Cockatiels as pets are among the hottest pet birds on the earth!
In truth, cockatiels take second place within the pet chicken class solely to the parakeet (budgerigar).
For the best individual, the query of “do cockatiels make good pets?” is a convincing YES.
However, cockatiels may be comparatively lengthy-lived pets. So it’s vital to be sure to can provide that lengthy-time period dedication earlier than bringing your new cockatiel house.
Read on to be taught all the pieces you could find out about cockatiels as pets to resolve if a cockatiel is the best subsequent pet for you!
Are cockatiels good pets?
Cockatiels hail from Australia and elements of Asia.
Wild flocks of cockatiels numbering wherever from 100 to 1000’s nonetheless fly and nest and feed there of their native tropical forests and grasslands.
In captivity, cockatiels got here to the United States within the early twentieth century and quickly discovered their manner into properties and hearts throughout the nation.
Today, the cockatiel is the most well-liked avian pet on the earth after the parakeet!
Pet cockatiels sometimes stay 15 to 25 years however can stay into their 30s!
Cockatiel character and temperament
Cockatiels have their very own distinctive temperament, character and care wants.
The cockatiel tends to be an exceptionally loving pet chicken that bonds carefully with one individual and sometimes their total human household.
Both wild and home cockatiels sometimes mate for all times and are monogamous with their mate.
Understanding that is important should you contemplate cockatiels as pets!
A solitary cockatiel will want further consideration and affection from you to be able to thrive as a single pet.
Since not all cockatiels will immediately get together with one another, it’s best to decide on a mated pair or two siblings should you plan to convey two pet cockatiels house.
How to pick a pet cockatiel
Because cockatiels are widespread pets, far too many individuals convey considered one of these candy and sociable birds house on impulse.
Only later do they understand they lack the time or curiosity to take correct care of their chicken.
For this motive, it’s at all times nice to begin your seek for a pet cockatiel by contacting native animal rescue teams and shelters.
You can provide a relinquished cockatiel a beautiful new ceaselessly house!
Working with a breeder to pick a hand-tamed younger cockatiel is one other nice approach to choose your new pet.
Avoid buying cockatiels from pet shops, as you might inadvertently help chicken mills.
The benefits of a hand-tamed cockatiel pet chicken
Hand-tamed cockatiels, whether or not rescues or breeder-raised, make the very best pets.
They will come to you already figuring out fundamental instructions corresponding to “step up” (to step up onto your finger, a perch or your hand) and they’re already socialized to individuals.
Be SURE to ask the breeder or rescue group if the cockatiel is “hand-tamed.”
It is feasible to tame and socialize an grownup cockatiel who has no prior expertise with instructions or dealing with, however it is a a lot tougher highway to take!
If you select to work with a breeder, ask to go to the breeder’s location so you may see their operation firsthand.
You need to make certain the breeder raises completely happy, wholesome birds in clear and sanitary situations!
What a cockatiel pet chicken wants
Cockatiels as pets have particular must stay the longest, healthiest and happiest life with you.
Read on to find out about every of those wants and the way greatest to satisfy them.
Cockatiel housing
Cockatiels want extra cage area than might first meet the attention.
The full cockatiel wingspan averages 16 inches and your chicken’s peak from head to tail is often 12 to fifteen inches.
The minimal cage dimensions to accommodate a single grownup cockatiel are 18 x 18 x 18 with cage bar spacing between 0.5 and 0.875 inches.
However, if in any respect attainable attempt to provide a bigger cage (with the identical bar spacing for security), or you may add a second cage that’s particularly for flight and train.
Cockatiel perches
Cockatiels’ ft are zygodactyl, which signifies that two toes level ahead and two toes level backward.
The splendid perch width needs to be between 0.875 and 1.5 inches for essentially the most safe footing.
Providing assorted perch widths, lengths and surfaces is good to maintain your chicken’s ft wholesome and powerful.
However, keep away from sandpaper-lined perches as these can abrade and irritate your chicken’s ft.
Be certain that perch spacing inside your chicken’s cage provides enough room to fly with out wings hitting a perch.
Also watch out not to decide on perches with sharp angles or tough edges, as these may cause harm.
Braided rope perches, edible perches, pure wooden perches and multi-floor perches of various lengths and widths will give your cockatiel essentially the most pure and pleasurable habitat.
Cockatiel toys
Cockatiels as pets are actually sensible!
They are inventive and creative and love to remain busy enjoying with toys, chewing and exploring their setting.
Cockatiel toys are an important a part of your pet cockatiel’s each day enrichment.
