COCKATIELS
CARING FOR YOUR COCKATIEL
The Cockatiel is known to be one of the smallest members of the cockatoo family. In the wild it lives a nomadic lifestyle and is seen in flocks ranging from several birds to several hundred. They can live anywhere from 15-25 years, can grow up to 30cm long including their tail and weigh anywhere between 80g-120g. Cockatiels are the ideal pet for first time bird owners, when properly hand-raised they are completely nonaggressive, cuddly, sociable and make great whistlers.
DIET & NUTRITION
A Cockatiels’ diet should be composed of 20-25% fruits and vegetables, 50-60% pellets, and 20% seeds. Suitable mixes for Cockatiels are Murphy's pellets, Vetafarm Maintenance Diet Pellets or Parrot Essentials Pellets, Forage Cockatiel seed mix or Birdzone small parrot seed mix.
A wide range of fruits & vegetables that are safe for your Cockatiels include: Apples, Apricots, Banana, Carrots, Cherries, Grapes, Guava, Kiwi, Mango, Nectarines, Oranges, Papaya, Peaches, Pear, Pineapple, Plums and Watermelon, Dried Apricots, Dried Cranberries, Prunes and Sultanas (always remove pits or seeds from stone fruits as they can be toxic) Beets, Brussel Sprouts, Bok Choy, Cabbage, Carrot tops, Capsicum, Corn, Dill, Endive, Kale, Peas, Pumpkin, Spinach, String Beans, Sweet Potato and Squash are perfect for Cockatiels.
Never feed your bird iceberg Lettuce, Onions, Avocados, Chocolate, Caffeine or Apple seeds as they are toxic to birds. Make sure your Cockatiel always has access to fresh water and replace the water daily.
HOUSING & ENRICHMENT
A small-medium gauge wire cage with dimensions of at least 88cm (L) x 50cm (W) x 88cm (H) will give your Cockatiel enough room to spread out and exercise without risk of injury from hitting the wire sides, however, bigger cages are ideal. Open top cages with perching areas are ideal for hand raised birds as they provide more freedom and interaction with their family. Daily cleaning is required for Cockatiels as they can be quite messy, it is common for them to flick seed scraps on the floor or cage bottom. They also moult throughout the year and produce dander or dust which will collect in the cage or on the floor. It is important to change bird cage substrate daily along with their seed and water, vacuum or sweep any mess and remove any waste from the cage. A full cage clean can be done once a week, ensuring to scrub any poo or mess from the perches and wire bottoms. Perch placement inside the cage is another key factor, perches should not be located above food or water dishes to avoid contamination. Additionally, perches should vary in size, as perches of uniform diameter do not provide proper exercise for a parrot’s feet. Natural eucalyptus branches make excellent perches, but they must be cleaned thoroughly to remove any pesticides or bacteria. Other tree branches can be used as well, but it is essential to ensure they are non-toxic. Cockatiels are natural chewers; chew toys are used as a form of environmental enrichment to prevent psychological problems such as self-mutilation, feather plucking excessive squawking or stress caused by boredom. Enrichment can be chewing toys, play toys, leather toys, acrylic plastic toys, wooden toys, shredding toys, ropes, swings, ladders, bells, birdie balls, plain cardboard, small boxes, wicker baskets, tray of wheat grass, plants, bird baths, different foods, food kabobs and nuts. You may also find in your local area flowers and natives such as: Bottle Brush, Grevilia, Eucalypt Melaleuca flowers, Hibiscus, Marigold, Dandy lions leaf which can be added to the cage once treated appropriately.
Enrichment tip- Changing toys regularly or rotating existing toys will create interest for your bird as if they are receiving a whole new toy to play with.
Additionally, consider providing a separate play area outside of the cage where your bird can enjoy supervised out-of-cage time. This can be a bird-safe room or an outdoor aviary, depending on your living situation. Ensure that the area is free from hazards and provides plenty of opportunities for exploration and exercise.
SOCIALISATION, HANDLING & TRAINING
Training your Cockatiel is an important factor for having a well-behaved hand raised bird. Cockatiels that are handled regularly become a very sweet bird with a pleasant, gentle nature; with the right training and persistence these birds can also mimic or talk. When taking your bird home for the first time, we strongly suggest leaving them in a quiet, relaxed situation to prevent stress and anxiety. It can take a few weeks for birds to settle into their new environment: babies also need lots of rest. After they have adjusted it is very important to spend lots of time with your bird, calm situations like watching TV, reading, eating breakfast or dinner is a perfect time to get your bird out. Daily routines and adequate sleep are essential for your bird as they are emotionally complex, they appreciate routines and can become moody or stressed with too much change or lack of attention. Sleeping schedules should aim for 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep (natural winter day length) to prevent excessive moulting and reproductive activity. At night the cage should be covered with a sheet or cage cover to prevent drafts and reduce visual stress.
HEALTH ISSUES & SUPPLEMENTS
Vitamin Supplements – Can be added via the water supply, this is not necessary if you feed your bird any of the pellets mentioned above.
Calcium – Calcium perches, calcium bells or cuttlebone for are recommended to keep your birds nails and beak trim. Also provides a good source of calcium for bone development and during breeding season
Vitamin D Supplements– Essential for Cockatiels that are inside and do not receive direct unfiltered sunlight. Sun through a window is filtered so will not allow your bird to absorb vitamin D. Birds are unable to absorb calcium without vitamin D supplement.
Worming- Worming will need to be done every 3-6 months depending on the supplement to prevent digestive issues and malnutrition
Lice & Mites- The two most common parasites that you may encounter when owning a Cockatiel is lice and mites, but they are easily controlled with a spray, which is available in store.
Respiratory Infections- (Bacterial or Fungal like Aspergillosis) can cause symptoms such as sneezing, wheezing, nasal discharge, laboured breathing, coughing, or choking sounds. Causes of Respiratory infections come from poor ventilation, dust, mouldy food, or weakened immunity from stress/diet. Prevention: Keep cages dust-free and well-ventilated, avoid the use aerosols or cleaning products around their cage, clean weekly with bird-safe disinfectants. Annual vet check-ups catch early signs are essential. Treatment can include antibiotics or antifungals from a vet; severe cases need hospitalization.
Psittacosis- (Parrot Fever) can cause symptoms such as lethargy, appetite loss, diarrhea, nasal/eye discharge, green-tinged droppings, or breathing issues. Causes of this can come from Chlamydia bacteria found in contaminated droppings or wild birds. Prevention: Quarantine new birds 30+ days, maintain hygiene; test during routine exams. Treatment for Psittacosis includes Doxycycline antibiotics sourced from a vet