Cockatiel Care?

Question

Hey,

My birthdays in 15 days & I'll probably be getting a cockatiel. I am trying to do as much research as I can but I really want to hear what YOU do for your bird. I want a Lutino cockie and I'm not sure whether to get a male or female? What do you basically feed yours and how often do you clean their cage? Should I get one or two? How much does wing clipping cost? What tricks can I teach it/them?

Sorry if I've asked alot of questions. I'm really excited and need to be well prepared. Thankyou so much, it's greatly appriciated.

Matt

Answer 1

That is so cute!! I lvoe cockatiels and budgies. They are just gorgeous.

Choosing A Pet - The Cockatiel

Choosing a pet is very important. There are many pets that you can choose from but there are also many things to consider when choosing a pet. Some very important things to consider are:

1.) Do you have the space to keep this pet happy and healthy?

2.) Do you have the time that is required to care for this pet?

3.) Do you know enough about this pet?

A cockatiel requires very little space. It can be kept happy and healthy in even the tiniest of apartments. Even by allowing your cockatiel a very large and spacious cage it will still take up less space than alot of other pets.

A cockatiel does not require alot of time or effort depending on what you expect from it as a pet. The care and feeding takes a few minutes a day but training is very time consuming and requires a great amount of patience. It is also important to me when I care for my cockatiels that I give them a few minutes a day out of their cages to spend time with me. This not only gives them exercise but it also helps to keep them tame and keeps the bond between the birds and myself very strong.

Before choosing a pet you should learn all you can about the pet that you are considering. One good place to start is with your pet store. Not only can they give you a great amount of information themselves they can also connect you with other resources for futher information. Learning all you can about the pet you are considering is one of the most important things that you can do when you are choosing a pet.

A cockatiel comes in many colors, or mutations. The pied, cinnamon, lutinos and pearls are just a few of the many varieties available. The most important thing to remember when you pick a cockatiel is to get a healthy bird that has been well cared for. If you want a very tame bird you should get a young one who has been hand fed.

One important thing that I do when I decide to get any new pet is prepare his home ahead of time. I want to be able to make him feel at home immediately.

The cage should be placed in an area that is well lit and ventilated. It should be placed in a quite area, at least at first, to allow the cockatiel a quiet place to adjust when you first bring him home. As he gets used to your home you can gradually move his cage to a permanent place. A cockatiel will actually enjoy being in the center of a busy family but he needs time to adjust to his cage first.

The cage should be roomy and spacious enough for the cockatiel to move about freely. You should purchase the largest cage that will fit in the area that you have chosen to keep your pet in.It should have several perches of different sizes placed at different levels throughout the cage.

Food and water dishes should be attached to the cage and filled.

The cockatiel will eat seed which can be purchased from your pet store and is specifically formulated for cockatiels. Keep in mind that not all bird seed is the same so be sure to purchase a seed blend intended for cockatiels. Fresh fruit and vegetables can also be offered to your cockatiel in a separate food dish. All the dishes should be emptied and washed each day and refilled with fresh clean water and food.

There are many toys that you can purchase for a cockatiel. The toys will keep your pet entertained while you are away as well as giving him some exercise while he is in his cage.

Now that you have prepared the cage and learned as much as you can about cockatiels it's time to choose your new pet.

Find a dealer or breeder with an excellent reputation and then check him out yourself. When you enter his shop does it appear that the animals are cared for properly? Are the cages in good condition and clean? Do the cockatiels seem healthy and happy? Does the breeder or dealer seem knowledgeable and helpful?

If you don't feel comfortable with this person at this point it's time to find another breeder or dealer. Do not feel pressured into purchasing from someone you are not comfortable with. If you have decided that you are comfortable with this dealer, it's time to look at the birds.

If this is the first cockatiel that you have owned it is a good idea to purchase only one bird. Many people think that a single bird will be lonely and unhappy if it is kept in a cage by itself but I believe based on my many years of experience owning cockatiels, a single bird will bond with a human better if it is kept single. They will look to you for love and attention.

When choosing a cockatiel, a hand fed baby is the best choice. This bird has been cared for by humans and has no fear of them. Since it has been handled by humans from the begining it is much tamer and friendlier. Observe the birds closely and take your time when you choose your bird. They are all different and each one has a different personality. Once you have made a choice, it is time to take your new pet home.

When you arrive at home place the bird in his new home and give him some time to adjust. He may seem a little withdrawn and upset at first but in a day or two he will be that friendly, happy bird that you chose at the pet store.

Feeding

Fill the feed and water dishes each morning. Offer some fruit or vegetables in the separate dish you have for this purpose. Give about three tablespoons of cockatiel seed. A vitamin supplement can be added but is not necessary as long as a wide variety of food is offered.

Cleaning and Care

The bottom of the cage floor should be covered with newspaper and changed at the end of each day. The cage should be cleaned and disinfected once a week by washing with a solution of 1/4 cup household bleach and a gallon of water.

Rinse very throughly and then rinse again. It is very important to make sure that the bleach has been thoroughly rinsed off. Dry with a towel.

Training

A cockatiel can be trained to talk but it takes a great amount of patience.There are audio tapes available which can help in the training process but it will still require a great amount of patience. If you do want to teach your cockatiel to talk begin by choosing a single word that you want to teach to your bird. Choose a time each day that you will use for training. This should be a time when it is quiet and there is very few distractions. Softy repeat the word over and over to the bird. It will take time but eventually he may say it. Don't give up, keep trying. It takes alot of time to hear that first word. The second word you teach will probably be easier.

