It's always good to refresh yourself on the care of your pets and please don't stop here, there are many wonderful sites on the net with great information. I feel it is always best to get more than one or two points of view. You can also check my Links page for many great cockatiel and bird sites.
Thank you and enjoy.
There are many dangers that you must watch out for when owning a bird, not just a cockatiel, but any bird. Here is a list of some of the things to stay away from:
1. Non-stick cook ware. If heated up too fast it sends off a gas that is deadly to birds.
2. Fabreeze.
3. Arisol spreys. (air fresheners)
4. Scented candles.
5. Avocados.
6. House hold cleaning products.
7. Caffine and Chocolate. Although I'm sure you will not feed this to your bird. :)
Scientific name for Cockatiels is Nymphicus hollandicus. Cockatiels are found in the arid Australia area. Wild cockatiels are primarily grey with a yellow head and crest, white on the sides of the wings and orange cheeks. Pretty much just like my Quasi. But breeders have developed many mutations of colors over the years
If this will be your first bird or you are inexperienced with birds I advise you start out with a small bird or a medium like a cockatiel. If you are looking for a medium sized bird that may talk or whistle and can be very affectionate with proper taming and quality time a cockatiel may be the bird for you.
NOTE: If you do not have the time to spend at least 2 hours a day with your bird then please DON'T GET A BIRD!
I advise anyone that is thinking fof getting a bird to do much research and you can even visit this site. Birds are very social and when you bring them into your home you become their "flock", they need companionship and quality time spent with them in order for them to stay happy and content. Some larger parrots can be even more demanding. All birds can be loud at times, so you must take this into consideration when thinking of investing in a bird. Remember usually the bigger the bird the louder the calls.
As a rule of thumb it is always better to get the biggest cage you can find. Get the largest cage you can afford. From everything I have read the minimum of a cockatiel cage is 18x18x24 but most cockatiel owner will tell you that the minimum cage should be 24x24x24 for one bird. I have read that this is also the bare minimum for two on other sites. Personally I have to agree that bigger is ALWAYS better and a 24x24x24 would be the better home for a single tiel. 18x18x24 would be alright as long as your tiel had lots of out time during the day. Cages should be placed in a well travelled part of the house like the living room or reck room. Tiels need to feel included in your everyday activities. They should also have at least one side with horizontal bars to help the bird climb up the cage to perches or the top of the cage.
NOTE: bars should be no wider than 3/4" apart and stay away from dome type and round cages. These are very dangerous for birds. They can catch thier feet in the cage where it gets narrow and joins at the top. Also birds sometimes use the corners of the cage to feel secure and if there are no corners (like with a round cage) they will get stressed out and may become sick and die.
Toys should be changed regularly and inspected for loose threads or hazards daily.
Variety and balance are important for proper nutritian.
Personally I feel a pellet diet with seeds mix as a treat is best. They should also have fresh fruits and vegetables available at all times. Fruits are more of a treat and dark leafy greens (kale, collard, spinache) should be a staple food in a cockatiels diet.
NOTE: When buying your tiel you should find out what diet the breeder or pet store has the bird on. Some will have them on pellets, some on seeds, and some on a mixture. You do not want to change thier diet drastically or they will get stressed and possibly starve themselves. Birds are not like cats and dogs, they will not eat when they get hungry. They will shut down and soon die. So if you have a bird that is on seed diet along and want to change it to pellets do it gradually by mixing the pellets in with the seeds until a few months later when they will only hav the pellets.
Also some people may tell you it is nessaccary but GRIT and vitalmins sold at pet stores are not nessaccary for Cockatiels, and can potentially be dangerous to them. So please stay away from Grit. This is used by some birds to help their gizzards grind up food. however cockatiels hull the seeds they eat so they do not need grit to help them.
Water: Water should be changed daily. If your dish feels slimy it is because there is a bacteria build up. This can make your bird very sick. I provide my cockatiel with bottled spring water.
Cockatiels can be very friendly when properly tamed and especially young hand raised tiels (because they have been around human hands all their lives).
A tame cockatiel will be very affectionate. They love to be petted and head and neck scratches. Tiels will also preen their owner as a sign of affection. They will sit on your shoulder and cuddle up to your ear and run their beak through your hair (this is the preening part).Tiels can also be trained to step up, get down, or even come to you.
NOTE: A single tiel will also bond with you much faster than if you have a pair of tiels. When you keep them in pairs they will sometimes bond to each other before bonding to you. They will also be much more vocal and if not handled or played with much by you it is offten a good idea to get them a cage mate or mate in a cage near by. But remember any new bird should be quarenteened for 2-3 months before entering the same room as your established bird(s).
Tiels can sometimes be a little nippy but this is normal. I think it is a sign of affection. Mine does this when he getts excited. It is all in love and does not actually hurt but some people and children can become startled when this happens and this can make both the handler and the tiel unsure of themselfs. So please if you are allowing others to hold and play with your tiel you should make sure they are away of this. Also that when a bird reaches for your hand with it's beak when steping up it is not going to bite but only getting it's balance and a feel for it's new perch.
A healthy cockatiel can live anywhere from 15-20 years. So you must think of this when decided on buying a tiel. Will you be able to care for this bird if it lives for 20 years? If not do not get a tiel.
This was mentioned above but once again I will say, if you want a bird but do not have a lot of time to play with and take your bird out it is better to get two. If you can spend 3-4 hours or more a day with quality out (play) time with your bird then you only need to get one. These birds live in flocks in the wild and need this security in captivity. When you bring home your bird you become their new flock leader and they need to socialize with you and your family to be happy.
This may not be an option if you buy your bird at a young age and it cannot be sexed. But if buying a sexable aged bird male or female is entirely up to you. This is what I have found. Males are much more vocal than females and can learn to mimic, whistle, and talk. Females often learn to whistle but will not mimic or talk. Don't get me wrong it is possible, just not as comman as in males. Females also tend to be a little more cuddly than males. Although my male is extrememly cuddly. So, like us, each bird has it's own personality and behaviors. You should try to spend time with a bird that you are thinking of purchasing and see if the bird will bond to you or at least tolerate you. Sometimes a bird will pick it's owner.
Again this is your decision. Maybe you would like to adopt a rescued tiel and give it a good, loving home. Or maybe you want to get a young bird from a breeder.
Personally I think "no", there are enough cockatiels and other unwanted birds out there that you should leave the breeding up to responsible, qualified breeders. If you want a pair of birds get the same sex or if you by chance get a mating pair don't give them a nest box.
Your best place to get a cockatiel is from a reputable breeder. If this is not available to you you could find a small family owned pet store and find out if their tiels are friendly and purchase from there. You can also sometimes adopt a tiel from a rescue but I wouldn't recomend adopting any with special needs as a first time owner. But if the bird is healthy and friendly you could be in luck. :)
If you have decided to go ahead and purchase a cockatiel I wish you all the best of luck and hope you will continue in your research prior to your purchase. They can be wonderful, fullfilling pets. If you have read all about them and have decided this is not the pet for you I hope I was of some help and maybe you can check out one of my other pet pages to find a more suitable pet for you and your family. I hope you enjoyed your visit and come again soon.