Plan to offer a wide range of completely different toys and rotate these toys to make certain your chicken doesn’t get too bored together with her favorites.
Starting whereas your cockatiel is younger means they may develop up extra related to you, AND extra capable of entertain themselves when it’s important to go away them alone.
To be taught extra concerning the completely different sorts of cockatiel toys your pet will get pleasure from, go to our overview of the very best cockatiel toys.
Cockatiel meals
Cockatiels within the wild forage all day lengthy for meals, consuming bits right here and there and dropping the remaining to the bottom, which helps replenish and regrow their meals!
They additionally chew insatiably to wash and clean their beaks.
In captivity, be ready for a messy eater!
Cockatiels fortunately fling their meals in all instructions, which makes a “seed guard” attachment for his or her cage a welcome addition.
Because hand-tamed cockatiels as pets are so social and other people-oriented, you may count on your pet chicken to learn to beg for human meals straight away.
Cockatiels sometimes need to be with their “flock” always, doing no matter you’re doing and consuming no matter you’re consuming.
Deciding how one can feed your cockatiel
You need to make certain your pet cockatiel is getting the total complement of each day nutritional vitamins, minerals and vitamins.
This can embrace small portions of acceptable, protected and wholesome “people” meals as treats (dry cereal corresponding to Cheerios or Ezekiel, small fruit chunks or vegetable cubes, cooked rice or quinoa, laborious-boiled eggs, leafy greens, and so forth).
But veterinarians right this moment agree that pelleted meals greatest meet this want for pet cockatiels.
If you’re bringing house a rescued grownup cockatiel who eats chicken seed solely, this will imply you’ll have a interval of uncomfortable transition.
Talk together with your veterinarian about the very best pelleted meals to supply and how one can transition a seed eater over to pellets safely.
Eventually, pellets ought to comprise about three quarters of your cockatiel’s each day eating regimen, with recent fruit and veg, lean protein, and seedy treats making up the rest.
Make essentially the most of these recent tidbits and treats by incorporating them into coaching, or foraging video games to enhance their welfare and effectively-being.
Further notes on cockatiel feeding
Cockatiels do NOT want grit to digest their meals.
But they DO want continuous entry to recent water always.
They won’t seem to drink a lot – they will produce virtually all of the water they want metabolically if they’re consuming the best steadiness of carbohydrates and fat – however by no means withdraw it.
Spray-misting or a shallow water dish for bathing will even be appreciated.
Cockatiel coaching and socialization
Not all cockatiels make wonderful pets.
Cockatiels which have lived primarily in an aviary setting (with a big group of different grownup cockatiels) and have been breeder birds might not acclimate effectively to the “pet life.”
The greatest pet cockatiels can be rescued grownup cockatiels who have been beforehand saved as pets or younger hand-tamed cockatiels which were breeder-raised particularly to be pet birds.
It is totally attainable to show your pet cockatiel to do tips, to sing songs and even to say just a few phrases.
However, should you actually desire a pet chicken who will speak, bear in mind that cockatiels should not the “talkers” within the parrot world.
They are far more liable to whistling, and might be taught entire tunes, as this viral video demonstrates.
Cockatiel well being
Cockatiels do are inclined to have a extra nervous temperament than another parrot species.
One of the most typical well being points that cockatiels face is “night frights.”
These episodes are nonetheless not effectively understood, however they’re effectively documented.
Cockatiels can get simply startled at evening, whether or not by an insect, a draft, a beam of sunshine and even their very own actions.
Once spooked they fly in a frenzy, banging across the cage and even harming themselves.
Cockatiels will even freely nibble on houseplants, family furnishings, paint, grout, crown molding, wooden and anything that appears chew-worthy.
Some of those could also be poisonous to your chicken! Bird-proofing your home is a should earlier than letting your cockatiel have free run of the family.
Self-cleaning home equipment and Teflon pans are additionally poisonous to pet birds, together with the fumes they launch when they’re used which we don’t even discover.
For this motive, hold your cockatiel out of the kitchen.
Cockatiels are additionally liable to weight problems (particularly from seed-primarily based diets), vitamin deficiency, respiratory an infection, overgrown beak and claws, and, for pregnant females, egg-binding.
Are cockatiels good pets?
A cockatiel pet chicken is certain to amuse you with their urge for food for video games and mischief!
Despite their petite look, cockatiels want a misleading quantity of area, and a number of time and a focus.
If you’re on the lookout for a wise pet, and you’ve got the sources to maintain them firm and supply enrichment to cease them losing interest, a cockatiel could be the best pet for you.
Whatever you resolve, we hope you’ve got loved studying extra about cockatiels as pets.