How to Raise a Cockatiel

Beaker, Batty and their toys

Cockatiels are awesome pets. Most people think caring for them just means keeping them in a cage 24/7, but there is much more work and planning that goes into it. If you do not care for cockatiels properly, you will end up with a very unhappy bird and unhappy birds quickly become unhealthy birds.

Instructions

1. Buy a big cage. While they are smaller birds, you'll still want to buy the biggest cage you can afford. This is even more of an issue if the bird does not get out of the cage often. Your bird needs plenty of room to move about and spread its wings.

2. Do not skimp on the toys. Cockatiels need a wide variety of toys you can rotate in and out of the cage. A bored bird will become an unhappy bird, and that can lead to feather plucking and behavior problems. No one wants a screaming cockatiel and this is especially true if you are living in an apartment.

3. Cockatiels need attention. That mean you better spend time with your bird. Talk to it, play with it and have plenty of one on one time. Read or sing to the bird and let it get used to your voice. Remember, when you purchase a bird, you become its flock. Cockatiels are flock birds and they are very social creatures who prefer to do things as a group. It isn’t odd if they eat when you eat and nap when you nap. As you spend more time with them, it keeps them happy and it creates a bond between you and the bird. In the end, you should be the alpha bird of the flock.

4. Do not feed them an all seed diet. Would you let a child eat junk food for every meal? Feeding birds an all seed diet is like feeding it junk food everyday. Instead, start them on a pellet diet. You may not be able to find pellet at Wal-mart, so you may have to go to the pet store. Zupreem is a popular brand that comes in different flavors so try a few out and see what your bird prefers. You will also need to feed your cockatiel fresh fruits and veggies along with grains. Most human food is fair game (except chocolate and avocado), and should be part of the diet. You can give seed as a treat, but you do not want it to be the staple of the diet.

5. Teach them basic commands. Have some control over your bird. Not all birds will be cuddly, but you do want them to see you as an authority figure. When you need it to come to you, he or she needs to follow basic commands. The simplest is “step up.” Put you hand between the bird's stomach and feet and tell him to step up. Keep doing this until they learn the command. Once you have this command covered, the rest will usually fall into place.

6. Make sure you have out of cage time. Your bird spends all day cooped up in his or her cage and that isn’t fair to the bird. Make sure you take the time to let them out to spread their wings. Put treats out on top of the cage and get them a play gym so they can exercise. Have toys that they only play with outside of the cage and maybe get them a play stand.

7. Make sure you can afford a vet. When you buy your cockatiel, you need to take them in for a well bird visit. This can cost $90 a shot, so vet visits for birds are not cheap. The treatments and medications are not cheap either. You need to be able to afford more than just the bird, the cage and the food. If you can’t afford their proper vet care, maybe you aren’t at a point in your life where you can be a good bird “parent.” After all, you should think of your cockatiel as a feathered child.