For Bird lovers/owners : Those Crazy Cocketiels!!!

[Darth_Kitten]

;)

If in the event I decide to **maybe** get a cocketiel, how do you "bird proof" a home? What things you have to remember to do? Can you leave them alone for a couple of days every once in a while? What if you have other pets? I know I need to find out alot more info about them before I get one, because I want to do this responsibly. :)

I've never had a bird and I'm soooo tempted to get this little one I'm so nuts over. :crazy: (providing he hasn't gone to another home by the time I decide to buy him):( I need the time to figure this all out, then set aside the money to get him plus supplies.


ANY info would be much appreciated. Nothing has been decided yet, just looking to see if I could be a good bird owner. :)

[flamingyouth]

1. They do need fresh water every day

Also, bear in mind that birds have HUGE emotional needs and must feel important in the house. I would keep him/her in a room far from where you make the majority of your phone calls. They get some separation anxiety when they hear you talking and they can't see you (i.e. sqwaking like a madman).

Little Buster is wonderful - I can't imagine my life without him. Good luck!

[Darth_Kitten]

2. Right now I live in a bachelor suite...

I'd never be far. ;)

[Beetwasher]

3. I have parakeets

but my mom has a cockatiel.

First of all, they need every bit as much attention as a dog or cat, they're very loving, intelligent and fun.

You can leave them alone for a couple of days at the most, because they won't eat all their food at once, BUT they do need fresh water.

To bird proof your home you have to make sure you have screens on all the windows, make sure your plants are not poisonous to birds (they WILL eat your plants!), cover aall spaces between and behind bookshelves, furniture etc. that they may fall behind. They love to chew things so you have to make sure there's nothing toxic around that they can chew (they'll even chew at chipping paint on walls so no lead based paints!). Always keep toilet lids down and access to your kitchen at a minimum. Fumes from burning non-stick cookware is deadly toxic. You shouldn't use aerosol's, incense, or any kind of poisons that you might usually use for bugs because they can accidentally ingest it and die.

[Darth_Kitten]

4. Thanks..

so no spraying chemicals?

Chewing, I'm used to having to watch that, what with the bunny and all... ;)

Is natural incense and burning candles (scented) out?

[flamingyouth]

14. No teflon pans, either

If you happen to just leave something on a burner too long, the fumes can kill a bird. Forgot about that.

[Darth_Kitten]

15. I've heard that, and that's pretty scary....

I guess I would be worried because I see a bird being a more sensitive,delicate animal. So many things to think about now.

But No non stick cookware... for sure. Thanks! :hi:

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. Ok here are some things you need to know

First off Birds are not a pet you get and then leave in a cage
This is a good way for the bird to go crazy.

Second off do NOT think of getting one that is NOT handfed... you
need that parrot to be hand fed for him \ her to be able to
interact with you.

Third off, they can be trained to poop on paper, and not all over
the place. I recomend you find a REPUTABLE breeder in your
area... though I will recomend with no doubts in my mind, Dan's
Greenhouse in Lahaina, Maui, we got our Sun Conure from him and she
is a sweetheart.

Oh and one more thing... when yuo get a parrot you are truly
getting a wild animal, who has about the intelligence of a five
year old and the mental age of a two year old, and no they
do not grow up... so be ready for tanter tantrums and all of
that.

As to leaving him \ her alone for a couple of days, yes you can,
as long as they have plenty of water and food.

Now food is a major issue... bird seed is hersheys for birds. You would not feed chocolate to a kid all day all the time now, would you?
This means that birds can and do eat all you eat... my conure loves
turkey in particular, and vegies... and she has yet to figure out
what to do with seeds.

Now here are food items you should avoid. (Mostly they are deadly)

Chocolate
Avocado

Oh and Sunflower seeds are addictive to parrots due to a chemical
in them

NOw this is specific to 'Tiels, they can be carriers of a disease
called Psytachosis which is actually contagious to humans. The way
you deal with this is the bird needs a blood test, preferably at your
Avian Vet, and most likely will need meds (I yet to meet a 'tiel owner
who had the bird tested and the test did not come back possitive)
The med is given to teh poor bird for forty five days twice a day... and yes Avian vets make vets for other pets down right insane in cost.

Oh and life expectancy, 'Tiels live from 15-25 years, though my vet in San Diego had one who was oh close to forty, so this is not a short term commitment.

Good luck.

(Oh and one last warning as cute as they are when they do it, keep
the bird AWAY from coins and make sure any bird toy you give the bird
does not have any zink in it, or they can and will become very sick)

[Darth_Kitten]

6. All this info is great.....

I have to really think about this. For the bird's best interest as well as mine.