Answer 2

Awesome!  i love cockatiels...!!!

hmm..  do you want a bird who is loud and talkative, that you can teach some tunes to whistle?  or do you prefer a quieter bird who might like to cuddle?

my male is soo loud!  but i love every sound he makes!!  especially when he's trying to learn a new tune.. whenever he doesnt get it right its so hilarious cuz you can see the frustration on his face.  and he's so stubborn!  he'll keep practicing over and over and over....  i love him!

my female is so friendly!!  ..sometimes too friendly.  so friendly that she can be a pain in the ***.  but she's awesome.  she's not loud, but she loves to hang out on shoulders.  ..and she loves to pull on earrings.  but i forgive her everytime cuz she always lets me pet her soft neck and crest.

do you have time EVERYday to spend with your bird?  cockatiels are very social and need to be interacted with at least 2 hours EVERYday.  if you dont have that time, then i strongly suggest getting 2 birds.

they'll keep each other company, and its interesting to see their different personalities develope!

a lot of ppl say that if you want your bird to bond with you, you should have only one..  but i got two of my lutinos at the same time, and they bonded with me real quick.

i feed my tiels regular cockatiel seed mix.  (they hate safflower seeds..  they throw them everywhere!  even the fish tank!!)  but i also give them fresh celery, carrots, apples, and corn.  they love celery..!  and their breath smells so fresh after they eat it.

i clean their cage everyday.  if i had only one, i would clean it very other day..  but i have two.  they make a bigger mess together.

you might want to invest in a "skirt" that can be fitted around the lower and bottom part of the cage.  cockatiels are generally messy eaters (i mean it!), and their food gets flung all over the place.

my birds wings arent clipped.  they like to fly (they've gotten pretty good at it!  they no longer try to fly through the walls), and i dont want to take that joy away from them.  i dont mind cleaning all the poo from the curtains.. or the couch.. or the coffee table... or my shoulders (sigh)..

before you get your cockatiel (or right after..), i suggest that you look up how to deal with broken blood feathers.  the first time i saw one of my birds bleeding i freaked out and scared them out of their wits (very bad for the birds..  ofcourse..).

heres a good link..

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

good luck, and happy birthday!

Answer 3

Cockatiels are generally regarded as good pets having a "sweet" demeanor, though this is by no means a guarantee. Like most other pets, the manner in which the animal is raised, handled, and kept has a profound effect on the temperament of the animal. Some birds are quite gregarious and sociable while others can be shy, retreating to the back of the cage when an unfamiliar figure appears. Generally, well-socialised birds are gentle and friendly. Some cockatiels enjoy physical contact, lending themselves well to taming. Many cockatiel owners develop regular bonding rituals with their animals, engaging in preening, scratching, and even petting. Cockatiels which are hand-fed and purchased from a young age are more readily suited for physical contact.

Answer 4

When I had my tiel he was being fed a 2/4 pellet, 1/4 seed, and 1/4 fruits and veggie diet.  I fed fruits and veggies on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday or Saturday.  You will want to give at least 3-4 different fruits and 3-4 different veggies every week (I had a list I printed online and laminated it then checked them off with an expo marker, which I still do for my other birds)  Pellets give your bird basically everything they need, but nothing can really replace fresh fruits and veggies.  Don't give too much seed as it is high in fat and shortern your parrots life span dramtically.

Be sure you have the time and budget to care for your tiel.  He'll need at least one hour MINIMUM out of th cage every day, but always give as much time as you can consistantly.

Males are much more vocal than the females, so if you might want a bird who talks then go with a male.  But females are great pets too.  

Clean the cage at least once a week, changing paper on the bottom every 2-3 days.  Clean perches and toys as needed, and dishes washed daily. Make sure you have about 6 toys in the cage a time (as many as you can fit but still elave room for wing flapping and perches, you don't want it crowded) Make sure a few are foraging toys since those will keep your bird occupied longest.  Buy a playstand as well, but you might want to buy one table top to take aorund the house as you move wherever and one fairly large one to go in the family room thats base is on the floor.  You can make your own playstands, but for noncreative people like me buying them is much easier.  Plus if you make your own double check everything is bird safe.

Wing clipping could be an additional 5 dollars at the avian vet check ups or you can take him/her to a groomer, either way it's about 5-10 bucks.  Be sure it's someone who knows what they are doing though.

You can teach tiels to wave, to score baskets (there are little basketball hoops and balls all over the net), to nod yes and no, teach recall, you can teach them to push a small shopping cart (again on the net) or teach them to recognize shapes and color.  Be patient and start with easier ones like waving, yes and no first to build confidence.  And never do antyhing your bird seems uncomfortable with.

Another tip, be completely ready when your baby comes home.  Have the cage, playstand, everything set up so you don't have to be moving anything while he's stressed already.  When you bring him home sit with him for a bit, giving treats then put him in the cage to rest for the night.  The next day opent he cage door let him come out if he wants, and read/talk to him and build trust.  Once he shows you he is comfortable you can start to handle him more and more.  Just be patiet, and he'll come out of his shell soon enough.  Best of luck, and have a happy birthday.  Feel free to e-mail me if you have any further questions. :)

Answer 5

i have 6 of them,  if you want to keep your Cockatiel, in the house and to train it, its best you just have 1 and give it all your attention, do be careful, they can break your skin when they bite

you can clip there wing, you only clip 1 wing   then they cant fly in straight line. you clip off 2/3 of the long feathers   using scissors

http://www.birdhealth.com.au/bird/cockat...