Rocky, my pet Cockatiel

Cockatiels come from Australia

Cockatiels make good, responsible, and caring fathers

Cockatiels can start breeding within the first year of their life

Cockatiels are part of the Cockatoo family

Most Cockatiels live to be 15-25 and sometimes even 30! (One recorded lifespan was 36 years!)

Cockatiels are one of the easiest birds to train and tame

In the wild, Cockatiels like to live in large groups - sometimes up to 500!

Cockatiels imitate sounds from their environments

Cockatiels are about 12 inches in length and weigh from 75-140 grams

Cockatiels are prone to night-fright

Hand Fed?
Ask if the cockatiel has been hand fed before you leave the store with it. If it has been, then it is used to people and more comfortable with you and your family. A cockatiel that is not hand fed may be difficult to care for, especially if it is scared of humans.

How Old?
The younger the bird is when you buy it, the better it will behave. Younger cockatiels are more flexible and in general, a nicer pet. If it is older, then the cockatiel is set it its ways and will not be as pleasant.

Hold the Cockatiel
Before purchasing your cockatiel, make sure you get to hold it. Be sure that the bird doesn't try to bite your hand off. (Or something along those lines.) If the cockatiel starts hissing at you or hurting you, then it's probably not comfortable around people.

Health
You should also bring your cockatiel to an avian (bird vet) as soon as you can after the purchase. They can tell you whether or not your new bird is healthy and can also provide you with care tips.

Keep in Mind...
...that you can still buy the cockatiel if it breaks any of these rules. If the cockatiel is vicious when you hold it or is old, then remember that not many people would be willing to buy them. They'd end up stuck in the cage in the back of the pet store for the rest of their lives. And I'm not saying that you have to buy them, especially if you have kids that would want to hold the bird and not get bitten. But just remember, it's not their fault. It's just the way they were raised and they don't know any better.

Not sure?
If you're not sure whether or not you want a cockatiel, you can find out on either this page or this page. But you should make sure that you want one and that you can definitely take care of one BEFORE you buy one.

For a cockatiel to have a full and healthy life, they need attention. You can talk or sing to them, keeping your voice calm, to make them happy and even calm them down.

Also, cockatiels should be handled and played with regularly. A cockatiel that is left in it's cage all the time, is not having a very fun life. They need to be played with and taken to new places. Imagine being stuck in the same room for your whole life. Not very fun-sounding, huh? It's not like you have to have a full day planned out for them. Just make sure that you give them time outside of their cage.

With Rocky, I tend to take him out of this cage very often. A lot of the time, I put him on his play set (bought from a local pet store) but sometimes he just stays on my shoulder while I read or do pretty much anything else.

Cockatiels are always in need of a friend and they shouldn't be left alone for extended periods of time without someone there to play with them or talk to them or keep them company.

Cockatiels need a well balanced diet to be healthy. They should have a large variety of foods, including "human foods" like watermelon, apples, peaches, etc.

Though, you must be carful when feeing your bird fruit because pesticides used in crops are very dangerous to them. To help prevent your cockatiel from getting sick, you can scrub the skin of the fruit. You must also keep in mind that some "human foods" should NOT be fed to cockatiel and can be very TOXIC to them.

To see a list of safe foods created by a cockatiel owner, Click Here

Also, a pellet diet is better than a seed diet. Seeds are very fatty and don't provide all the nutrients necessary for full cockatiel health. Make sure that you balance the two, but lean more toward pellets because they are much healthier. If you are switching from seeds to pellets (or any other type of food) make sure the change is gradual. If the switch is too quick, your bird won't respond well since cockatiels are not very good with change.

It is very important to make sure the water is replaced often. Because when your bird is thirsty and needs water - they really need it. So, they must always have clean, fresh water available to them. And if you're playing with them where there is no water, make sure you take them back to their cage periodically in case they get thirsty. Also, consider buying your cockatiel water bottle instead of a water bowl since they end up pooping in the water otherwise.

You can feed your bird treats such as millet spray or other special foods that you can purchase at most pet stores. But don't make them available constantly since they are not the healthiest foods for them. A little treat once in a while doesn't hurt and makes your bird very happy.

Cockatiels need a good night's sleep to live a healthy life. About 10-12 hours of quiet and darkness is a good amount of sleep for them.

It is recommended that you have some kind if night light around the cage, this helps with night frights. Some people cover their bird's cage at night.

