Cockatiels, which originated in Australia, are the second most popular pet parrot (budgies are the first). Cockatiels are excellent companions since they are easygoing, friendly, and full of personality!!
Cockatiels have a lifespan of 15-20 years.
Quick Facts:
Scientific Name: Nymphicus Hollandicus
Common Name: Cockatiel, Tiel
Native To: Australia
Introducing my Cockatiel: Doodles, a Gray Cockatiel, is the eldest of the flock and has a very laid-back “whatever” attitude. She’s always the mother hen, making sure everyone is okay. Every now and then, typically while the other men are trying to sleep, she lets free and teaches these “kids” how to be silly.
Connie is a male Gray Cockatiel. How did he get the name Connie? He had all the marks of a female as a youngster, gray head, banded feathers around the vent, the works. Then, at about 7 months old, he had a big molt, and guess what? She was, in fact, a male. We dubbed him CC since he was already used to the term at that point (short for Connie Cockatiel).
Cockatiels Personalities
The most misunderstood aspect of keeping Cockatiels as pets is their demand for constant attention and love, which should be combined with frequent handling. These fundamentals are an important component of having a Cockatiel.
Cockatiels are generally gentle and loving pets, but without human interaction and care, they may and will return to their natural, survival instincts and lose their tameness.
Cockatiels are quite adaptive. They often adapt pretty quickly to our human faults, including coping exceptionally well with tiny adjustments in their routine, but be advised, anything involving large changes, such as “home transfers,” will cause the bird, like the bulk of the parrot species, to become quite upset.
Many owners are concerned about leaving their feathery companions at home while they are at work. They wonder whether Baby Tiel needs a cagemate to keep him company. Owners are often concerned that their youngster may connect with another bird and lose the bird’s devotion.
We’ve discovered that human-bonded birds normally don’t want an “uninvited bird” in their family realm; also, a human-bonded bird may not take well to being a buddy to another bird. They can even see it as a threat! We have also discovered that no matter whether the kind of bird is given lots of care, affection, and regular handling, the link formed between owner and bird will last.
Cockatiels Care
Aside from the emotional reaction needed by the bird, another important routine is that of keeping a suitable environmental standard. All birds need a clean, sanitary, and bacteria-free living environment. Read more about the safest materials for pet parrots. Food and water dishes should be replaced or cleaned at least once a day, and more often if they get filthy. Their cages must be cleaned on a regular basis and sanitized once a week using a good proprietary disinfectant. The flooring material should be replaced on a regular basis and should be dust-free and non-toxic. NOT NEWSPAPER, since this is detrimental to birds. Perches must be cleansed on a regular basis and be the proper size to avoid ulcers, obesity, and bumble foot.
All birds need a lot of indirect light. If the cage is in a dimly lit location, you may offer bird-specific lights. This should be close to or on top of their cage. If the cage gets direct sunshine, be sure to give enough cover in a big section of the cage, since no bird should ever be left in full sunlight owing to the risk of sunstroke. Check the water pots periodically on warm or hot days to ensure that there is always enough supply of fresh, clean water. If the temperature gets to 80 degrees or above, use a room fan to offer additional ventilation. Shower the bird with tepid water on a frequent basis in the summer, but do it before midday so that the bird may dry fully before roosting.
Daily showers or baths seem to be more popular during molting. Cockatiels like bathing and will want you to keep spraying them even if they are already dripping wet. Bathing should be reduced somewhat during the winter months. Maintain a warm and draft-free environment for them. Cockatiels are warm-blooded; their typical body temperature is about 41 degrees Celsius, which is far higher than that of a dog or cat. Showering/bathing on a regular basis also helps to keep dander particles at bay and the bird preening appropriately.
Cockatiels Training
If you want to teach your Cockatiel, like with other birds, you must devote time to it on a daily basis. Work on one training technique at a time, rather than a half-dozen. Multiple and lengthy training sessions merely confuse the bird and typically accomplish nothing useful. Training should be enjoyable for both the bird and you. It’s also a good idea to teach the bird in a separate room from its cage. When you’ve mastered one method, go on to the next. During each training session, continue to rehearse and perform the training from prior classes once or twice. Remember to keep sessions brief (5 minutes is best) and to make them fun. When the bird accomplishes the desired accomplishment, lavish it with praise. If you discover that sessions are getting too difficult for you or the bird, stop.
Cockatiels can and usually do speak, although they are not as prolific or talkative as their parrot relatives, the greys, amazons, and macaws. Their vocabulary is limited, but basic words may be learned with persistence. Learn more about what you can give a parrot to talk.
Cockatiels Breeding
Also, bear in mind that Cockatiels breed easily in captivity, so if you have a cock and a hen in the same cage, they may breed and produce chicks. If they show indications of mating, a good and appropriately sized nest box should be given. It should be around 1 foot broad, 10 inches deep, and 1 foot tall (30x25x30cms). The entrance hole should be around 3inches (7cms) in diameter, and it should have a robust perch to allow easy access and escape from the box. To facilitate cleaning and inspection, the roof should be hinged, and wood shavings should be spread on the floor. A hen may lay 4 to 7 eggs in each clutch, and incubation lasts 17 to 21 days.
Cockatiels Diets
It might be tough to get children to consume a healthy range of meals.
