Anyone have a cockatiel?

My girlfriend and I were driving home from lunch today, and as we were passing the petstore, we got it into our heads to stop and "visit" the animals. We figured we'd look at the puppies, maybe pet a kitten or two, and be on our way. It didn't quite work out that way though, as the stars of the show were undoubtedly the numerous birds this place had.

Never having had a pet bird myself, and never having known anyone who has very well, I had had no idea that birds were so affectionate and so interested in people as they apprantly are. We had parrots climbing all over us, playing with our hair, chewing on our clothing, tugging on our ears. It was amazing fun.

Then the sweet little sales girl laid it on us. "You gotta see my baby that you have to take home". She took us to the back of the store, and pulled this dishevled little mass of torn feathers out of its solitary cage.

"We had to isolate this one because the others were pecking on him," she said. And it showed. The poor little guy had a bald patch above his tail where the other cockatiels in the store had apparently ripped his feathers out, and his tail itself had had some of its plumage broken in half.

"He's the nicest bird there is though. He's so affectionate." And he really was. He had immediately jumped onto her finger as soon she opened the cage (something I understand birds usually have to be trained to do), and as soon as she handed him to me, he climbed up my arm, perched on my shoulder, and buried his little head in my hair. He spend the next 20 minutes or so there, before I finally had to bring myself to give him back.

"You should take him home," she kept saying. It was so tempting. I really wanted him. However, never having had a bird before, I decided it would be best to do a little research before taking the plunge. Apparently these birds live upwards of 20 years, which needless to say is a very long time to have to live the consequneces if you screw one up.

We explained to the nice sales girl that Tuesday is my birthday, and that if we decide to get the bird, that will be the day we do it. She promised not to show the poor, beat up little guy to anyone else before then. Hopefully she'll keep her word.

So, I must turn to my SL friends here for some help. Does anyone have a cockatiel? How hard are they to take care of? How hard are they to potty train? Any pitfalls I should be aware of? Gimme the good, gimme the bad; I really want to know everything there is to know. I've been doing some reading, but I'd very much like to hear some personal stories. Should I bite the bullet and bring the little buggar home?

Well i dont have a cockatiel...
but i have a lot of experiacne with them.

1. The love to eat what they want to eat. and that they dont want. Well its all over. So find out his favorits and keep that close. Not that they can be trainind to enjoy what you feed them.
2. Over all they are not as messy as most large birds. So thats a help.
3. Once he/she knows whos dad and or mom are, NO one can be anything but. Large birds love for life. And if he cuddled you so easy, he will be a friend for life.
4. Cockatiels are a can go anywhere bird. put him on your shoulder and go shopping. Take him out alot and teach him that you will protect him.
5. They love to do! They are like the collie of the dog world. Show offs and happy to please. Teach him young and they can be hams. I know a bird that helps with the dinner dishes. Well he hands you the towles and anything you will take from him.
6. If i didnt have cats. I would have one white cockatiel and a raven.
7. They are the easiest bird to train.

Please i hope you go for him. He sounds like he needs you more then you need him.

Kyren

I have a pet cockatiel named Woowee... he's the best pet I've ever had. Cockatiels can be remarkably friendly and very social. Woowee loves my hubbie and me (not the kids so much, because they tend to harass him) and will spend literally hours on my head or shoulder, given the opportunity. He has learned several songs to whistle, and will come when called. He begs for scratches, and loves having his head and neck gently scratched.

The thing to keep in mind is that even with clipped flight feathers, cockatiels are still very strong fliers, and can go ten-fifteen feet before landing. They are less able to gain height, but if they start a height they can go really far. Mine flew out the door of my second-story aparment, across the street and into a tree (I climbed the tree, and when he saw me he came right back to me... he seemed really relieved!)

Also, if you have any other pets, it can be dangerous for the bird. Most cats and even dogs cannot be trusted around small birds, and neither can really young children. However, a well-socialized and friendly bird can be a great pet!

I tried to do some research but there seems to be suprisingly little out there. The problem I found most often posted on the web is cockatiels getting so good at imitating the phone ringing they can't tell the difference and keep going to pick it up !

However About.com seem to have a good page, with more resources at the botom.

I've had 5 at one time, being a pessimist. I'll tell you some down sides 1st,
there is a diff between hand fed babies and parent raised ones, I've had both.
The hand feed ones by you are nicer, stay sweeter, immature and love you! forever,
but it's a chore slinging prepared mash on a schedual.
Luckily this isn't a hugely long term thing to have to do.
Ask if a bird was hand fed when you buy it.

Parent raised ones tend to keep a wild streak, hit puberty or maturity and become sexually interested.
Their disposition changes, they start masturbating and become possessive or dismissive.
And so much for the bird you thought you knew.

