Cockatiels (or cockatiels) are small parrots of the Cockatoo family that prove to be excellent companion animals, sweet and intelligent. Cockatiels are social animals that can simulate the owner's voice and love to playfully hopping on his toes and shoulders. This article describes how to take care of it, so that it is always healthy and in a good mood!
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Part 1: Shopping to Make
Step 1. Consider if it's the pet for you
Cockatiels require daily care and can be noisy and restless. If properly reared, they can live for more than twenty years! Before buying them you should ask yourself the following questions (including all the inhabitants of the house in the discussion):
- "How much money am I willing to spend?" Although they are not particularly expensive, they require rather large cages and a lot of games and other goodies. In addition, you will need to take your cockatiel to the vet once a year to make the necessary health checks.
- "How much time can I devote to my cockatiel?" Unless a home inhabitant spends most of their time indoors, the cockatiel will be alone for most of the day. Couples require less company, but you will still need to make time to care for them every day.
- "Am I particularly susceptible to noise?" Although they are not overly noisy birds, they will make themselves heard in particular in the morning and evening, even going so far as to make a great racket. If you are a neat freak or don't like being woken up early in the morning, the cockatiel might not be for you.
- "How long am I willing to take care of my cockatiel?" Given that cockatiels can live beyond twenty years, consider how much dedication you are capable of before buying one. If you are a minor, think about who will take care of her in case you go to live outside the home one day.
Step 2. Purchase the cage
The cage should be at least 60cm high, 50cm wide and 45cm deep (but a more spacious cage is recommended). The distance between the bars should not exceed 2 cm. It is advisable to use a stainless steel cage. Since zinc and lead are toxic to birds, the cage should not contain these elements and should be certified to do so. In addition, since they love to jump inside the cage, this should contain at least a few perches.
Step 3. Purchase the other accessories
Cockatiels, like all other domestic birds, need to be amused in some way while locked in cages. You will therefore have to purchase:
- Two bowls for food and one for water. You will need to use one bowl for dry food and one for wet food (fruit, cooked beans, etc.)
- A cage seal capable of collecting discarded seeds.
- Lots of perches. Cockatiels are very fond of climbing and playing; having a large number of perches available inside the cage will only make them happy. You will notice that the cockatiel will choose a perch where he will spend most of his time, a sort of "house" where he will also perch to sleep.
- Lots of games to play with. Buy a variety of games and alternate them every week so your cockatiel doesn't get bored. Cockatiels love to nibble on things and their favorite toys are nibbling ones; give them a filament of raffia or palm fiber, they will be delighted.
Step 4. Purchase extra accessories (optional)
Although it is not mandatory, buying cleaning items, such as a hand vacuum cleaner, could prove to be an excellent idea. You will also need a cuttlefish bone to provide your female cockatiel with the right amount of calcium and prevent her from having problems spawning (females lay eggs even in the absence of the male; they are simply not fertilized).
Method 2 of 3: Part 2: Purchase and Train a Cockatiel
Step 1. Collect information on cockatiels
Before buying a cockatiel it is important to know the animal in depth. Although this article provides tips on how to deal with it, more in-depth research is a must. Sources of resources can be the Internet, the local library or a pet shop. In addition, it is advisable to get in touch with the animal before purchase and ask another owner about how to take care of it.
Step 2. Purchase a cockatiel
Although the temptation to spend little may seem attractive to you, buying a cockatiel cheap, and moreover in a pet shop, is not at all advisable. This is because store-bought pets can be in poor health and are often not socialized (which makes educating them much more difficult). You can purchase a hand-fed baby cockatiel from a bird shop or breeder. Buy a cockatiel about three years old. A neophyte should never hand feed a little one.
- Purchase one from a recovery center. Before buying a bird, it is generally best to try to adopt it. Although the cockatiels adopted often prove to be excellent pets, it is still better for a neophyte not to go to a recovery center, since the bird, despite the care received, could cause problems from a physical and behavioral point of view
- Buy a cockatiel from a private individual. Sometimes conditions arise in life whereby one is forced to give up one's pet. Once you have made sure that the owner does not want to discard it for behavioral problems and that the animal is healthy, buying a cockatiel from a private individual could be an excellent idea, especially if you are a beginner.
Step 3. Educate your cockatiel
If the animal is already trained, you can move on to the next step. Much of the training of your cockatiel will consist in getting it used to your presence. When you bring the animal home for the first time, put it in a particularly busy area. Sit in front of the cage daily and talk quietly with her or whistle for about ten minutes; this will get the animal used to your presence.
When the bird moves to the side of the cage near you and seems to appreciate your company, offer it a treat (read below to find out exactly which one). After a week, open the cage and hand the food to the animal so that it moves to the entrance to the cage. The next step will be to hold the food in your hand to make the pet eat directly from the palm of your hand
Step 4. Teach your cockatiel to "jump up"
After training the cockatiel to take food, teach her to jump on your hand. The type of training depends on the animal, whether it is biting or not. Don't try to grab it or force it to climb onto your hand, as you will only entice it to bite you.
- If your cockatiel bites: move your finger quickly, albeit with a fluid movement, towards the animal's paws; the cockatiel should jump onto your finger automatically. Give her a treat and praise her as soon as she does. If it starts to bite, stop the training session and try again later.
- If your cockatiel rarely bites: put your finger against the cockatiel's abdomen, near the legs. Apply a little pressure and the pet will jump up immediately. As soon as she does, reward and praise her. The next time, say "jump up" as soon as you press them on the abdomen; eventually it will associate the command with the action to be taken.
