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« Thread Started on Feb 4, 2008, 8:04pm » | |
I have kept cockatiels for quite a while, bred and raised them. They are friendly and inquisitive if hand-fed. If a cockatiel isn't hand-fed then they are not nearly as friendly as they might be. They can learn to whistle, and some can learn to talk too, males are usually the best to get if you want that though. They can also learn tricks too, such as fetching, stepping up, and other things. They can live to be 20 to 25 years old.
BUYING
To buy a cockatiel you can either get one from a breeder or a pet store, then of course there are those ads in the paper and flyers advertising, "Cockatiel for Sale!" or, "Free Cockatiel!". Well, the best place to get a cockatiel from is a breeder, they are not exposed to diseases while being shipped and also do not go through the stress that some pet store birds go through. Some pet stores get their birds from local breeders, these are second best. Then there are the stores that ship in cockatiels from far off breeders and the birds are exposed to sicknesses and are stressed out. The flyers and ads can sometimes have fine birds, but one should still be cautious. Why are they selling the bird? What has it been eating while it stayed with the previous owners? Has it been having an all seed diet? Where has it been? Has it been in a dark dusty room?
In all of these cases one should ask if the bird has been hand-fed. This means that it has been taken away from its parents and a person has fed it until it is weaned. This makes for a much friendlier bird.
When looking for a cockatiel, look for one with bright plumage, no discharge from its nostrils, and bright eyes. It should not have noisy breathing and should be active. A bird that stays huddled up with its feathers fluffed out in the corner is not healthy.
FEEDING
Seed diets are sold at most stores for cockatiels, but they are not the best thing to feed your 'tiel. It is best to mix the seed diet with the specially formulated cockatiel pellets. It is also good to give your 'tiel fresh fruits and veggies, they can be fed just about anything that people can eat.
Never feed:
- avocados {though some say that it is fine to feed this to parrots in the right portions}
- chocolate
- anything other than water to drink
TRAINING
If your parrot is not tame then you can start training it by getting it out of its cage with a towel so that it cannot bite you. Hold it against you and stroke it through the towel and on its head once it calms down a little. Little by little you should be able to let it out of the towel. Some like to wear gloves even at this stage, including myself, just to be on the safe side. Once you have it so that it isn't trying to take a chunk out of your hand then you can start teaching it to step up. Simply place a finger, or arm if it is a large parrot, on its chest a bit above its legs and tell it to 'Step up'. Of course, giving the parrot treats helps to tame it.
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