The list presented is not meant to be ‘daily’ or ‘required,’ but rather as a healthy diet guide:
- Organic fruits and veggies
- Seeds that have sprouted
- Grit.
- A little lean chicken flesh.
- Millet, but in tiny quantities.
- Prepared pellets
- Cockatiel seed mix
- Scrambled eggs, hard-boiled or well-cooked
- Complete grains.
- Rice and pasta
- A firm cheese.
- Greek yogurt
- Toast.
- Leguminosae.
- Cereal (dry) (non-sugar types).
- Juice made from apples.
- Certain tree branches, such as apples (Not every tree is safe)
- Egg Food, which is suitable for nursing hens and chicks.
COFFEE/CAFFEINE SHOULD NEVER BE FED. Avocado, carbonated fizzy drinks Chocolate (in any form). Sprouts of lima beans Milk (tiels are lactose intolerant). Be aware of what to feed your parrot.
Always give clean water that is accessible at all times.
Provide cuttlefish, an iodine block, or, much better, an excellent calcium supplement.
Cockatiels Safety
Never leave your birds unsupervised when they are playing outside the cage. Return them to the safety of the cage or take the bird with you, not even for a second.
When another animal (puppy, dog, cat, or even a bigger bird) is around and able to come into touch with your precious charge, ALWAYS use the utmost care. Honestly, no matter how well you understand the behavior of your other pets, their fundamental inert instincts might kick in; dogs are canines, cats are felines, and so forth. Check out the reason for parrot death for your information.
It might all be too late, as your cockatiel could be in the mouth or beak of a bigger individual in less than a heartbeat.
Cockatiels, like all other birds, benefit significantly from spending time outdoors on a warm, bright day. Light rain and sunshine will help their feathers. If your bird is not clipped and must be kept outdoors in a cage, be sure that cats and other predators cannot get into the cage or knock it from its stand. Cover the cage partially with a towel and make sure the cover is secure. This will offer the bird some shade. Keep an eye on the water pot. If your bird’s wings have been clipped, give it a test fly indoors before allowing it to go outdoors. It might have been a time after the trimming, and the feathers could have grown back enough to allow flight. Also, keep an eye on the plants in your garden. Birds are naturally inquisitive and will chew plants and leaves; however, many popular garden plants are particularly harmful to birds, therefore keep your bird away from them so it does not chew.
First Aid Kit (Basic)
Keep a basic first-aid kit on hand at all times. It should include a few basic items that will be beneficial if your bird becomes hurt. Here are the fundamentals:
- A chemical that prevents bleeding (Cornflour is good for this)
- A disinfectant that is safe for birds.
- Cotton buds or cotton wool balls
- Sharp scissors and tweezers
- Cream Savlon (the only human medication that can safely be used on a bird)
- To confine an injured bird, use a soft, black, unstriped towel.
These small birds are chirpy and cheeky friends, and you should keep in mind that your cockatiel is completely reliant on you and your family to supply its requirements. To constantly offer what birds need, we must all behave as responsible caretakers. These priceless charges rely on us; we must guarantee that we give them everything possible within the confines of captivity.
Cockatiels Basic Needs
- The cage must be spacious enough for the bird to roam around without his tail rubbing against the edges. The cage is too tiny if the bird cannot perch without the tail touching. It is suggested that the cage be no smaller than 18′′x14′′. The best size is 3′x3′.
- Additional cuisine dishes.
- Additional perches.
- Provide a range of toys that are rotated on a regular basis to minimize boredom.
- A wide range of foods. Cockatiel pellet meal, Cockatiel mix, fresh fruits and vegetables, millet, cuttlefish bone, iodine block (pink chalk-like block), and appropriate birdie treats are all available.
- Bathing dish garden/spray bottle may be purchased at any nearby DIY shop.
- MOST IMPORTANT: Your time and consideration.
Cockatiels Health
Please do not purchase an un-weaned bird if you have no expertise in hand-feeding young birds. This frequently ends in tragedy. A competent breeder would not sell un-weaned birds to someone who has never hand-fed a bird.
Is the anus (vent) clean? The feathers surrounding the vent should be free of stains and feces.
Are the bird’s toes and toenails complete? How do the legs seem, are they bent or bowed, since this might indicate vitamin deficiency?
How are the birds perching?
Is the bird alert and active?
Do the eyes seem bright and clear, with no redness, swelling, or discharge?
Are the mouth and beak clean, devoid of caked-up baby hand raising formula, and injury-free? Inside the mouth, there should be no sores, dampness, or white patches.
The beak should be deformed-free. (For example, overgrown or misplaced)
Are the nares (nose) clean and discharge-free?
Are the wings smooth and even? If the wings haven’t been clipped, they should rest easily and evenly on the body’s sides.
Is the physique firm and developed? – Feel the front keel bone (breast). Is it razor-sharp? (Like the rear of a knife blade) If this is the case, the bird may be underweight.
Is the bird’s plumage complete?
Does he seem plucked?
Are there any naked spots on your body?
Do the feathers seem fluffed?
The bird should have all of its feathers and be sleek. And, depending on his age, his tail may be ragged from other siblings yanking on it during play.
A cockatiel may live for many years and thrives on being a devoted and endearing friend. If they are left alone, they may and often do pine. TLC, time, and patience are all required, but the benefits of having a loving and happy little bird as a buddy are immense.
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