Featured Bird: The Cockatiel

Introduction to Cockatiels as pets
Cockatiels first came to Europe and the Americas as pets during the late 19th century. Their brilliant color mutations and friendly dispositions have led them to become one of the most popular companion birds in the United States today, along with canaries and budgies. What is it that makes these small members of the parrot family so popular? According to Matthew M. Vriends, Ph.D. and author of The Cockatiel Handbook.

Cockatiels appeal to beginners not only because of their appearance, but also because of their varying personalities, friendly dispositions, hardiness, longevity, and their capacity to learn a variety of tricks including talking and whistling tunes. Cockatiels are also easy to breed in captivity when given ample room, such as in a large breeding cage or aviary.Raising and keeping cockatiels is a relaxing and educational hobby. Although Cockatiels are one of the best beginner’s birds, no beginner should simply purchase cockatiels because it’s something to do. Keeping cockatiels requires patience, knowledge, and understanding. It also costs money, and takes time, but if you are enthusiastic about birds and willing to do a little research to keep your feathered friends happy, healthy, and long lived, then keeping Cockatiels can be a truly rewarding experience.

Description
The cockatiel is one of the smaller members of the parrot family. Full grown Cockatiels are 11 1/2 to 13 1/2 inches in length, including the tail, with males weighing between 2 3/4 to 3 1/2 ounces, and females weighing between 3 1/8 to 3 1/4 ounces. They are indigenous to the continent of Australia and, in the wild, are slate grey in color with a shimmer of brown on the underside. The forehead, face, throat, and cheeks of adult wild Cockatiels is lemon yellow running into white. A bright orange patch is located near the ear, and the wings sport white markings believed by scientists to help wild flocks of cockatiels stay together. Female Cockatiels are slightly larger and duller than males, with smaller wing markings and bands of lighter grey that run down the back in rows. They are long lived, easily living over a decade!

Purchasing Cockatiels
Ideally, Cockatiels should be kept in pairs. If you buy just one bird it will become fully dependent on you for companionship and, if left alone most of the day, can develop bad habits such as screeching and feather-plucking.
When buying cockatiels, observe the birds from up close and also from further back. Look for a bird that sits upright on it’s perch. Healthy birds should have bright eyes and sleek feathers; a little fraying along the edges of the tail feathers is no cause for concern by itself. There should also be no dirt hanging from the eyes or feet. When approached a healthy bird should show fear, flying away but still focusing on you. Beware of birds that appear aloof and don’t respond to your presence. Only birds that are agile, alert, and observant should be considered for purchase. Pick the bird up and be sure to check the undersides of the feet, which should be clean and undamaged, as well as for signs of respitory or digestive problems. For more information on respitory and digestive problems, as well as other illnesses that effect Cockatiels, check out The Cockatiel Handbook.

Housing and Accessories
Before bringing your feathered friends home, it’s a good idea to set up the cage first, placing clean water and fresh food in the cage, as well as furnishing it with accessories. There are a number of Cages and enclosures on the market suitable for housing cockatiels. Newer cages are roomy, attractive, and easy to clean. Cages housing a pair of cockatiels should be no smaller than 39 !/2 by 23 1/2 by 23 1/2; Avoid tall tower models, which don’t provide adequate flying room, and make sure the cage your purchase is rustproof. The Cage should be placed on a level, sturdy surface, in a room that is relatively quiet at night. Cockatiels require 10-12 hours of rest.

Cleaning
Keeping your pet’s enclosure clean is essential to maintaining good health. Most cages can be cleaned with warm soap and water and left to dry outside. As a rule of thumb, the entire cage, accessories and all, should be thoroughly cleaned once a month, with smaller cleanings done as neccesary.

Toys
Birds require various forms of entertainment and social activity, and cockatiels are no exception. Toys are especially important for birds that spend many hours alone, to prevent bad habits from forming out of boredom. Blocks of hardwood, mirrors, seashells, and rawhide are just some of the toys that cockatiels can play with. Stay away from toys made of rubber or soft plastics, as these can cause serious intestinal problems when eaten.

Perches
Perches are one of the most important accessories for your bird. Not only to they give your Cockatiel a place to rest, but they also exercise the feet and file the nails down. Perches should be made of hardwood and be no smaller than 1/2” in diameter. Smaller perches cause a great deal of discomfort and do not wear the nails down at all. Rapid nail growth will also result if the perch is too smooth; to correct this, score perches weekly with a wire bristle perch scrapper, available at pet stores, or other abrasive brush. Never place so many perches in the cage that the bird can’t fly. Perches should also be cleaned regularly by soaking in a mild chlorine bleach and water solution.

Your Bird should also be provided with food and water dishes, most of which are designed to attach to wire cages.

Feeding and Nutrition
Cockatiels need a variety of vitamins and nutrients to thrive, and should be offered a varied diet including a high-quality Cockatiel mix and fresh greens daily. Greens thatcan safely be included in your pet's diet include,Spinach, Kale, Water cress, Lettuce (not romaine), Parsley, Carrots, and Zucchini.

Fatty seeds, such as sunflower and hemp, should be offered sparingly. Fresh food and water should be offered daily.

Insoluble grit
Insoluble grit assists the gizzard muscles in grinding food. It is absolutely essential for Cockatiels and is commonly available at most pets shops.

Calcium
Calcium is a vital mineral which helps to keep the skeleton strong and the heart healthy. To make sure your Cockatiels calcium needs are met, a cuttlebone, available in pet stores, is neccesary.

Taming your new Cockatiel
The most stressful time for any pet is when it is moved to a new home, therefor it’s important to leave your Cockatiel alone for the rest of the day and night. After that it is important to start taming and hand training it. By placing your hand inside the cage and holding it there your bird will soon realize that you are not a threat and accept your hand as part of the cage “furniture”. It is important that your bird gets to know you immediately, so whenever you place your hand in the cage, make sure to clearly say its name. When your cockatiel feels you aren’t a threat, which takes longer for some individuals than others, it’s time to teach it to perch on your finger. Slowly extend your index finger towards the bird and stroke it’s breast, slowly moving downward the feet. This will entice most birds to step up. If your Cockateil starts to flutter about wildly, continue to hold your hand in the cage until it settles down; withdrawing it will only make the bird think it’s scored a victory, and it will be more likely to repeat the action next time. Cockatiels are capable of learning a variety of tricks once tame; for more information on training your bird, consult The Cockatiel Handbook.

Cockatiels are one of the best birds for beggining enthusiasts. If you’ve decided that cockateils are the birds for you, please stop by one of our ALL-Pet locations and we would be happy to assist you in setting up a cozy cage for your new pet and to answer any questions that you may have. Keep in mind that this is merely an introductin to keeping the Cockateil as a pet, and that there is still a variety of information out there that will equip you to tackle any issue you may have with your new pet. The Cockatiel Handbook, By Matthew M. Vriends, Ph.D., is a good place to start, so stop by and pick up a copy today!