Tings You Didnt Know About Cockatiels

Are y'all interested in raising cockatiels? If then, this guide will tell you lot everything y'all demand to know to do and so successfully.

If you're looking for a new pet, or want to add together another bird to your flock, and then cockatiels are a perfect choice.

They come in a diverseness of colors and patterns with different personalities that will match any abode.

If you lot are interested in raising cockatiels, then this mail is a must-read for y'all! There are a lot of helpful tips that will make the procedure much easier.

Yous'll larn how to feed them, what to wait out for, and even some fun facts about cockatiels.

Cockatiel Appearance

Cockatiels are slender Australian parrots that are prized for their bold, cuddly personalities and appearances.

With a lifespan of upward to 20 years, these social birds are smaller than many other kinds of pet birds you tin raise.

Cockatiels belong to their ain genus but are closely related to cockatoos. Because of this, you may encounter some similarities in their appearances.

Gray cockatiels have the same coloration as cockatiels found in the wild, with males distinguishable from females because their colors are richer. Males besides accept bright orange cheek feathers.

A female's coloration is more than sedated, but it volition also accept some begetting on her under tail feathers.

Otherwise, yous'll notice that cockatiels come in all kinds of color and cross mutations, including yellow, pearl, and pied options. At that place are fifty-fifty albino and whiteface varieties!

If you're hoping to distinguish your male person cockatiels from females easily, yous may desire to invest in the classic grey.

Information technology can be hard to distinguish males from females if you have mutations visually.

Fun fact – some types of cockatiels have a mutation known as the Lution mutation. This causes the birds to develop bald spots on the dorsum of their heads!

While some bird specialists consider this to be a genetic flaw, it doesn't have much of an impact on the wellness of those birds who are affected – it only looks a scrap odd!

Cockatiel Personality and Behavior

Cockatiels are charming, entertaining little birds – part of the reason why they are ranked as the top pet bird species in all of America!

Sas talented whistlers, these birds are known for their voices.

Male cockatiels, in particular, offer a distinct whistling serenade that can exist directed at a favored person, an object, or even their own reflection in the mirror!

Cockatiels are friendly and busy little birds, spending most of their days zooming around the muzzle or foraging for food.

All the same, they besides relish a piffling flake of downtime, preferring to snuggle upwardly on their owners' shoulders.

These birds are unique because yous can tell their personalities merely by looking at their crest feathers!

Feathers positioned direct-up can bespeak that the birds are startled or curious, while defensive cockatiels might hold their crest features flattened close to their heads.

Another sign of stress is hissing.

Cockatiels who are relaxed will concord their feathers back somewhat, while their cheek features remain fluffed. Contented cockatiels might even grind their beaks a chip.

Toys For Your Cockatiel

It'due south a smashing idea to provide your cockatiels with lots of toys to keep them entertained – this is especially important for pet bird owners who will exist out of the firm for much of the day.

Yous tin can provide toys like pieces of paper, nontoxic rawhide, or fifty-fifty bits of softwood or cardboard.

Toys with difficult plastic elements that tin exist manipulated work well, besides.

Although female cockatiels might non pay them much attending, mirrors are a great addition to a cage for male cockatiels.

They savor whistling at mirrors and other similar reflective items.

Cockatiels need plenty of fourth dimension outside the cage each twenty-four hour period. It would help if you did this wisely, so you don't gamble injuring your bird.

Be careful whenever your bird is not in the cage, and then y'all don't accidentally step on it – and only allow it to "free-range" in places where other pets, similar dogs and cats, can't accomplish it.

If left to their own devices, female cockatiels may seek out areas for nesting. These areas are more often than not those that are dark and enclosed, like behind piece of furniture or cabinet corners.

A common misconception is that these behaviors volition not occur if at that place is no male cockatiel nowadays – just females will practise this regardless.

Otherwise, cockatiels' behaviors are easy to predict and even easier to enjoy! They can even exist taught to whistle back to you on cue, though they aren't known for many other tricks.

Where are Cockatiels From?

Cockatiels are native to the semi-arid regions of Commonwealth of australia. Typically found living nigh open expanses of land, these birds don't have the aforementioned piercing scream that parrots living in the rainforest do.

In the native lands of Australia, cockatiels are often referred to every bit quarians and weirdos. All are members of the cockatoo family unit.

First classified in 1793, these birds were first named Psittacus hollandicus before being classified inside the Nymphicus genus in 1832.

They breed readily in the wild and fly around the basis to forage for food.

They are likewise relatively easy to breed in captivity, and so information technology is so easy to find cockatiels for auction equally pets, oftentimes at a lower toll than what you might purchase other pet bird species at.

In the wild, cockatiels are high-energy, alert birds.

They're on a constant spotter for predators and sleep very lightly.

Because of this, pet cockatiels are also quite active and are poor sleepers, sometimes thrashing around the cage in the middle of the nighttime.

Feeding Cockatiels

Feeding cockatiels is non complicated. If yous're used to raising pet birds, you'll find that it'southward more than or less the same.

Cockatiels are great for beginners considering they eat a straightforward, basic diet. Feed your birds a combination of 75% pellets and 25% seeds.

Go along the food bowl three-quarters full and refresh it every single mean solar day.

