How to Decorate a Pet Cockatiel's Cage

Pet cockatiels are naturally enthusiastic birds that love to be entertained. They're also very intelligent and need constant stimulation. Decorate your pet cockatiel's cage with this in mind and keep your pet cockatiel happy, healthy and interested as possible.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Put toys into your pet cockatiel's cage. Include wood toys so that your pet cockatiel can chew on them and maintain its beak. Pet cockatiels also enjoy chewing on toys made out of rawhide and plaster.

2. Provide your pet cockatiel with a wide assortment of perches. Place pre-manufactured perches and chemically untreated branches of varying shapes and sizes in your pet cockatiel's cage to help it exercise its feet. Having only one perch in your pet cockatiel's cage can lead to feet problems. Choose perches made of apple, alder, beech, maple, eucalyptus or citrus wood.

3. Include interactive cage decorations like ladders and swings. These types of decorations not only stimulate your pet cockatiel but also provide it with a way to exercise while in its cage.

4. Maintain the quality of decorations. Pay special attention to loose threads and ropes. Your pet cockatiel may chew on its toys and cause threads and ropes to become exposed. Trim or cut these loose ends as close as possible to the decoration so that the threat of injury to your pet cockatiel is minimized.

5. Rotate decorations, toys and perches every few weeks. Completely replace wood decorations, toys and perches if they become dirty; wood toys can't be cleaned properly cleaned and can often harbor infectious bacteria.

Tips & Warnings

• Pet cockatiels love dangly toys.
• Don't overcrowd your pet cockatiel's cage with toys. Your pet cockatiel needs a lot of room in its cage to move.
• Check each toy that you purchase for zinc. Zinc is very toxic to cockatiels and contact with it may result in your pet cockatiel becoming ill. Sturdy, non-breakable, toys without bells and zinc are the best toys you can buy for a pet cockatiel.
• Avoid putting mirrors in your pet cockatiel's cage. Mirrors can confuse pet cockatiels and make them think that more than one bird is in the cage. Your pet cockatiel may become depressed or hostile when its reflection does not respond to its social advances.
• If your pet cockatiel destroys its toys, it may be displaying anger or a need for your attention.