I so want to do this right, if I do get a little 'tiel. :hi:

[amazona]

18. cockatiels need not be handfed

You have a lot of good information here. I would not handfed cockatiels though. They are naturally sweet. It is unnecessary effort. There is a huge difference in genetics, personality, and social behavior between cockatiels and conures in my experience.

[dweller]

7. and remember also

no ceiling fans on high (or at all) if they are loose in the room.
Our Jocko loves to fly from one end of the other of the liv/kit, fan in the middle. He swoops under it everytime even if it's on low.
But i wouldn't trust them around a fan.

Our other, Pearl, just flies down. From where ever she is, just down.

good luck with your bird.

dp

[DEMActivist]

8. No, you shouldn't leave the bird alone

There are many bird organizations around and you can probably find a bird sitter fairly easily.

As a human currently owned by a Blue and Gold macaw who has shared her flock with cockatiels as well, it's never a good idea to leave birds alone overnight.

Once attached to humans, these birds will do poorly at being abandoned even overnight. Not to mention they need feeding attention that should include fresh vegetables and fruit daily. I've never met a cockatiel who doesn't adore fresh broccoli, carrots, bananas and apples. Pelletized foods (not seeds) should be their diet staple, but fresh foods should be offered daily. Not to mention fresh water and human company.

The first step you should take before purchasing a bird is to locate and talk to an avian vet. Most "regular" vets haven't a clue about caring for our avian friends and their diseases. If and when you get a bird, you should arrange a well bird checkup at the vet within the first 3 days.

Cockatiels are wonderful and loving pets. They will become as attached to you as you are to them so it would be as difficult to leave them unattended as with a child.

I was warned when I got my bird that it was like having a perpetual terrible 2 year old, and I must agree with the assessment. They are wonderful, loving, entertaining and adorable friends.

A good web site for learning about pet parrots (a cockatiel is a parrot) is http://www.upatsix.com

Here's a pic of our Tequila:

[Darth_Kitten]

9. How are tiels with other pets?

Your macaw is beautiful by the way. :hi:

How are tiels with other species of birds? with other house pets?

Many thanks everyone for all the good info!!!

[DEMActivist]

10. Our tiels were always friendly with others

The cats got one tiel beak nip on the nose and never went near the birds again. The daschund and the tiels (and the macaw) were best buddies. The macaw calls the dog and barks just like him, then tells the dog to shut up when he barks.

Cockatiels are pretty fearless birds, but you should keep the animals under direct supervision at all times if the bird is out of the cage. And the tiel should be out of the cage every day for some face time and "people" playtime.

Personally, I've had a cockatiel nip draw blood much faster then a macaw bite. One nip on a kitty or dog nose and they don't go back for another.

[Darth_Kitten]

12. Thanks...

I've got a bunny and just would want the guys to get along and all. ;)

I'm used to watching the bunny whenever he is out of his cage, as he likes to chew things and get into general mischief. I'm sure a tiel would be just as frisky. ;) :nuke:

[amazona]

19. awwwww

What a beauty!

[KG]

11. nice to see you're still interested in cock

etiels.

:hi:

i think they are nice pets.

:)

[Darth_Kitten]

13. LOL

I think you know now how I feel about cock. ;)


I just think they are such cute little birds!
This one I do like in the petstore, such a friendly little guy, just couldn't get enough of my sunglasses the other day! What a little character!

He kept walking up on his perch to get closer to me, so I would pick him up again and again. (I couldn't really say no!) ;) He really loved my sunglasses, thought they were a chew toy. Got on my shoulders and would start chewing the glasses I had on my head. Liked my hair, too. ;)

I tried to put him down in his little home, but he'd scurry back up the perch and cock his head at me so, big suck that I am, I just couldn't resist picking him up and playing with him again. He really knew how to work me. ;)

If it's meant to be, I'll get that little bird. :) Just hope he goes to a good home in any case.:)

[eyesroll]

16. Glad you're getting educated, DK.

Too many people decide they want a smart, talking parrot, or a big, fluffy cockatoo without realizing these are intelligent, high-maintenance creatures. But they are well worth the effort, in the right household, with the right owner.

We had a cockatiel named Entropy. She was our first bird.

She bonded very heavily to my husband, but was willing to hang out with me. She was very skittish (a cockatiel trait) and a pretty picky eater. Some birds will eat just about everything, and some will be picky, but just about all of them can be convinced to eat a decent diet eventually.

