How to Keep Your Cockatiel Happy

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Your complete guide to caring for a healthy, thriving cockatiel
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A cockatiel is a bird native to Australia. They are commonly kept as pets and can make great companions. Here are a few tips to keep your little feathered friend happy and healthy.

Things You Should Know

  • Furnish a comfortable home for your bird including perches, natural foliage, and shredding toys.
  • Feed your cockatiel a nutrient-rich diet, including fruits, seeds, corn, and pellets.
  • Keep your bird stimulated by interacting with them. Regularly pet them, teach them tricks, or talk to them.
Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Stimulation

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  1. Cockatiels need exercise regularly. Even if it has clipped wings, presuming your bird is healthy, it should be capable of some flight. A walk or a flight in a room will keep your bird happy and stimulated.
    • Make sure the bird is safe. Close windows and doors, turn off fans, put cats or other pets away.
    • Try to challenge it when outside the cage by putting down treats in different areas and allowing the cockatiel to walk or fly to them.
    • Think about hygiene. Your bird will likely void whenever it wants, so keep it away from kitchen counters or furniture.
  2. Petting your bird is a great way to provide interaction and bond with your bird. While your bird is out of its cage, try to gently pet the cockatiel by lightly scratching its head and neck.
    • Some cockatiels will be more accepting of your petting than others.
    • Birds will invite you to scratch their head by tipping their head down.
    • Don't forget to wash your hands before and after touching your bird.
    • Don't insist if your bird doesn't want to be touched.
    • Be gentle. Birds can easily be injured.
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  3. Cockatiels are intelligent creatures and need mental stimulation. Providing this stimulation and interaction is a great way to keep your bird happy and to form a deeper bond with it. You can also train it to do tricks:
    • Talk to your bird often, even reading it stories.
    • Start using instructions like "Up!" and "Down!" to coincide with its hopping on and off your finger.
    • Repetition is the key to getting him to perform an action according to your words.
    • If you aren't available to interact with your bird, leave music or a radio on. Your bird may even imitate the song or any talking it hears.
    • Position the bird on a tennis ball and help practice balance. The bird will eventually go on the ball on its own.
    • Never yell at or hit your cockatiel.
    • When training a bird, focus on positive reinforcement at all times.
  4. Playing games can be a great way to help your cockatiel keep stimulated and learning new things. It may also help to your bird to bond with you. Try some of the following games out with your cockatiel:
    • Try dancing with your cockatiel. Move your head up and down, or side to side, to the beat of a song. Cockatiel's have a sense of rhythm and will often move their head with you and the music.
    • Play music for your cockatiel. Playing an instrument, whistling, or singing can be entertaining for you bird. With enough exposure to certain songs, it may even learn to sing them back to you.
    • Play hide and seek with your bird. Take your bird into a room and gently set it down. Go around the corner to a new room and call out to your bird. Peak your head around the corner so you bird can see you and say “come find me!” before ducking back around the corner. When it find you, give your bird a head scratch and let it know how well it did.
  5. Cockatiels are social birds and love to have company. If you are often away from your cockatiel, you may want to introduce another bird as a companion.
    • Get a second cage for your new cockatiel.
    • Place the cages apart for ninety days, checking the new bird for any signs of illness. You don't want both of your birds to get sick.
    • If after ninety days the new cockatiel is in good health, you can move their cages near one another.
    • At first, schedule separate times for each bird for when they are allowed out of their cage.
    • Eventually allow both out at the same time. Keep a careful eye on both birds as they may act aggressively towards one another. Any hissing, screaming, biting, or attacking should result in them going back in the cages.
    • Eventually they may bond, even visiting each other in their respective cage.
    • Never fore interaction and never force your birds to share a cage.
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Part 2
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Cockatiel Homes

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  1. Make sure you have the right size cage for your cockatiel. The cage should be large enough so that your cockatiel can spread its wings, even with any other birds or items that may be in the cage. Remember that the smaller the cage, the more time your cockatiel will need to spend outside of it to get the necessary exercise and mental stimulation.
    • Look for a cage you clean easily. Remember, birds will void every ten to fifteen minutes.
    • Check to see if your hand can fit in the cage without problem.
    • Your cockatiel will need enough room to spread its wings.
  2. Make sure you put enough perches in the cage so that your cockatiel is free to walk and jump around the cage. If positioned correctly, a cockatiel should be able to fly between perches too. Natural wood and rope perches are ideal.
    • Don't place perches directly over one another as cockatiels cannot fly at steep vertical angles.
    • Try making steps or platforms using your perches to handle vertical positioning.
    • Avoid concrete perches, as they are hard on the bird's feet.
    • Check that the wood is safe for the bird, such as eucalyptus.
    • Dowel perches or plastic perches can cause foot problems due to the lack of foot exercises.
    • Avoid perches and toys made out of Prunus or Oak trees as these may be harmful to to your cockatiel.
  3. Variety is important. Cockatiels, like most parrots, love to destroy things. Natural foliage and shredding toys are vital to ensure that your bird can direct its chewing in the right way.
    • Variety is important. Your cockatiel will be happiest if it has many toys to play with.
    • Ask a veterinarian before adding natural foliage as not all trees and shrubs are safe for cockatiels.
    • Cockatiels will grow tired of their toys. Rotate and clean toys every other week.
    • Make sure that the material and the toy itself are safe for your bird. Some toys, like mirrors, huts, and some rope toys are not safe.
  4. All birds will need to have some kind of bathing option available. Beyond providing a way for your bird to stay clean, it also provides mental and physical stimulation. Most pet shops will have a sturdy plastic cockatiel bathtub for the cage.
    • Some birds may prefer misting from a spray bottle or even showering with their owner.
    • You can gently mist your bird with tempered water. Aim above the bird, don't spray it directly.
    • Cockatiels are desert birds. It doesn't need to bathe more than once a week.
    • Change the water every day to avoid bacterial infections.
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Part 3
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Basic Needs