If your cockatiel's cage is in a noisy room, then you can consider moveing their cage to a quieter room at night, or have a separate cage for sleeping.

You may hear a grinding noise coming from your bird's beak before they go to sleep. Don't worry, this means that they are happy and ready to have a good rest.

It is normal for cockatiels to sleep on one foot with their head tucked back into their feathers.

Cockatiels are prone to night-fright. Although the name may sound silly, it is actually quite scary. If your cockatiel is sleeping and is startled, it could go into panic.

He/she will start flapping wings and banging around in their cage. Since cockatiels have trouble seeing in the dark, they can crash into bars, bowls, toys, or anything else in their cage.

Some things that can cause night-fright are loud noises, drafts, sudden light, sensing the movement of other things, etc.

If your cockatiel has a night fright, or starts flapping its wings in the middle of the night, then you should immediately go and turn the light on so they can see. Uncover the cage (if it's covered) and make sure that your bird is okay and calmed down before you leave them alone.

Rocky has never had a night-fright (or at least not while here) so, I do not have any personal experience. But cockatiel owners should be informed about them and what to do if they happen.

My family covers Rocky's cage at 9:00 each night with a light sheet.

This keeps him from getting cold drafts at night, which could prevent a night-fright. Also, it establishes a bedtime for him. When the sheet goes on, he knows that its time for sleep.

Since sleep is critical to a cockatiel's health this helps a lot. We uncover him in the morning.

Usually at around 7:30-9:00. Just so I have this clear, it is not a must to have your cockatiel covered at night. It is an optional thing.

(At least what is said above is what we used to do with him. After Rocky got hurt, which you can read more about later on in the page, we started been bringing him upstairs at night. We bought a seperate, smaller cage so he could be upstairs with us instead of all by himself. We now cover the cage three quarters of the way, so he can see out into the room. We've been doing this since April of 2011, and it's been working out pretty well. So, just another option for cockatiel sleeping arrangements.)

It is important for cockatiels to have toys to play with so it has something to do when it's in its cage.

Although you should be sure that the toys you put in the cage are safe for cockatiels.

They love to play with colorful, shiny toys that make noise (such as bells) and they also enjoy looking at themselves in mirrors.

It is recommended that you have 6-10 toys and rotate their use so they don't get bored from the same toys.

Also, you shouldn't leave your bird alone for too long with a toy. For example, they get their beaks or feet stuck in the toy and go into panic. If you are leaving the house or going to sleep, make sure there are no toys in the cage that could hurt your bird.

Toys also keep cockatiels from hurting themselves. Sometimes when they clean they pull their feathers too hard and can get hurt. The toys will distract them from doing that, since they usually do it when they're bored.

You should give your cockatiel a "bath" regularly. It will keep him clean and there will be fewer bits of feathers in the air (good for people with allergies).

You can fill a shallow bowl or plate with cool water so your bird can bathe in it. Some pet store carry special dishes for them (even some will mirrors on the bottom). You can put the bathing dish on a table or on the bottom of the cage. (Make sure the cage doesn't get too wet.

You can also put your bird in a disinfected sink with a small amount of water (an inch is a good amount). But make sure there are no toxic fumes in the sink from cleaners

You can buy a spray bottle to mist your cockatiel with. Spray it over them as if it is rain. It is probably best that you keep the spray bottle only for your bird.

Some birds like to take showers. You can have it on a low setting and let your bird stand on a special perch (sold in some stores). Make sure your cockatiel doesn't get into any soap or hot water.

Notes:
Do not use a blow dryer on your bird
You should give them about 2 baths a week

It is okay to bring your cockatiel outside as long as its in a cage. They enjoy new environments and scenery, so the outdoors is always a good place to take them.

You have to make sure it is not too hot or cold for them too adjust to quickly (anything over 10 degrees difference is large). If their feathers are puffed for long periods of time, that could be a sign that they are getting cold.

Also, make sure you don't place his/her cage in a very sunny area, because they could get too hot.

It is okay if they interact with other birds outside (as long as they are not fighting or annoying each other). You should also be careful with bugs that go in their cage. Cockatiels don't normally get lice, fleas, or mites but they can possibly get it from outside. (A slim chance, but still be careful).

We often bring Rocky outside. Mostly because we don't want him to be lonely and we miss him. If we are going to be outside for a long period of time, we usually bring out his cage. And overall, I think he enjoys it.

