Cockatiels-The perfect pet parrot

One of the most common pet birds, Cockatiels are often overlooked by people looking for a pet parrot. Because of their small size and affordability they are often found in the homes of people who may not even consider themselves "bird people". But don't let their low price tag and commonness fool you into passing up on this marvelous pet! Dollar for Dollar you may just get a better companion pet from a cockatiel than just about any other kind of animal!

Cockatiels are big birds in a little bird's body! They have fun upbeat personalities. They can learn to mimic quiet well, the males are generally better at this than the females. Most cockatiels can learn to whistle a complete song after just a week or so of hearing it repeated. But both males and females can make equally sweet little pet birds.

Cockatiels are native to Australia. They come in a variety of colors. The normal grey (this is the color of wild 'tiels), lutino, pied, pearl, cinnamon, and whiteface. Many cockatiels are a combination of the above varieties. Such as a pearl whiteface. Or a cinnamon pied. The varieties are nearly endless! But most are some variation of grey, white, yellow, and orange.

A handfed cockatiel will usually make the very best pet as they have never developed any fear of people. Most handfed cockatiels thrive on spending time outside of their cages and being held and petted by their owners. 'Tiels love to have their heads scratched and will learn to walk up to your hand and bow, this is their way of asking for a good scratch behind the crest. They love to cuddle on shoulders, chew up the newspaper you are reading and sample your popcorn while you watch a movie. They are just generally so happy to be with their people that they will gladly follow you throughout the house. Unlike many larger birds, cockatiels will often remain friendly with everyone in the family throughout life, as opposed to becoming a one person bird. They also tend to be very steady, personality wise, even after the hormones of sexual maturity have set in.

Cockatiels in captivity enjoy a varied diet, consisting of seed mix, pellets, fruits and veggies, whole grain bread, pasta, and nuts. They also need to have access to a cuttle bone and a mineral block in order to get both the necessary calcium for healthy bones and to keep the growth of their beak in check. It helps keep their beaks in tip top shape! (Most birds beaks grow throughout their lives, just like our fingernails, hard things to chew help keep their beaks filed down just right!

These birds have long tails and need a nice roomy cage in order to keep their feathers beautiful. Besides the fact that since they do spend a large part of their day in their cages they should be big enough for the bird to get some much needed exercise! At a bare minimum cockatiels should be able to stretch out their wings in any direction and not touch the cage bars. A cage 24" x 24" x 24" is just about right. But as with any bird, always try to get the biggest cage you can afford and can fit in your space! They will love having all of that room to climb around in and play with all of their toys!

Speaking of toys... 'tiels love to have lots of toys to play with. They are very curious birds, and love to check out and manipulate new things! Make sure when you are shopping for toys that you buy several that are made of paper, straw, or light-weight wood that can be torn apart and destroyed by your bird! Trust me, they will thank you for it! (Well, they would thank you for it if they knew how!) They also enjoy swings and bells and little toys that they can pick up in their feet and chew on! Just make sure that you buy toys that don't have any sharp edges, or crevices that toes or beaks can get caught in, or with lead weights inside.

Another thing many cockatiel owners decide to invest in is a play gym. These come in many sizes from small table-top models that you can carry with you around the house to larger free standing floor models. This can provide a safe place for your bird to spend time outside of his cage, were he can play without getting into trouble.

Cockatiels make great companions, they are fairly long lived. With an average life span of 15-20 years, with a few reaching 30! They are usually much quieter than large parrots, making them good pets even for people living in apartments. And most people even if they are allergic to other animals never have a problem being around cockatiels. I hope that if you are considering adding a bird to your life you will give the cockatiel some thought. They are

beautiful, friendly, and cheerful.

Clipping Cockatiel Wings, Nails and Beaks

I was looking for something the other day and I came across this article on the National Cockatiel Society's website. I had just recieved a question about this very topic so instead of re-inventing the wheel I just got permission to post it here! By the way NCS is a great place for finding information on all things Cockatiel! Here is the link:



http://www.cockatiels.org/index.htm



Clipping Cockatiel Wings, Nails and Beaks
Written by Nancy Kizuka for the NCS Magazine and © 1997 by NCS


Clipping Wings
Nothing is more beautiful than watching your cockatiel fly. Nothing is more heartbreaking than watching it fly outside.

I hope that most of us clip wings. I know that some do not. It doesn't hurt, nor is it cruel. I feel it is more cruel for a predator to end up with a 'tiel snack.

I do however, let my babies (of all species) learn to fly and land safely. Once they have mastered that, their wings are clipped. Now, before you show members start getting the feathers raised, remember, we are talking about pet cockatiels.

I prefer to clip evenly on both sides; that way the bird can control its descent. Try clipping the first 5 flight feathers. You don't want the bird to drop - just glide gently to the floor. Continue one feather at a time, until the bird cannot gain altitude.

Your bird will need to be clipped again after the next molt. Be careful, sometimes those feathers can sneak up on you. All it takes is 1 feather on each wing for a cockatiel to be able to fly.

(Permission to use photos from Kaytee, September 27, 2006.)

When clipping these flight feathers, be careful not to clip any growing feathers. You will recognizethese blood feathers from the others since you can see the dark blood area in the shaft.

If you are not quite sure you can be your bird's barber, contact your avian veterinarian or local pet shop. Most will do this grooming for you for a nominal charge. Many will give you hands-on experience.

