Cockatiel Care

Before getting a cockatiel pet, first thing you need to think of is cockatiel care. And once decided, make sure that when you get one, you will have all equipment ready for him before you take him home and ensure that you already know a vet that treats birds. If you’re planning to have a second bird, quarantine the new bird for 8 weeks or more before introducing him to the previous bird or birds that you have. Cockatiels have a tendency of hiding their illness since it makes them look week when in the wild, so before you introduce your new bird to your other birds, have him checked up for avian matters with you Vet.

Cockatiel care also means that once your bird is in his new house, leave him be in his new cage for a few days. Coo and softly speak to him so he will be more comfortable with you as your voice helps the taming process. If at one point, you lose things to say to your bird, you can read poems and stories to him. Avoid handling a bird for the first three to four days. After such, play periods must be limited to fifteen minutes with long intervals of rest after each play periods. To tame him better, you should obtain a book on taming and training to learn different commands such as the up – command where you’ll be using your finger to train him. Unlike some birds, cockatiels can only learn a few words and phrases.

You will need to get the biggest cage that you can afford for your bird and wires should have thick wires which run across horizontally – cockatiels love using the wires for climbing. Make sure that the spaces in between the wires are from 5/8th to 3/4th inch. A bigger space than this can be risky for your bird as their heads – little as it is, might get stuck. For the perches, your bird’s cage should have different sizes, as it would be beneficial for the health of the cockatiel’s feet. You can use apple, almond, ash, peach, apricot, elm and maple branches for the perches – these make safe perches. Keep your cages out of areas that may diffuse fumes from Teflon coated pans. Make sure that your cage is located in a well ventilated area. Some other hazardous things that you may not know would include hot boiling water, ceiling fans, oil on the stove, chocolate, toxic houseplants, and cedar – these are commonly found in a household.

Cockatiel care means not placing the cage in direct sunlight, cockatiels only need enough light. If natural lighting is not an option, you can use a full- spectrum artificial light. This is needed for the birds to make use of Vitamin D. Make sure that they have dishes as well for water and food – one dish for seeds and one for fresh foods.

Since cockatiels are strong flyers, you have to ensure that their wings are trimmed once in a while as this will slow them down and will prevent them from flying out of your door or window. Watch out for new growth and blood feathers when trimming their wings. If accidentally cut, the feather that is left behind will work as a siphon blood or a straw – this might leave them bleeding to death. If this happens, get some pliers and pull out the entire feather. You can also have your Avian vet do this at the same time show you how trimming should be done.

Cockatiel care means managing their health as well. If cockatiels get sick, they tend to conceal their sickness. And when sick – they become easier prey to predators especially in the wild. Make sure you watch them closely every day, and not wait until it’s too late.