Oct. - Nov. Flock-Together Feature: 'TIEL TIME!

Cuddly, convivial & comical are just 3 reasons why the cockatiel is one of the top-ranked companion birds.



Cockatiels are also masterly whistlers, male cockatiels in particular are known for their musical serenades, which can be directed at their favored person, their favorite object or their mirror reflection. When not whistling or keeping themselves busy foraging for food and fun around their enclosures, 'tiels often enjoy spending their time snuggling on their favored person’s shoulder.




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Color varieties include the normal grey found in the wild, lutino, pearl, pied/harlequin, cinnamon, fallow, and dark charcoal; in most cases, the cheek patches of male cockatiels are brighter than those of females. In fancy varieties, it is not always possible to visually determine sex.



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The position of a cockatiel’s crest feathers can tell you its mood. Straight-up crest can mean the bird is startled or curious. A defensive cockatiel will hold its crest feathers flattened close its head, and it might be especially stressed if it also hisses. A calm cockatiel will have slightly held back crest, as well as fluffed cheek feathers and you might also hear him contently grinding his beak.


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TOYS designed to be destroyed by little beaks are perfect for cockatiels. Give them pieces of paper, cardboard, soft woods or non-toxic rawhide to chew up. Cockatiels also like toys with hard-plastic elements, such as beads to fiddle with. Male cockatiels often seek out mirrors and other reflective items to sing to. A tiel might be inclined to fly down from its cage or playpen onto the floor, so be extra CAUTIOUS whenever your bird is out of the cage so you don’t step on it and that other pets, such as cats or dogs, cannot get to it. A female tiel might seek out a dark, enclosed area to nest in, such the corner of a cabinet or behind furniture (even if there is no male present), so keep these areas off limits to your bird for safety's sake.



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A cockatiel needs a cage spacious enough to accommodate multiple perches, toys, food bowls and have plenty of room to flap its wings without hitting them against anything.  A cage with a large door front is ideal because it makes it easier to return a cockatiel to its cage, especially since 'tiels can be flighty birds. Cockatiels are natural ground foragers and will scramble about on the bottoms of the cages if given opportunity; cover the cage floor with paper and sprinkle crumbled treats or millet seed for your bird to find. Cockatiels are social birds and thrive when given opportunities to interact with you, whether it is gently petting their cheek feathers, being talked to or just simply being in the same room as you.







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Hand-fed, well-socialized 'tiels can form very strong bonds with their human companions. Otherwise quiet birds, they will frequently make contact calls with their owners, calls that sometimes can become quite loud if their person is out of sight. If your bird calls to you, answering him back will generally keep the noise to a minimum. Tiels' popularity as pets is in part because of their calm temperament, to the point that they can even be bullied by smaller but more confident birds such as budgies and lovebirds. Great CARE and supervision should be provided when mixing cockatiels with other birds. It is not uncommon at all for a larger or smaller bird to maim the cockatiel, potentially creating life-threatening injuries.


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Taming is best done at a young age. Some birds exhibit Night Frights. In this syndrome, the bird will suddenly start thrashing in the middle of the night. Of unknown cause, it can often be controlled by covering the cage at night (also a good practice to encourage the 12/12 daylight to darkness schedule they require for optimum health). Avoid trafficking the area around the cage while your birdy is sleeping as much as possible. <3


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Commercial foods available for cockatiels include formulated diets, either pelleted or extruded seed-only diets, and small parrot mixes which offer a mixture of both.  Cockatiels should be offered fresh fruits and vegetables daily for optimum health. A well-cared-for cockatiel with a healthy varied diet can live for well past 20 years.

Safe Fruits and Vegatables for BirdsSafe Fruits and Vegetables for Birds
Safe Fruits
Apple
Apricot
Banana
Blackberry
Blackcurrant
Blood orange
Blueberry
Cantaloupe melon
Cherry
Cranberry
Dried dates
Figs (fresh)
Gooseberries
Grape
Guava
Honeydew melon
Kiwifruit
Lychee (Litchi)
Mandarin
Mango
Melon
Nectarine
Orange
Papaya
Peach
Pear
Pineapple
Plum
Pomegranate
Quince
Raspberry
Red Currants
Strawberry
Tangerine
Yellow Plum
Make sure that all apple, orange and other seeds are removed before letting your birds eat the fresh foods. And make sure you wash all fruits and vegetable thoroughly. It's always best to go organic for your parrots to stay away from pesticides.
Healthy and Safe Vegetables for Birds
Artichoke
Beans, cooked only
Bell Peppers
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Carrot
Cauliflower
Celery stalks
Chinese Cabbage
Corn (milky & soft)
Cucumber
Eggplant (fruit only)
Endive
Fennel
Green Beans
Hot Peppers
Kale
Lettuce
Peas
Potato (cooked)
Pumpkin (and seeds)
Radish Red Beet (fresh)
Radicchio
Rom

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To sum up:
Cockatiels are far less demanding than the larger parrot species, are relatively easy to take care of, and if well socialized, make very loving and amusing feathered friends. A healthy, well-socialized cockatiel can make a great family pet and is also ideal for apartment living.

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Cockatiel Groups on DA:


Is a cockatiel right for you? www.beautyofbirds.com/cockatie…

Cockatiel species info: www.peteducation.com/article.c…

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Source material for this feature from lafeber.com/pet-birds/species/…



This double-sized feature dedicated to the cuteness of Cockatiels was suggested by thank you Kageh for the inspiration, and also BIG thank-yous to all the members who contributed their bird pics and art to the group! Give your 'tiels a kiss and some millet from us tonight ^_^ xoxo


In the comments, tell us about your cockatiels! Male or female? What color? How old?