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Lately, my family and I have noticed that Rocky has issues with being left alone. Whenever we leave him alone in a room when he's out of him cage, he chirps really loudly until we come back.

For example: Just now, as I was typing this my mom needed an umbrella. So, as I walked to the garage Rocky started chirping. His chirp was really loud and high pitched. More of a scream, actually. But now, that I am back by the computer with him, he's fine.

If your cockatiel does this, remember that it is completely normal. Your bird is becoming attached to you and this is having problems with the change. He/She is confused and this is causing stress. But again, totally normal.

And also remember that you should never yell at your cockatiel. This will scare them and you want to keep their trust. But, praising your bird is always okay. Your bird loves praise and looks for it.

Okay, so I know that the phrase "blood feather" sounds very frightening. And in all seriousness, it should. Or at least a broken one.

A blood feather is pretty much a new feather growing from a bird's skin. This process is normal and is happening constantly on all birds.

The reason I'm mentioning them on here is that if they are broken and bleeding, the bird will bleed out if something is not done to help them.

Now, I am definitely not a blood feather expert and I've never had to deal with one. And assuming you haven't either, I recomend this page for you to read up so you know exactly what to do if this happens to your cockatiel. Because if it's not taken care of, then it can be fatal for the bird.

Make sure it is clean

Make sure it is not too crowded. Give your bird some room to move around easily

You can purchase a bird seed guard to reduce the mess on the floor

Make sure there is enough food and water in there - and your bird knows where it is

Be sure it is not too close to a window where it can get drafts

Put some toys in to keep your bird busy

It doesn't matter if the cage is on a table or on a stand in the air

You must try your best to keep the cage clean. Remember - its your cockatiels home.

Here are important things to remember when cleaning your cockatiel's cage:

Change the newspaper

Get all the droppings off the bottom

Make sure you get everything off from the sides

Check the floor and make sure there are no seed shells or poop

Thoroughly rinse the cage after cleaning

If you have bird seed guard, make sure all of the seed and poop are cleaned from it

Make sure all seeds are cleaned from under the newspaper

You can also bring your cockatiel's cage outside and spray it with a hose or put it in a sink

If you are concerned about your cockatiel's poop or seeds getting all over the floor, you can purchase a bird seed guard. A bird seed guard goes under the cage and catches things that drop down.

Some seed guards don't have anything to attach them to the cage, so if your bird's cage it in the air you have to find an alternative. My family uses Velcro to stick it to the cage. You probably shouldn't glue it on because then seeds can get stuck under it. If you can't get it off, the seeds will get nasty under there.

Bird seed guards can be bought online or at a store. Be careful what size you get. You should measure the cage and find the appropriate size.

In April 2011, Rocky hurt his wing possibly due to a night fright. We took him to ther vet and they felt his wing and took xrays. There were no fractures that they could identify, but it was definitely hurt. He hasn't been able to fly at all since. From what we can tell, he still lives a happy life. He can do everything that he could before except fly to get places. Ever since the accident, he has been making use of his climbing abilities. He climbs everywhere, even up the side of the couch. And now that we know he can't get away, we can bring him outside without lugging around a whole cage. There are definetly down sides to this situation, but we're still focused on making Rocky's life as happy as possible.

Cockatiel Preening is when they use their beak to clean their feathers. Sometimes it will look like they are biting themselves or itching.

And they will often shake out their body and feathers when they are done with a long preening.

It is very normal for cockatiels to preen frequently throughout the day.

Sometimes if a cockatiel is bored, it will preen so much that they pull their feathers out. (This is a good reason to have plenty of toys)

Do you need some more resources regarding cockatiels?

Do you want to buy a cockatiel, but don't know enough to be sure on whether you should get one? Well, this page has basic pros and cons of owning a cockatiel and can help you decide:

Pros and Cons of Cockatiels

Do you have any questions that you would like to ask to me directly? About your cockatiel or other cockatiels or just cockatiels in general? If so, this is a great place to find out everything you need:

Cockatiel Q&A

Do you want to know more about cockatiels in general? Read up on this amaing species:

Cockatiel Fun Facts

Do you have any other suggestions for pages I can make concerning cockatiels that could help other people? I think that I have covered a lot, but am open to any friendly comments or thoughts.

Comment in the Guestbook at the bottom of this page.