefish bone and mineral block clipped to the cage.

3) How do I tame/train my cockatiel?

This is a very lengthy subject, so I'll leave this to Mattie Sue Athan and her book Guide to a Well-Behaved Parrot
(I recommend this book for *every* first time bird owner)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764110306/thepetbirdpage/002-2712293-9866457

4) What kind of cage should I buy for my cockatiel?

The biggest one! Just be sure the cage is NOT round or cylandrical and the bar width is small enough so that your cockatiel won't get his/her head stuck in it. Also avoid "guillotine" style doors which you'd find on virtually every cage in a store like PetSmart. AVOID cages like this (notice the sliding, "guillotine" door)
http://www.petsmart.com/media/ps/images/products/detail/large/October04/lg_7849_3f3d3.jpg
Look for cages like this:
http://www.petsmart.com/media/ps/images/products/detail/large/October04/lg_7852_3f3d9.jpg
Notice the clip to open the door

I don't remember the exact cage requirements, but make sure that you buy the largest cage you can afford. Generally, your cockatiel should be able to open his wings and his feathers should not touch the sides of the cage.

That should cover much of your questions. If not, PM me Good Luck!

I'm not sure if I included it in the above quote, but a good link is Cockatiel.com.

[flamepony12]

Here are my experiences...

1) Cockatiels are very curious, social birds. The males tend to make more noise than the females, (Baybi hardly makes a sound most of the time) and most breeders will know the difference in sex when you buy yours. They don't need an outrageous amount of attention, however, keep in mind that they are still parrots, and like company.

2) Cockatiels are fine by themselves, as long as they get at least 1-2 hours of attention a day. They love to hitch a ride on your shoulder whenever they can!

3) Buy a cage that is at least big enough for them to stretch their wings all the way across. They also love shiny things and toys they can move around. (For example rings, which they can move up and down)

I'm pretty Sure Giselle covered the rest! ^.~

Here's Baybi's cage, but she has a sort of playpen thing attached to the top, which we bought seperately. Also, Replacing those straight wood perches with real wood perches would be a good idea. Real, knobbly wood massages their feet and keeps them flexed. =] That's what we did with Baybi's cage, too.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a85/k9kisses/lg_7835_3f3c7.jpg
http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=84552444180 8227&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302025466&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023691&bmUID=1126456178856

Good Luck!

[.powerful]

Tiels are such sweet birds. I know you'll enjoy 'em!

Well, the minimum size of a cage is 24" by 24" by 24” but I recommend you get a larger one. PLEASE make sure the bar spacing is not farther than 3/4". They can get their head stuck between the bars :( I actualy wouldn't recommend a cage like Flamepony12 has. When you have a cockatiel you should stay away from dome shaped cages. You would need a carrier cage, but the carrier cage can just be a frog terrarium or something along those lines. I would also keep a small night light on near the cage to prevent night fright.

Most perches are good, but stay away from the "pedicure perches" they are very hard on the cockatiels feet.

As soon as you get your cockatiel, introduce it to fruits and vedgies. It is very hard to get them to eat food they are not used to. They love carrots tops, and dandelions. Chicken, egg, and tofu is also a favorite of mine.

My cockatiels have turned a blind eye to their toys, but I've heard that they like bells, shiny beads, and leather strips.

Males are typically more vocal, most chirp, sing and occasionaly say a few words. I know that males are usally more independent as well.

There is so much more information, so please ask questions!

[binka_nugget]

Thanks for the info guys :D

I have a couple questions.. I don't mind some noise but I do have two Shelties which are known for their notorious barking so I'd like to keep noise down as much as I can. And I'd prefer to get one that is more interactive rather than independant. Should I get a female?

Also, what do you guys think about getting two to keep each other company? I can give a lot of attention when I'm at home but sometimes I'm gone at work for most of the day.

Do any of these cages look okay for two? They're fairly big but I noticed that they're domed shaped at the top though..