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  1. There are number of different pellet formulations, designed by veterinarians, which are intended to provide a nutrient rich and balanced diet. Beyond the store bought pellet formulas, your cockatiel can enjoy many fruits and vegetables as well. shop. [1]
    • Try offering corn, grapes, millet, or sunflower seeds as a treat.
    • Try to use pellets and vegetables to keep your birds seed intake to a minimum (33% or less, preferably).
    • An all-seed or mostly-seed diet is extremely high in fat, and will shorten a cockatiel's lifespan.
    • Never feed your cockatiel chocolate, avocado, caffeine, or alcohol. These are toxic to the bird. [2]
  2. It can often be very hard to tell if your bird is unwell. If you see anything that is out of character for your bird, contact a veterinarian. Look for the following symptoms: [3]
    • Sudden weight loss
    • Abnormal breathing
    • Discharge from the beak
    • Mucus on any feathers
    • Abnormal behavior
    • Go for a check-up with the veterinarian twice a year.
    • If you have more than one cockatiel, isolate the sick one immediately.
  3. Cockatiels need ten to twelve hours of sleep per night. They should have a quiet and relatively dark place to get their necessary sleep each night.
    • The ten to twelve hours of sleep is in addition to any naps it may take during the day.
    • You might need a separate sleeping cage if the environment around their daytime cage cannot be quiet for at least 10-12 hours a night.
    • Cover three sides of the cage with a blanket to stop the light and the sound.
    • Don't forget to let one side uncovered for oxygen circulation.
    • Cockatiels are often prone to "night frights". Place a small light near your birds cage to reduce its stress.
  4. If your birds beak or nails grow too long, they can pose health issues. In the wild, your bird will keep his nails and beak at a proper length.
    • Long nails may become tangled or caught in toys or on the cage, causing injury.
    • Perching problems can result from long nails, which in turn may cause foot injury.
    • Nails that are long are also sharp. If your bird perches on your hand, it may be uncomfortable or hurt you.
    • Use a grooming perch to allow your bird to trim its own nails as it moves about the cage. Try placing it next to the birds food and water to ensure usage. Grooming perches can be found at most pet stores.
    • To help maintain proper beak length, make sure your bird has plenty of toys to play with. Play, using the beak, will help wear it down and keep it at a healthy length. Lava rocks and cuttle-bones are great things to offer your bird to help with beak maintenance.
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  • Question
    Why does my cockatiel make soft noises? Does she want something?
    Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
    Veterinarian
    Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
    Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
    Veterinarian
    Expert Answer
    Although less vocal than other members of the parrot family, cockatiels do like the sound of their own voices. You are lucky because many cockatiels tend to screech, rather than talk, which is uncomfortable on the ear. Cockatiels are great mimics, so it's possible she's heard a soft sound that she's enjoying trying to copy.
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    Not Helpful 12 Helpful 142
  • Question
    I have had my new bird for three days, and he's still scared to leave the cage. What should I do?
    Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
    Veterinarian
    Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
    Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
    Veterinarian
    Expert Answer
    Three days is a relatively short time for a bird to get used to new surroundings. In fact, it's best to give the bird peace and quiet for two to three days to allow him to re-orientate. Be patient, and start slowly getting the bird used to you by talking to him quietly and offering treats. As his confidence builds, he will grow bolder.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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    Not Helpful 14 Helpful 117
  • Question
    Should I hold my cockatiel?
    Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
    Veterinarian
    Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
    Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
    Veterinarian
    Expert Answer
    Cockatiels are not cuddly birds, so they won't enjoy being held in an embrace. However, she will enjoy being in your company, so replace that physical contact with training (to stimulate her mentally) and teach her to take food from your hand and to step up onto a finger.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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      Tips

      • Cockatiels are lactose intolerant, so avoid introducing any dairy products or milk into their diet. If they eat lactose, they may feel uncomfortable for awhile!
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      • Never try to touch your cockatiel while it is eating, even if it is tamed. Cockatiels like to eat undisturbed.
      • Buy your bird a play gym, mine loves to hang out in there!
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      References

      1. ↑ http://www.vcahospitals.com/main/pet-health-information/article/animal-health/cockatiels-feeding/814
      2. ↑ http://birds.about.com/od/feeding/tp/poisonousfoods.htm
      3. ↑ http://www.vcahospitals.com/main/pet-health-information/article/animal-health/common-conditions-of-birds/854

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To keep your cockatiel happy, take it out of its cage for exercise each day. Keep a variety of toys in the cage, but change them out every week or so to keep your cockatiel from getting bored. Your cockatiel should always have access to pellet feed, but you should also offer fresh treats once or twice a day, such as corn, grapes, and sunflower seeds. You should also place a grooming perch near your cockatiel’s food or water so it can groom its nails and beak to keep them from getting too long. To learn tips from our veterinary reviewer how to give your bird affection, keep reading!

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        Jul 5, 2016

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