Clipping Nails
Nails need to be clipped when they are becoming snagged on toys, cage covers or clothes. I use a human nail clipper or baby nail scissors, and take off just the tippy-tips.

All nails have a blood supply. If you nick into this blood supply or quick, have some Quik-Stop or Stay on hand. If you do not have these commercial products on hand, flour or corn starch will work. Apply this with gentle pressure until the bleeding stops. Occasionally the nail gets cut too short and these products don't work. I like to use silver nitrate sticks to stop any bleeding. They are available from your avian veterinarian.

The proper size perch can help keep nails at the correct length. The tips of the nails should touch the perch. You can also use concrete perches, pedi-perches, sandy perches, hard wood perches or any of the other conditioning perches available today. Using a variety of perches also helps the bird stay comfortable since they are on their feet 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It also helps to prevent early onset arthritis.

Keeping Beaks Trimmed
Beaks do not need to be trimmed under normal circumstances. Birds that are have a chronic illness, a previously injury to the beak or a nutritional deficiency may occasionally need their beak trimmed by an avian veterinarian.

I had only one cockatiel that ever needed her beak trimmed on a regular basis. She was an older bird with liver disease. Her upper beak was trimmed every other week or so.

Keeping a cuttlebone, a mineral block or small bird lava stone in the cage will assist in keeping the cockatiel's beak at the proper size and shape. Toys and other bird-safe objects to chew on also help with this condition as well as prevents boredom.

If you think your bird's beak may need to be trimmed, please check with your avian veterinarian. I'm sure they will be happy to do this for you and teach you how to keep your bird's beak in shape.

Editor's Note: A bird's beak contains a blood supply as well as a sensory organ at the tip. This tells the bird whether what he has in his beak is hot or cold, and basically whether it is food or not. To damage this sensory organ would mean that the beak will not regrow normally and could pose a threat to the bird's ability to eat normally. Please do not ever try trimming your bird's beak yourself. Take it to your trusted avian vet first for an evaluation.

Cockatiel Body Language

Have you ever wondered what you cockatiel was trying to tell you with her body language? Here is a list of the most common things she may be "saying"

• Has crest all the way up = Usually means scared or surprised. It can also mean she is excited
• Has crest is flattened against the head = Usually means she is angry, if she tries to bite or hiss at the same time, definitely angry. Sometimes sucks feathers in and looks skinny.
• Suddenly stands really tall and "skinny" with crest raised= surprised/startled.
• Bobs her head = in a recently weaned bird, it usually means she's hungry. In older birds, it might mean that they want attention or are trying to feed you as a sign of affection.
• Holding wings away from chest slightly raised.= They usually do this when they're showing off and bragging. Usually accompanied by whistling and singing. Generally a male behavior
• Panting while holding wings away from body= Bird is overheated. Provide a cooler environment immediately. A bath or shower helps too!
• Bows head and keeps it down= She is asking to have her head scratched
• Leans forward with wings held slightly out = Usually it means she wants to fly somewhere (often towards you) but isn't confident enough to take off. An un-clipped bird would usually fly without hesitation, you see this more often in pets with their wings clipped
• Holds her wings outstretched all the way when standing on top of the cage/gym or your shoulder = Claiming territory, stating "this is all mine!"
• Bird pecks or bangs beak on perch, table or you= similar to the point above. Mostly seen in male cockatiels. Don't challenge him by tapping finger in front of him unless you want a full scale confrontation!
• Steps back and forth (dances) very quickly often chirping = bird is very eager. Often done inside the cage when the bird wants to come out.
• She puts her beak on your finger before stepping on = this might look like she is going in for a bite, but she's actually just testing the your finger to make sure it's sturdy, or she's using it for balance while climbing on.
• Grinding beak = content and relaxed. Often heard while bird is sleeping or resting
• Sticks her chest or beak into your face = she wants to cuddle.
• Turns her head sideways and tilts it up or down = looking at something above or below them
• "Wags her tail" when you pet her back = this is more common with mature female birds. She is ready to breed, it might be a good idea to get her a mate, or she might start laying eggs on her own (unfertilized)
• Closes eyes often with head turned back over shoulder = sleeping, often stands on one foot
• Stays puffed up for long periods of time (often in cage or in corner) = Probably feeling sick, needs to see a vet
• Yawns several times in a row = often done after preening, possibly readjusting her crop or "clearing her throat". Either way, it's normal.
• Shakes head rapidly = if done while eating, it could mean that the food has a surprising taste, temperature, or moisture level. If done when listening to the sound, it could mean that it's a tad too loud or sharp or high-pitched, or just that it's an interesting sound.
• Wipes or rubs head on back = it's a normal part of preening. Feel that part of their back, and your fingers will get very powdery. They're distributing that stuff to their head.
• Stoops down low and often gets a bit puffy = this is a sign that your bird is about to go to the bathroom.
• During a bath, gets very puffy and holds his wings out, shakes head etc. = she is enjoying her bath!
• During a shower, she looks like she's falling asleep = again, she's enjoying herself!
• Sticks her toe in nose, then sneezes = She is just scratching face, this is normal
• Has slightly puffy face/ears when listening to something = bird likes what she's hearing! Will often learn to repeat these things
• Raises both wings above back = Just stretching/exercising
• Holds out one wing and one foot behind him = stretching