Cockatiels, similair type birds and larger birds aren't very lone creatures, they won't like it if you suddenly become too busy for them or don't have the time to spend w/ them. Getting another bird to keep them company doesn't count as the companionship of yourself. Often every yr birds are killed or injured by other fam pets, even dogs.

They also cause alot of dust and feathers, no matter how much you keep up w/ them
or cage skirt/gadgets you get, so ppls w/ allergies or don't like that element, won't enjoy.

Also they will switch who they do like in the house all of a sudden, or who they will learn from or take to a visiting stranger oddly.

They are funny mimicers and talkers, prefer words w/ Rs in them and will teach ea other behaviors and vocals.

They need good appropriate toys and sized cages *invest in them* and items for their beaks and claws. Some like to take showers!

If you let them fly around, they will sh*t all over the house, funny enough mine would fly back to their cages, go, and fly out again.
They also like to walk around and climb, so there are some house hazards to know.

They will eat ppl food, but can't have choc or lettuce, I think it was lettuce, can't recall atm.

Clipping their wings is a good idea and easy to do, but if they fly out a window or a door expect not to see them again, is not always the case, but most often it is.

Stresses affect their appearences and they can get colds or parasites or illness out of the blue or from visiting other ppls w/ birds or taking in wild birds as a rescue.
And often unknown illness that crop up are swift and life ending.

Upside is they are beautiful clowns, all diff, love ya! become fam members and are good companions and have a decent life span.

Heres one of my experiences with a cockatiel. You will need the following:

1 cockatiel
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic
Few celery leaves
1 slice lemon
4 slices bacon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to moderate (350 degrees)

2. Sprinkle the cockatiel inside and out with salt and pepper. Place the
bay leaf, garlic, celery leaves and lemon in the cavity. Tie the legs
together with string and turn the wings under.

3. Cover the breast with bacon. Place the cockatiel, breast up, on a rack
in a baking pan and roast until tender, about thirty minutes per pound,
basting frequently with drippings.

For the sauce, remove the cockatiel to a warm serving platter and add one cup of broth to
the pan. Stir over moderate heat, scraping loose the browned particles.
Blend one tablespoons arrowroot with just enough water to combine and stir
into the gravy bit by bit. When the gravy is thickened and smooth, add the
cooked cockatiel liver, finely chopped. 2 servings.

So you're saying they're like human males. *giggles*

It sounds like you have a chance to save this bird. If you can manage to fit him into your family it may be worth the effort.

They are awesome when hand raised.
I had one that was to this day my favorite pet ever. This bird was very cool! Smart too.
The only reason I gave him up was my oldest daughter was a baby at the time and we found out allergic to it. The law seems to be biased towards keeping the kid before the bird so with much sorrow I gave it to a neighbor in the apartment complex we lived in at the time.

You do need to be tolerant to noise if you get a bird. And they can be pretty messy. Cage cleaning will be something you will spend lots of time doing.

My bird actually rode on my shoulder when I drove places. I never had a problem with him trying to escape.. he had clipped wings so he couldnt fly far if he did, but that never happened.

They are a bit of an investment with the cage and all the stuff you have to get to maintain them. Nail clipping is also something that needs done frequently.

Yep, they are a bit of upkeep.. but it sounds like the one you have your eye on will be great for you. They dont turn mean unless they are abused.

Good luck and be sure and post if you get it. If it doesnt work out you can send it to me. hehe

Thanks for the responses so far, everyone. So far, the message I seem to be getting is that these birds can be great companinons, very affectionate, but they're also messy. The mess was my biggest concern from the getgo, so I'm still havig trouble making a decision.

I have a lot of sensitive things around (computers, printers, art supplies, musical instruments & equipment, nice home theater), none of which I'm sure would respond well to bird droppings. I've read that cockatiels can be trained to go only in a particular place such as their cage or a garbage can, but it's up to the human to bring them to that place when it looks like they need to go. I've also read that birds this size can have to go as often as every 15 minutes. So, those of you who have a pet cockatiel, is this true? How easy has it been for you to train them not to mess up the house?

I grew up with dogs, and house-breaking them was relatively simple; once they understand their responsibility, they tell you when it's time to go, and you simply let them out (or install a doggie door so you never have to even be concerned) or you take them for a walk. Dogs only have to go a few times a day though, so even if you have to walk them every time, it's not that big a deal.

Since I have zero bird experience, I'm having trouble imagining what it will be like to train a cockatiel. I can't imagine stopping what I'm doing every 15 minutes to "walk" the little guy over to the cage or garbage can, even assuming I'm able to train him to tell me when it's time. Any insight into this would be much appreciated.