Entropy also was afraid of our parrotlet, Olive, who is about 1/3rd the size. But she was just the sweetest little thing. Very loving. She died at 2-1/2 from a kidney defect (it was probably congenital and diagnosed upon necropsy). We brought her to the vet for regular checkups, but this just wasn't catchable until it was too late. That was more than 2 years ago, and we still miss her. We still have Olive and have since gotten a Meyer's parrot, Logos.

Make sure you're absolutely committed to taking care of the bird -- too many birds end up homeless because their owners grow tired of them, weren't sure what they were getting into, can't adjust to the noise (and cockatiels can be loud), don't have time, I've even heard of people getting rid of their birds because they no longer go with the decor after a remodeling job... Some birds will go through separation anxiety, abandonment trauma and mourning for their previous owner, who they might see as a lost mate. So, make sure you're in this for the long haul.

Get a good cage, as big as you can afford, but with proper bar spacing. Chances are, if they're selling it as a "cockatiel cage," it's too small for normal use. You also want a small-animal carrier for trips to the vet and wherever else you want to take him (her?). A bird, even with its wings clipped, shouldn't be outside unrestrained, because something could spook them and they'll take off. But, regardless of cage size, get some good toys and make sure the bird can spend time with you outside of the cage.

One thing -- there's a bug in mammal saliva that's toxic to birds. It's present in the saliva of dogs and even humans, but the real worry is cats -- it's in a bigger concentration. If you have cats, keep them away from the bird, and any contact between cat and bird requires a trip to the vet, even if there are no marks. The vet will put the bird on antibiotics. (Ask your vet if this is a big problem with dogs, too -- I've heard it's not as bad, but I don't want to give you inaccurate info.) Keep reptiles away from birds, too -- reptiles carry diseases that birds can't always fight off, and many reptiles see bird = food.

You might want to check out some cockatiel organizations: www.acstiels.com/ or www.cockatiels.org. Mickaboo Cockatiel Rescue (www.mickaboo.org) also might be able to offer you some advice.

Good luck, and let us know what you end up doing.

[Kat45]

20. Eyesroll, you have a parrotlet? So do I.

They are such adorable birds. Olive is a cute name for a parrotlet. My bird's name is Grace.

[amazona]

17. if you have a cat, don't get a 'tiel

For some reason, I am concerned you might have a cat. These gentle birds cannot hold their own with a cat. It is not fair for their nerves to be around a cat and, also, cats kill them -- this actually happened to a friend of mine. Cats have an instinct to capture small birds, and I don't think you can train it out of them.

Cockatiels are extremely social and live in large flocks in the wild. They would never be alone in a natural situation. Birds who tolerate more alone time would include Amazon parrots (too strong and independent a personality for some people) or else a pair of birds, such as a pair of finches, who can socialize with each other.

You need to throw away all nonstick "Teflon" and "Silverstone" cookware, but I see someone else already pointed this out. You will never miss it. You need to be willing to clip the tiel's wings. They are strong flyers and easily confused, so if they can fly at full strength in the house and for some reason got startled, they can break their necks. More often, they get lost and are not found again. I have had several cockatiels brought to me. The original owners were never found...these birds can fly hundreds of miles and they would not be able to recognize your home from the outside! With properly clipped wings, they can stay on your shoulder, playing with your hair or loving your neck by the hour. Clipping their wing feathers is no more painful than trimming your hair.


They are really so sweet and affectionate. They also enjoy TV. If you must be away for long periods of time, such as at work, and no one else is at home, let them watch TV. Maybe a children's channel so they won't see anything scary. But my sweetheart used to love watching music videos as well...especially if a cute male singer was involved.

They do not eat a good variety of food like most other parrots but they are desert birds and probably don't need such a rich diet, so don't fuss (too much) if they refuse to eat their vegetables. There are some good pellets out there, but I teach them to eat BOTH pellet and seed-based diets. If something should happen to me, I want my birds to have all the options open to them.

If you really want THIS bird but must travel a lot for work, you could get the bird, train him, but have it in the back of your mind that you are going to get another 'tiel to be his companion later. (Train that bird to be hand tame as well before you introduce him to his new friend.) You can have two males or two females be friends if you do not wish to breed the birds. My sweetie had no problem being a companion to a friend's lonely male in their later years and still retaining her sweet nature. The male stayed sweet as well. And by pairing the birds up, the couple was able to turn their attention a bit more to their new baby instead of constantly doting on the 'tiel.

Just keep in mind...it is completely unnatural for a 'tiel to ever be alone. Not all birds are like this. But this species and cockatoos also are very social.

[Pert_UK]

21. I thought that cockatiels were mixed by South African bartenders...

:evilgrin:

P.