You can also add treats to the diet, such every bit dark, leafy greens, fresh fruit, honey sticks, or millet sprays. Sweet treats should be provided only at present and so.

Of course, fresh, clean h2o should exist provided at all times, too.

Caring for Cockatiels

Cockatiels are piece of cake to intendance for, requiring just a muzzle that is spacious plenty to arrange things like toys, a few perches, nutrient bowls, and other accessories.

Of course, you'll likewise desire to make sure your cockatiel cage has a large door front so that information technology'due south easier for your cockatiel to return, too.

The proficient cage size is at least 20 10 20 ten 30 inches.

If you're keeping more than one bird, it should be much larger than this.

Because cockatiels are sensitive to strong smells and drafts, continue the muzzle out of straight traffic and away from the windows.

These birds are natural ground foragers and will honey foraging on the lesser of their cages if given the opportunity.

You can encourage this natural beliefs by covering the cage flooring with newspaper and and so sprinkling crumbled treats or millet seed for your birds to notice.

As social birds, one of the best things you can do for your cockatiels is to requite them opportunities to interact with you lot.

Lots of fourth dimension to cuddle and engage socially is essential – whether yous're merely petting their cheek feathers or spending fourth dimension talking to your birds, they'll savor the attention.

Training Cockatiels

Cockatiels aren't known for existence able to perform that many tricks. Unlike other pet bird species, they won't exist able to do anything too avant-garde.

Notwithstanding, they can whistle, and occasionally, they tin can also talk. Male cockatiels are far more likely to talk than females, with some learning how to speak several phrases and words.

They are relatively repose birds chirping instead of screeching, making good pets for people who alive near their neighbors (such every bit apartment dwellers).

Common Health Issues with Cockatiels

Cockatiels tend to exist healthy birds with minimal problems. You may hear your bird sneezes a few times a day – but don't worry, allergies or some mystery illness doesn't cause this!

Rather, a cockatiel who sneezes or even occasionally coughs is attempting to clear dander or grit from its nares.

This sneezing might exist accompanied past a fleck of clear discharge. Again, it is zero to worry almost unless it is persistent.

If the discharge is not articulate or if your cockatiel continues to sneeze for several days in a row, contact a veterinarian.

Cockatiels are not expensive to care for in terms of veterinarian costs. They do, nevertheless, require frequent wing clipping.

While virtually parrot species require fly clipping, you'll have to clip more often with cockatiels because they can fly not long after having their feathers trimmed back.

Cockatiels will molt a couple of times each year, similar many other bird species out there.

If yous decide to raise female cockatiels, continue a close eye on your birds if they beginning to lay eggs. Chronic egg laying tin can deplete a bird'due south body of calcium and other crucial minerals.

It can besides cause egg binding, which tin can be life-threatening.

Contrary to pop conventionalities, female person cockatiels do not need a male person present to produce an egg.

They only demand males to produce fertile eggs.

To help prevent any issues with eggs, make sure your female cockatiels are fed a nutrition that is loftier in calcium and other minerals.

You can employ a calcium-fortified pellet or offer a supplement like a cuttlebone.

If y'all're feeding your cockatiel a diet composed more often than not of seed, yous're going to have lots of vitamin and mineral deficiency to worry about – and potentially even malnutrition.

Also many seeds tin can likewise atomic number 82 to fatty liver affliction since seeds are loftier, in fact.

Therefore, if you desire to foreclose disease among your cockatiels, you must provide them with a counterbalanced, healthy diet.

A diet with a mixture of minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and other nutrients.

Where to Get a Cockatiel

Thinking that a cockatiel might exist the perfect pet for you? If so, you'll desire to caput over to your local pet store.

The skilful news is that cockatiels are bachelor at well-nigh minor and large pet stores, along with avian-specific stores and from bird breeders.

You can also choose to rescue or adopt a bird.

Especially if you are adopting a pet cockatiel, information technology is important to enquiry the background of the bird.

Why is the cockatiel being given up? Does it have any known wellness or behavioral problems, including various phobias?

Does it enjoy interacting with people?

What does it practise with children and other animals? Find out what kind of food does it eat – and does it have any favorite treats? What is its history of going to the veterinarian?

If you are purchasing a young cockatiel, you must make sure your bird has been fully weaned and does non need to be syringe- or parent-fed, every bit this can create boosted headaches for you.

Y'all should also make sure information technology is fully feathered.

At that place are a few signs of full general health and wellness you should inspect your bird for. Brand certain it seems alert and has clean, vibrant feathers.

It should accept bright optics and nares that are clean and costless of any runny discharge.

If you're ownership from a breeder or pet shop, see if they offering any wellness guarantee – or if they take discounts or costless visits for your kickoff veterinary trip for a full general check-up.

Are Cockatiels Loftier Maintenance?

If you are looking to add together a new pet to your home, consider getting a cockatiel.

They may not be the about high-maintenance pet in the world, just they do require some attention and care from their owner.

Cockatiels make great pets for both adults and children because of how like shooting fish in a barrel-going they can be with people.

However, they are still fun enough for kids who want an active bird that doesn't need too much time outside its cage or on top of a shoulder.

You'll never run out of things to talk nigh when it comes to these feathered friends!

Then if you accept been because adding another pet to your family unit, why not become i that will keep everyone entertained?

READ Next: Tricks to Teach Your Bird

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