(Sorry, I couldn't get any bigger pictures)
http://petcetera.ca/sites/petcetera/uploads/flayerproducts/42110130.jpg
24"Wx22"Lx57"H

http://petcetera.ca/sites/petcetera/uploads/flayerproducts/42110126.jpg
27"Wx23"Dx66"H

http://petcetera.ca/sites/petcetera/uploads/flayerproducts/42110132.jpg
36"Wx23"Lx66"H

[salamander]

I really don't know much about birds, but good luck with your birdie!:)

[popcornbird]

I honestly don't think a cage with a dome shaped top would be a problem at all. Its the ROUND cages you shouldn't get, as it confuses the bird, but a dome shaped cage pretty much is a square/rectangle...just with a dome on the top, so I do believe it would work just fine.

I have both a male and a female, and they are both wonderful in their own ways. Popcorn (male) is more outgoing and social. He's very naughty and goofy, and loves to hop around, sing, whistle, dance, etc. Very funny, entertaining bird. Muffin (female) is also very sweet. She's more a 'velcro birdie', and LOVES to cuddle and snuggle. Sometimes she falls asleep snuggled with my face. It is SO cute. She's more quiet, though she does get her 'moments' too, when she will scream.....BUT, that is rare, and only when she WANTS something. Once you give it to her, she quiets down. They both love to play with toys. Both love people...though Popcorn is friendly with anyone, and Muffin is more loyal/clingy to her family, and shy around strangers. I guess that should describe the difference between males and females...at least from my experience. In general, I believe tiels are more quiet compared to other birds of their size, and they have a lovely whistle too.

They're great birds. I would recommend getting two. Spend lots of time with them and they'll be friendly and tame, even if they have a companion. I got mine together and they both love people. I personally feel that every specie should have one of its own 'kind' to hang out with. Personally...I just feel that's something important for their emotional needs. Though many tiels DO live alone with people and do great, I just feel better that way. I wouldn't want to be cut off from human contact, so I feel the same when it comes to animals. Also, it helps that they have each other's company when I'm not around. A lonely bird is not a happy bird. They need constant 'friendship'. I'm not saying single birds are unhappy. If they have enough human contact, they do well, but I prefer that they have another tiel too.

[Giselle]

Are those California cages? Just seeing if I'm as familiar with birds as I used to be :rolleyes:

I share the same views with Popcornbird. There are certain emotional needs that a single human cannot possible provide. For example, 24/7 companionship. This is a true gem that a birdie friend can provide, but a human could not. Birds are gregarious flock animals and need the constant companionship, which is why you always hear of neurotic, abandoned Toos and such. My suggestion for you is to get two handfed Cockatiels and spend as much time as possible with the two. You must remember that birds are handfed in clutches, so they've been accustomed to relying on humans and viewing them as friends, but socializing with their birdie companions as well. I admit that I do have a single male Cockatiel, but his cage is next to my flock of budgies, so, in a sense, he does have that constant avian companionship.

Any of those cages are fine. I was never told that dome-shaped tops were hazardous for tiels. I was only told to stay away from round and cylandrical cages because they do not provide an opportunity for the tiel to hide. I don't see how dome-tops can do this, but I've been proven wrong more than once :)

Edit: Now that I think about it more and more, I believe it was recommended to avoid cages with playpens on top since that can contribute to cage aggression...I'm trying to recollect a vague memory, so I may be wrong. But if I am correct, I'd try to see if there was a cage like #2 without the playpen on top.

[bckrazy]

Tiels are awesome birds! We had 2 boys when I was little, Mario and Luigi, and they were sooo sweet and talkative :) I do remember that they were VERY loud though, they loved to hang out on top of their cage and talk to each other and anyone that passed by for a few hours a day... hence why I can't get another Tiel, having a baby brother xP

I also had a female, Lily, that we got from a breeder for my 10th Birthday. She was super pretty, but she was not well raised and was very scared of kids and being handled... so we gave her back to her breeder (who had waay too many birds, and probably didn't put much time at all into socializing her). Definitely check out that the breeder/store/rescue you get your Tiel from socializes them extremely well ~ you should be allowed to handle and get to know your birds before you buy them, to make sure they're social and healthy.

[.powerful]

O gosh, I don't remember where I head dome shape cages are bad! My apoligies for the false informations!