What is a Cockatiel?

The Cockatiel looks something like a cross between a parakeet and a Cockatoo, and like its bigger cousin the Cockatoo, it sports a jaunty crest on the top of its head. The Cockatiel originally came from the continent of Australia, but soon found themselves carried around the world by seafarers that found the Cockatiels to be intelligent and amusing companions on long voyages.

The Cockatiel grows to no more than 12 inches in length from the tip of its crest to the end of its longest tail feathers. Its body and wings are colored mostly gray, with large white patches on the wings. The color of its face ranges from a very light lemony-yellow to a more buttery sun-yellow; with an orange to red spot on each cheek. Albino Cockatiels are becoming increasingly popular and can be found right alongside their more colorful brethren in most pet shops.

Cockatiels also have feet that are typical of a parrot’s feet; where there are two toes that face forward while the other two face backwards. This configuration makes it easy for the Cockatiel to climb, perch and grasp objects. A Cockatiel will very often take hold of an object in these nimble toes and bring it up to where it can examine it more thoroughly. Cockatiels can also walk along the floor with these special feet; albeit with a rolling gait reminiscent of a land-locked sailor that hasn’t lost his sea legs.

Housing

Cockatiels, like most pet birds, appreciate some elbow room in their enclosures. A good rule of thumb would be to get a cage wide enough for the cockatiel to comfortably spread its wings and tall enough to keep its tail from touching or scarping the bottom or sides. Remember to also take into account where in your home you will want to place the cage. It should be a quiet area with no drafts, no sudden changes in temperature, and where it can easily be accessed for cleaning.

Housekeeping

Speaking of cleaning, your cockatiel’s cage should be cleaned every day. Cleaning should include removing and cleaning the slide-out tray at the bottom of the cage, scraping the perches with a perch brush, and cleaning and refilling the food and water dishes. If you have gravel spread on the floor of your cage, as some pet owners do, throw it away and replace it with fresh gravel. Finish your housekeeping by spraying or dusting the cage lightly with a specially made pesticide for mites. Mites are tiny, blood-sucking bugs that can make your pet cockatiel’s life miserable.

Feeding

The very best food you can provide for your cockatiel is the commercially prepared food sold at most pet shops. Cockatiels are primarily seed-eaters and so naturally enjoy some of the same snacks you do; like unsalted sunflower seeds and peanuts. In some pet shops, bins of various seeds and nuts have been made available for patrons that prefer to put together their own mixture of feed for their pets. Every once in a while you can give your pet cockatiel a treat in the form of fruit like a grape or an apple slice.

Fresh, washed leafy green vegetables can also be used as a treat if done sparingly. Giving your pet cockatiel too much fresh fruit or vegetables will cause it digestive problems like diarrhea. Cuttlebone is also important to a pet cockatiel’s diet. Cuttlebone is actually the dried-out “skeleton” of the cuttlefish; a seagoing mollusk. You’ve probably seen one before, it’s that oval, chalky white object attached to the side of a bird’s cage in a pet shop. The cuttlebone serves two functions—it provides necessary minerals, especially calcium, to your pet’s diet, and it also aids in keeping your pet’s beak trim.

Earlier this article mentioned having gravel spread on the floor of the cage, fine gravel or “grit”, is another important addition to your pet cockatiel’s diet. Cockatiel’s, like all other modern birds, have no teeth and so cannot chew their food. Birds counteract this “deficiency” by swallowing bits of gravel that help grind their food down. This gravel is sold in pet shops as “grit” and is absolutely essential to your pet cockatiel’s health. Pet shops also sell vitamin drops that you can add, according to the manufacturer’s instructions, to your cockatiel’s food or water.

Grooming

Pet cockatiels don’t put the wear and tear on their beaks and claws that their wild brethren do, and so a little grooming may be in order. As mentioned earlier, cuttlebone helps your pet keep its beak nice and trim. But if for some reason its beak grows to the point where it needs trimming, some pet shops sell the tools necessary to get the job done. The same is true for the more common problem of overgrown claws. If you are going to perform the task of grooming your pet, you must be exceedingly careful not to accidentally snip into a blood vessel.

You can actually see the blood vessel in your pet’s claw as a dark, reddish line about two-thirds the length of the claw. If you’d rather not take the chance, there are professional groomers that could do the job for you. Your pet cockatiel also enjoys grooming its feathers. You can help it along by very lightly misting it once or twice a week with warm water. Just a soft, gentle misting is usually enough to get it grooming its feathers with its beak. Be careful not to soak or really wet your pet or it may develop a cold or even pneumonia.

Handling

When you first get your pet cockatiel, the best thing to do is to place it in its cage; preferably in a quiet spot in your home, and leave it alone. This is in order to allow it to calm down and settle into the new sights, sounds, and smells of its new home. After a couple of days, approach the cage without making any sudden or jerky movements. Perform your housekeeping chores then leave it alone for another couple of days before continuing your regular, daily housekeeping duties.

Try communicating with your pet cockatiels at this point, letting it get used to your voice and the sight of your hands. Once your cockatiel is more or less used to your presence, usually after about a month, open the cage door and slowly introduce your hand into the cage. Gently stroke its head and breast with your finger, and then slowly retract your hand.

Do this for at least a week, preferably two, and then the next time, after again gently stroking its head and breast, move your hand over the bird and wrap the last three fingers of your hand over its side and gently grasp it around the body while nestling its neck between your thumb and forefinger. Once your cockatiel allows you to handle it in this way, you should have no problem handling it for grooming or other purposes.

Talking

Cockatiels can be taught to imitate human speech just like other parrots. The easiest way to do this is by first removing unwanted distractions by covering the bird’s cage. After that it’s just a matter of repetition; repeating the same word or phrase the same way over and over. While there’s no guarantee that your cockatiel will talk, it is generally agreed upon that this is the best way to teach it how.

Summary

Cockatiels are generally long-lived and healthy pets. If well cared for your pet cockatiel should provide you with many years of warm, amusing companionship.