Method 3 of 3: Part 3: Taking Care of Your Cockatiel
Step 1. After bringing it home, give the bird time to familiarize itself with the new environment
If your cockatiel has been hand fed, it may take just a few hours. Unsocialized little ones will need two to three days to settle in. During the adaptation period, do not touch the animal but feed it, clean the cage regularly and talk to it in a low voice.
Step 2. Offer your cockatiel a balanced diet
Bird pellets will make up 70% of your cockatiel's diet. The seeds can be an excellent treat, but it is better to avoid giving too many to the animal as it is a food rich in fat. You should also give the animal fresh vegetables and sometimes fruit; well-cooked beans and pasta are tasty morsels to offer to your cockatiel. When choosing fruit and vegetables to give to the animal, it is preferable to opt for organic products. Fruits and vegetables should also be washed.
- Do not give your calopsitta chocolate, avocado, alcohol, onion, mushrooms, tomato leaves, caffeine or raw beans - such foods are toxic to her. Foods rich in sugar or fat, such as candy bars, are also not recommended.
- Remove leftover food from the cage for more than four hours, as it can attract bacteria (as well as mess).
Step 3. Make sure you always have fresh water available
You should change the water daily and whenever it is contaminated by food or dirt. Give your cockatiel the water you would drink yourself!
When you wash the water bowl, use hot water with a little soap to prevent mold from forming
Step 4. Spend time with your cockatiel
Once educated, you will need to dedicate at least one hour a day to your parrot, so that it remains friendly to you. Unless you've purchased a bird diaper, interact with him by placing him in a cloth-covered chair or in an easily washable floor room.
Step 5. Find out why your cockatiel is biting
Don't be upset if your cockatiel bites you; instead try to understand why. It is important to realize that the bird bites in response to a stressful situation and not out of malice; a bird bites when it is frightened or irritated and you should not take it as a personal offense. Think back to what you might have done to "deserve" the bite and try to consider it from the animal's point of view. Maybe it bit you because you tried to grab it or because you touched it roughly; some specimens are particularly territorial and could be aggressive if you put your hand in their cage.
- If the cockatiel begins to bite you when it is out of the cage, put it back inside and wait for it to calm down.
- If your cockatiel is particularly aggressive when it is inside the cage, teach it to jump on a stick held near the opening of the cage. This way, whenever you want to let it out, you will first place it on the stick instead of putting your hand directly into the cage.
Step 6. Teach your cockatiel to talk and whistle
Although males are more apt for this type of activity, females can also learn to whistle and pronounce a few words. It is important to teach your cockatiel to speak before training her to whistle, as the reverse process can be very difficult for you. To teach your cockatiel to speak, repeat frequently the words you want him to say, for example, say "Mom!" every time you turn to her. If she starts articulating even part of a word or sentence, reward her immediately with a treat and throw her a lot of partying.
The same thing applies to teaching your cockatiel to whistle: whistle when you are in her company and reward her when she starts to whistle
Step 7. Learn to recognize any signs of illness
Cockatiels often hide their disease until it enters an advanced state; you will therefore have to pay close attention to any slightest sign that may indicate that the animal's health is at risk. The seriously ill cockatiels curl up at the bottom of the cage with their ruffled feathers. Possible signs of illness include:
Irritability or biting, sleepiness, weight loss, loss of appetite, coughing or sneezing, irregular breathing, lameness, swelling or swelling, inflamed eyes, excessive mucus formation in the eyes or nostrils, cloudy eyes, dirty anus, sagging head, feathers or drooping tail
Step 8. Take your cockatiel to the vet regularly
You should take her to the vet once a year for a thorough examination. In addition, you should contact him immediately if the bird exhibits any of the symptoms listed above. It is understood that a visit to the vet can be expensive, but remember that these birds are particularly delicate and their health can deteriorate quickly; the “wait and see” principle is totally out of place when it comes to the health of a cockatiel.
Step 9. Know that cockatiels can have nocturnal seizures
Some cockatiels are afraid of the dark and may have panic attacks during which they fidget madly inside the cage. To avoid this, place a night light in the room where your cockatiels sleep and don't completely cover their cage.
Once you have determined the perch where your cockatiel prefers to sleep, avoid hanging toys near it: the bird could get caught in it during one of its nocturnal fits and seriously injure itself
Advice
- Treat your cockatiels gently - they are very fragile birds.
- The cockatiels love to be stroked on the head, in the direction of the feathers; the best time to do this is during moulting when the animals suffer from continuous itching.
- Sing songs to your cockatiel so that he gets used to your voice.
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Don't breed pet birds unless you know exactly how to behave.
You might as well kill them!
- Cockatiels need daily care. If you are at work during the day, consider buying two, so that they keep each other company.
- Keep the cage near a window (but not directly in front of it). Never keep a bird in a dark room, as it may fall into depression and exhibit behavioral disturbances (plucking its feathers, for example).
- There are lots of chats or forums about pet birds; consider subscribing to one of them: they are full of useful information!
- To prevent your cockatiel getting hurt by flying against a ceiling fan, a pot of water on the fire, a window or whatever, you should trim its wings. Ask a breeder or veterinarian to show you how this is done before trying it on your own.
- If you want your parrot to be more sociable with strangers, don't put him in a cage with another bird: this way he will be more inclined to interact with people than with his fellow birds.
- On particularly hot days, put ice cubes in the bowl of water.
Warnings
- Do not operate the ceiling fan if the parrot is out of the cage: the animal could get injured by flying against the blades.
- Cockatiels love mirrors and shiny objects; despite this, do not put a mirror inside the cage: the cockatiel would consider her reflection as a bird in flesh and blood and the fact that the "newcomer" behaves strangely could in the long run annoy her. You can let your cockatiel play with a mirror for short periods of time, but avoid that the animal constantly has its own reflection in sight.
