Cockatiel and not being by the Kitchen

[Annalyse]

I want to get a cockatiel (idk if I will) but I've been researching them and well they cant be by the kitchen because there sensitive to smells. My bedroom is by the Kitchen and well the kitchen is in the middle of the house so anytime we make food (were not good at cooking) the smells can be all over the house. I mean if I shut my door I dint think any smells can get in. What do you think or has anyone had experience?

 

[JaeG]

Our house is open plan with the kitchen in the centre. Our cockatiels aren't that far from it but they are fine. The danger is non-stick/teflon cookware so finding cookware that doesn't have that sort of coating on them makes life a little less worrisome. Oven cleaners are another danger to birds so using baking soda and vinegar to clean your oven as opposed to the nasty chemical ones is also a good thing to do to keep your birds safe.

If you shut your bedroom door if those sorts of cookware were being used and left your window open for ventilation they should be just fine too.

Cockatiels are a very loving, rewarding bird to keep and they need time out of their cage every day to spend with you (though the odd day can be skipped - life is busy). They can live up to 20-30 years so they are a long-term commitment, and one bird often leads to another, and another, and another.

 

[Annalyse]

Our house is open plan with the kitchen in the centre. Our cockatiels aren't that far from it but they are fine. The danger is non-stick/teflon cookware so finding cookware that doesn't have that sort of coating on them makes life a little less worrisome. Oven cleaners are another danger to birds so using baking soda and vinegar to clean your oven as opposed to the nasty chemical ones is also a good thing to do to keep your birds safe.

If you shut your bedroom door if those sorts of cookware were being used and left your window open for ventilation they should be just fine too.

Cockatiels are a very loving, rewarding bird to keep and they need time out of their cage every day to spend with you (though the odd day can be skipped - life is busy). They can live up to 20-30 years so they are a long-term commitment, and one bird often leads to another, and another, and another.

Okay thank you. I've been researching them because I love birds and I've always wanted a parrot. My only worry was the kitchen problem. I wont get one right away but probably when I'm older and can afford it. And yes I know the commitment, I have chickens as well. I do have 2 windows in my room and can keep them open a little bit during the day.

 

[KingD]

Cockatiels are great birds to have around the place. A friend of mine breeds them, so I've been around cockatiels for quite some time. What I would say is that they're not really an indoor bird(unless the weather is below 0°c). They're not small and they really need enough space to fly around. Some people dedicate a whole room in their house just for the bird! Another thing to bear in mind is that they are loud! Especially if you have more than one. If you want a smaller bird that's easy to care for and really friendly I would suggest a budgie. They can live in small cages.

 

[Annalyse]

Cockatiels are great birds to have around the place. A friend of mine breeds them, so I've been around cockatiels for quite some time. What I would say is that they're not really an indoor bird(unless the weather is below 0°c). They're not small and they really need enough space to fly around. Some people dedicate a whole room in their house just for the bird! Another thing to bear in mind is that they are loud! Especially if you have more than one. If you want a smaller bird that's easy to care for and really friendly I would suggest a budgie. They can live in small cages.

Yes that's what I was thinking. Since I'm a beginner I may start out with a parakeet and then as I get older I may go into cockatiels. My friend has 3 or 4 I forget but she has some left over cages.

 

[Annalyse]

So it says I should get two parakeets since i would be in school most of the day. Do you think two would be okay for a beginner? Also I've heard bad things about petsmart and I know that place has parakeets but I was thinking getting young ones? Idk cause petsmart treats some of there animals badly so most birds there are "aggresive".

 

[KingD]

So it says I should get two parakeets since i would be in school most of the day. Do you think two would be okay for a beginner? Also I've heard bad things about petsmart and I know that place has parakeets but I was thinking getting young ones? Idk cause petsmart treats some of there animals badly so most birds there are "aggresive".

By saying 'parakeet' what do you mean?
There's a lot of different types of parakeet.

 

[KingD]

If it's a budgie your on about then yes I would recommend getting 2 of them if your going to be out the house a lot. They are very sociable birds and should always if possible be with another budgie. Again they are very loud birds which can get very annoying at times especially when they're having a good old conversation with each other as the sun rises .
A lot of people leave the cage door open so that they can fly around the room.
They are easy birds to tame and with a bit of time spent with them you'll soon have them sitting on your hand. It's always harder to train/tame them when there's 2 of them though.
If you do decide to get just one then I'd suggest putting a small mirror in the cage just to give him/her something to talk to and play with.
I trust you found this helpful. If you need any more information about anything just let me know. There was another recent thread about budgies. Might be worth having a look.
Thanks!

 

[Annalyse]

If it's a budgie your on about then yes I would recommend getting 2 of them if your going to be out the house a lot. They are very sociable birds and should always if possible be with another budgie. Again they are very loud birds which can get very annoying at times especially when they're having a good old conversation with each other as the sun rises .
A lot of people leave the cage door open so that they can fly around the room.
They are easy birds to tame and with a bit of time spent with them you'll soon have them sitting on your hand. It's always harder to train/tame them when there's 2 of them though.
If you do decide to get just one then I'd suggest putting a small mirror in the cage just to give him/her something to talk to and play with.
I trust you found this helpful. If you need any more information about anything just let me know. There was another recent thread about budgies. Might be worth having a look.
Thanks!

Thank you!!. Yes I wake up early plus have the blinds down in my room so I dont think birds will be a problem hopefully lol. I used to have hamsters who's wheels were very squeaky and at night is when they decided to do a 5k and well I'm a heavy sleeper so. I am going to be training my self with the perfume I put on in the morning. I am making a binder on there care right now lol. Were I'm placing them is by a mirror but If i got one i heard that it may start to like its reflection more than its owner so that's were I found getting 2 is better. As a beginner with 2 I am I bit more nervous now but I'm sure once I get them it wont be as rough as I think it would. Should I find a breeder or local pet store? Female and male together or male and male together? How much would they cost in total with cage, food, and accessories? Will a fan on at night be a harm to them? What about a night light? Sorry theres so many questions.

 

[Annalyse]

By saying 'parakeet' what do you mean?
There's a lot of different types of parakeet.

Budgies and parakeets are the same thing but the ones I'm talking about are the ones pet stores would normally have like idk blue, green and purple those ones I would say.