(And Taco, funny. )




(Oh, and Cottonteil, old buddy old pal, just so you're aware, there's a flaw in your recipe. Adult cockatiels weigh about 100 grams, about a fifth of a pound, but your recipe says "thirty minutes per pound". That puts your timing at about 6 minutes, which is barely enough to melt cheese or toast bread, let alone cook anything, even at 350 degrees. You couldn't even bake a cookie in that amount of time. This concludes our troll-feeding broadcast for the day.)

They should look like this. Yum yum.

http://south-thai.com/bird.jpg

I had a cockatiel that was trained to go on command. I kept a layer of newspaper nearby and every ten minutes or so I'd bring him to the designated spot, say the command word and he'd relieve himself.
To train him I picked a prompt word (choose carefully) and made a point to say it every time he "went".
After a few days or weeks I started phase 2. I'd take him out of the cage and, knowing he unloaded every 10 minutes, I'd pick a time where he hadn't gone for about that time, bring him over to the designated spot, and say the prompt word. Knowing that it would come soon, I kept him there until he went, repeating the prompt word.
Soon he learned that going on command was a free ticket out of the "rest stop" and back to whatever he was doing. This was great, because I could have him out of the cage without worrying about him messing up the place.

Thanks, Olympia. If all it takes is a few weeks to train him, I could probably handle that. Once you had yours trained, how long could you safely have him out of the cage before he had to go? I assume making him hold it for long periods could be bad for his health.

If the natural cycle is only 10-15 minutes or so, what's a safe maximum? Anyone know?

The little guy seemed so happy on my shoulder at the store, it seemed like it would be great to just let him sit there while I work. If I have to stop every 15 minutes, it wouldn't work though. The girl at the store recommended a little desktop playground thingie that he can perch on so he can stay close by without actually having to be on me at all times. It's got a tray underneath, so I guess I could always make that the spot to go. Bird people, does that sound like a good plan?

Thanks again everyone for all the info.


EDIT: Oh, one more very important question before I forget. I've read that teflon fumes from nonstick cookware can quickly kill a cockatiel. All my cookware is aluminum core stainless steel (because you don't spend 12 years in the housewares business like I did, and not get good stuff yourself) so I don't have to worry about that, but I do have a George Forman grill, which I use all the time, and it is teflon coated. Has anyone had any problems with this? (And Cottontiel, I'm sure you'll jump at the chance to associate bird with grill here, so feel free to be usual ever-so-helpful self, but if anyone has any experience with whether or not the grill fumes will be safe or not, please share.)

I never tested him beyond about 10 minutes. My guess would be that if he really had to go he'd go where he was, the trick being more to go on command as oppossed to waiting for the signal.


In my experience, they seem to like their desktop playgrounds as a main base, but they will wonder off and get into mischief. I tried taking my bird to work once, but he kept distracting me by wandering around the desk and getting into things. (If it's on your desk, the bird will play with it. One of my birds loved to seek out pens and roll them off the desk one by one. Another one tried to chew an adheisive price tag of an object and almost glued his mouth shut. ) Also, when I had to leave him for a few minutes he'd shriek loudly. This is natural behaviour, but my co-workers weren't too thrilled.

Teflon is most dangerous to birds when it's overheated. This can happen if you leave an empty pan on the heat too long, for example. Not sure if this happens with Foreman grills but it wouldn't surprise me. You're best bet is to keep them out of the kitchen when you're cooking anything. Pet birds have a death wish in the kitchen. They'll land on hot burners or pots of boiling water. Unless it's a chicken you're cooking for dinner, keep the birds away.

I had a hand reared cockatiel for 3 years - they are the best pet if you have the environment to keep them. They can be messy, but if you keep it in check its not a problem.

olympia- good call on the teflon. it's very bad news for birds.

----

there are some serious dangers to training a bird to poop on a vocal command. there have been a few cases of the owner forgetting and the bird suffering.

much better to STRONGLY avoid any vocal link to it. teach them to go on paper. however, make sure paper is always handy and realize they can't tell the difference between newspaper and your birth certificate. i highly suggest 3 things- 1) a stand or playpen for the bird so it can be close to you but play happily and poop safely, conveniently, and without messes. 2) keep the wings at least partially trimmed for about 973793 reasons- safety, mess, trainability, and to help avoid losing one out the door (been there, it almost killed me, never got her back)

3) PLEASE if you are considering buying a bird please please please buy a guide to a well behaved parrot by matty sue athan and read it first. it's aimed at larger bird owners but most of it goes for 'tiels as well. i can run thru the food etc stuff for you in 10 minutes but this will give you all the whys and hows and whats to birds.

