Cockatiels
Cockatiels are medium-sized parrots that are members of their own branch of the cockatoo family endemic to Australia. They are prised as household pets and companion parrots throughout the world and are relatively easy to breed.
They are the only crested parrot with pointed tails, which are slender and about as long as their body. Wild cockatiels are dark brown or grey, with yellow heads and orange circles on their cheeks. They are the smallest species of cockatoo in the world.
Facts
Lifespan: 15-25 years
Weight: 70- 120 grams
Size: slender bird reaching 30- 33 cm total length
- Cockatiels are intelligent, social, and affectionate birds, making them excellent pets for most households.
- Both male and female cockatiels are able to mimic speech, sounds and whistle tunes repetition is the key.
- Males tend to be more vocal and noisier compared to females.
- Cockatiels are well suited for smaller children due to their larger size.
- Cockatiels are good birds for beginners.
- There are Myths that males are better companions, this is not the case, both genders make amazing pets. Each bird has it's own personality.
Cage and Accessories
once you have your cage place it in the corner of the room, preferably near a window. This will give your bird an excellent outdoor view. However, the enclosure should not be in a spot where it will receive direct sunlight or draft. Be sure to cover your birds cage at night.
- Cage size: minimum sizes 60cm x 60cm x 60cm, larger is always better! Bar spacing (13mm-19mm).
- Perches: Natural branches in different thicknesses and structures.
- Toys: wooden toys, swings, bells, cat balls with bells, foraging toys, rope toys (Avoid toys made of cotton or synthetic rope as your bird can get tangled in the threads or swallow them leading to severe injuries. Safe options are sisal rope or superior rope).
- Food dishes, water dish
- Bird bath
- Cuttle fish bone
Daily Food
Diet is the most important aspect of cockatiel care.
An epic cage setup or how well you train them won’t even matter unless they’re eating a nutritionally balanced diet.
- 40% Quality pellets
- 30% Budgie/ Cockatiel seed mix
- 20% Fresh vegetables/ Soaking Seed
- 5% Fruit
- 5% Training treats (Sunflower seeds, millet spray)
Your cockatiel should be offered fresh veggies, soaking seed and fruit on a daily basis.
Care and Cleaning
Daily:
- check and replace food and water, clean dishes if necessary.
- remove any decaying food from the cage and tray.
- clean and refill birdbath if needed.
Weekly clean:
- Remove all accessories from the cage including the bird.
- Remove any solid waste you can see.
- clean the cage and accessories with apple cider vinegar or dish soap mixture.
- rinse the cage thoroughly and let it dry.
- put your cage back together.
Health
to keep your cockatiel healthy here are some things to consider.
- keep the cage and food clean to avoid bacteria or fungi growing.
- feed your bird a well-balanced diet. An only seed diet will cause deficiencies in your bird causing it to become ill.
- keep out of direct sunlight and drafts.
- birds have a very sensitive respiratory system. Airborne substances that may be harmless to us can be deadly for birds. Such as cleaning products, perfumes, scented candles, Teflon fumes, burnt food.
- if you notice your bird acting differently than usual, not eating, sleeping a lot, sitting fluffed up, then seek medical help.