-l (used to work in an all-bird pet store in chicago, and has 9 hookbills)

ps feel free to IM me.

also, keep in mind a tiel (or other bird) is like having a tiny flying 2 yr old that can chew up stuff. they are fun but messy and they need supervision.

Not to start a flame war- I'll openly admit I may be wrong about the potential dangers of a verbal command. I'm just wondering how doing a trick on command would prevent an animal from not doing otherwise. The same bird I trained to go on command would also flap his wings on command- and that didn't keep him from flapping his wings on his own.

Unlike a house broken dog, a "housebroken" bird doesn't (or shouldn't) get any negitive reinforcement from mistakes, so I don't see what would stop him from letting loose when he felt like it.
I looked this up on the web and found mixed results.
This source said it was potentially dangerous
While this source
and this source say it's ok. Maybe the key is not being militant about enforcement and not punishing mistakes? If not, the technique you mentioned about training them to go on paper should work just as well.
I used to work at a pet store that specialized in birds and small mammals and agee 100% with everything else you said. Especially the part about them being flying two year olds.

i could well be wrong, i was somewhat iffy about it but i've read it from fairly respectable sources. it seems to be possibly more common with 'toos. i figure it's probably fairly rare if existent at all but i see no need to risk it. with my luck my bird would be the neurotic one who took it too far 8D.

i suspect the danger has more to do with trying to please its beloved human, or with the problem some ppl having peeing if they can be heard than with doing a trick. toos especially can be pretty good about not pooping on ppl unless they just have to- mine seldom does unless with us too long or frightened, and he was never trained, at least not by us (previous owner might have).

Dearly Darling,

Do not place your bird near air vents in your home.

If you have an older home test for lead in your paint.

You may want to think about having a designated bird room. You can put up an interior screen door so the bird can see his people. fabric drop cloths from Lowes or Home Depot make great furniture covers...cheap and you can pitch them into the washer.

Loose lay a man made flooring over your exisiting flooring around your cage or bird room. Makes clean up easier.

If you have a dog or cat do not apply flea and tick control near your bird. I suggest using Frontline and not a spray period.

Many vets will make house calls for wings and toe nails. Make sure you keep notes of what color the vet wears at your home...They do remember and aren't always keen on having grooming done.

Hope this helps some.

Ever Yours,

Mrs. Showdog Tiger

Could be. That wouldn't surprise me.

There's always the diaper option

I don't know if this is a good idea or not. I do know that if I tried to put my bird into an outfit of any kind it would be World War III and the bird would win.

diapers- if you want to try them your best bet is a young, very tame bird that you have a good relationship with. i suggest patience, working on it in short periods of time, and a lot of kind words. it could even take a week before the bird quits being afraid to stand near it, never mind wearing it. you -may- have more success with a suit that's colored close to your bird's color or favorite color.

if you get it on- follow the directions, check it often, supervise your bird when wearing it, and be ready and willing to rinse the poor critter's rump if need be. i don't know anyone personally who's used one so i can't say much more. i usually just use old shirts and towels- poop is just a fact of life.

as for grooming, i prefer to do it myself, but it's not for everyone. make sure your groomer is good with animals- a surprising number aren't. talking to the bird and explaining the situation sounds goofy but in my experience really does help. be sure the groomer also knows what to do in case of problems- sooner or later a nail or feather will bleed. if you want to learn to do it yourself- i think this is probably best IF you can handle it and you learn what to do (and not to do), especially when things go wrong.

in my experience, birds that like me before grooming still do after, and ones that don't- well they don't seem to hate me any more at least lol

finally- get a good AVIAN vet, if you can find one in your area. most dog and cat vets just don't have enough knowledge to save your baby.

-l. (birds are the only thing i'm good at)

Lovebird owner here, parrot family.

Do you have sufficent time to give them a few hours of attention daily? They most likely will demand it. Very, very needy animals.

Parrots (Cockatiels included) are equatorial birds and will need 10-12 of darkness to sleep. We put the bird in his own sleeping cage in the pantry behind a closed door from 9 to 9.

Fail in these things and our experience was a terrible plucking and self-mutilation problem. :|

My next apartment size pet may be a ferret.

Agreed. This is important!

I own a cockatiel.

They are very friendly..... when they want to be.

They can also be VERY demanding for attention, and they'll screech if they get attached to you and you don't give it to them. Oh, and they can become VERY jealous if your cockatiel chooses one of you as their mate (just try to talk one out of it) and someone else gets close to you.

So true! When I still lived at my parents house my dad and I would sit on opposite ends of the couch. We'd take turns holding up a plastic bird and talking at it. My cockatiel would run to whomever had the bird and stick his head between their face and the toy. He made sure everyone knew who the top bird was.