Cockatiel Hardiness

[vachick15]

I would like to know how hardy cockatiels are? I've lost three budgies, the first was a tragic accident (we think he fell off his perch), the second was probably fireplace fumes (some website said it was bad for birds) they both lived no longer then 3 months and the third, who lived 5 months, would probably have lived longer if we had been more careful not to let him near the dog's water (he didn't drown, he drank it).

I'll be extremely careful with the tiel. But, each parakeet was from the pet store. Could this be part of the problem? Either way, I'd buy the cockatiel from a breeder. But, back to my question, how hardy are teils? Not cold hardy, but how tough/healthy. Like the second parakeet, how would they do with fireplace fumes? And just to be safe, we have a sunroom that the tiel could go in with a far corner away from the fireplace. The family room is where we all are most of the time, and it's where I'd prefer the tiel to be, but it's where the fireplace is. So that's a no.

I also read somewhere that cockatiels get stressed out by dog barking. Does anyone know if that's true? I have two big dogs, one only barks if the first one does. But they can be loud.

But anyway, your help is appreciated! And if anyone knows any reputable breeders (I live near Fredericksburg, VA) that would be really helpful.

Thanks for your help!!!​

 

[Pyxis]

My first question would be have you done your research? If you didn't know that fireplace smoke and fumes kill parrots my thought would be you need to do more research as this is a basic fact all parrot owners know (don't mean to sound harsh here, just trying to convey that more research seems to be in order).

Are they hardy? Well, not like a chicken is. They are susceptible to drafts, so if your sun room is cold or drafty or not a stable temperature that is a no go. They get night frights if left alone in the dark with no nightlight and can break a blood feather in the resulting panic and bleed out. They are killed by fumes, like almost all parrots. This includes scented candles, cooking with non stick pans like teflon, air freshers, self cleaning ovens, and yes, fireplaces.

They have specific diet requirements, like all parrots do, and you need to feed them correctly unless you want them to die. They shouldn't be on a seed diet, they need to eat pellets. They should be getting fresh veggies every day. Seeds and millet spray need to be a treat only and make up only a small percent of their diet.

They need regular access to bathing water or misting to keep their feathers in top shape. Fresh water has to be given daily.

They need a cage that is at minimum 24" long by 18" wide by 24" high, and that is the bare minimum. Larger is better. They need a lot of varied size perches and different perch materials to keep their feet and nails healthy.

They need toys to keep them entertained because there is no way you're going to be able to be with it 24/7 to give it stimulation and entertainment unless you work from home and never leave the house. At least three toys at a time and they will need to be rotated out frequently so it doesn't get bored of them. These are not cheap, especially if you want one that's going to last. You also need to vet them all to make sure they are actually bird safe as a lot of companies really don't care.

They need attention. They are basically mini cockatoos, which are known as Velcro birds. It will need to be around you or someone else at all possible times. You will need to provide at least one hour of out of cage time each day for intensive one on one time, and more is always better. If you don't provide the attention it will need it can and likely will develop behavioral issues like screaming constantly, feather plucking, and maybe even biting you when you do go to interact with it.

Excessive noise like a dog constantly barking would stress any parrot, cockatiels included.

Even with perfect care, sometimes they just get sick. Then they have to go to a vet. Do you have an avian vet? Cockatiels are classed as an exotic pet and their vet care is more expensive because of that. Can you afford the $50 price tag just to walk in the door of a vet clinic with it? It'll need yearly checkups just like a dog or cat and they're all going to cost that much. If it actually gets sick, your wallet is going to be hurting.

Do these all sound like things you can handle? If not, a cockatiel or any parrot, budgies included, are not for you, as they all require care similar to this. Cockatiels make very rewarding pets and can live 20 years or more with proper care but a lot of people are not able to provide what they need.

 

[Ravynscroft]

X2 Everything that Pyxis said... any type of psittacine will be much more susceptible than chickens to respiratory or health issues... and need a lot more interacion and attention... please don't take this type of responsibility lightly...

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Ive had tiels i have budgies now and there getting up there in age...if you couldnt keep budgies alive longer then a few months id def not get a tiel

 

[Cmtmmdrh]

My first question would be have you done your research? If you didn't know that fireplace smoke and fumes kill parrots my thought would be you need to do more research as this is a basic fact all parrot owners know (don't mean to sound harsh here, just trying to convey that more research seems to be in order).

Are they hardy? Well, not like a chicken is. They are susceptible to drafts, so if your sun room is cold or drafty or not a stable temperature that is a no go. They get night frights if left alone in the dark with no nightlight and can break a blood feather in the resulting panic and bleed out. They are killed by fumes, like almost all parrots. This includes scented candles, cooking with non stick pans like teflon, air freshers, self cleaning ovens, and yes, fireplaces.

They have specific diet requirements, like all parrots do, and you need to feed them correctly unless you want them to die. They shouldn't be on a seed diet, they need to eat pellets. They should be getting fresh veggies every day. Seeds and millet spray need to be a treat only and make up only a small percent of their diet.

They need regular access to bathing water or misting to keep their feathers in top shape. Fresh water has to be given daily.

They need a cage that is at minimum 24" long by 18" wide by 24" high, and that is the bare minimum. Larger is better. They need a lot of varied size perches and different perch materials to keep their feet and nails healthy.

They need toys to keep them entertained because there is no way you're going to be able to be with it 24/7 to give it stimulation and entertainment unless you work from home and never leave the house. At least three toys at a time and they will need to be rotated out frequently so it doesn't get bored of them. These are not cheap, especially if you want one that's going to last. You also need to vet them all to make sure they are actually bird safe as a lot of companies really don't care.

They need attention. They are basically mini cockatoos, which are known as Velcro birds. It will need to be around you or someone else at all possible times. You will need to provide at least one hour of out of cage time each day for intensive one on one time, and more is always better. If you don't provide the attention it will need it can and likely will develop behavioral issues like screaming constantly, feather plucking, and maybe even biting you when you do go to interact with it.

Excessive noise like a dog constantly barking would stress any parrot, cockatiels included.

Even with perfect care, sometimes they just get sick. Then they have to go to a vet. Do you have an avian vet? Cockatiels are classed as an exotic pet and their vet care is more expensive because of that. Can you afford the $50 price tag just to walk in the door of a vet clinic with it? It'll need yearly checkups just like a dog or cat and they're all going to cost that much. If it actually gets sick, your wallet is going to be hurting.

Do these all sound like things you can handle? If not, a cockatiel or any parrot, budgies included, are not for you, as they all require care similar to this. Cockatiels make very rewarding pets and can live 20 years or more with proper care but a lot of people are not able to provide what they need.

I've done zero of what you said, I cook around my tiel, smoke weed with it, give him a seed only diet and 3-4 hours of attention throughout the day. He's only been to the vet twice, once for a concussion, once for a check up. My tiel is 16 years old now, and he's as happy as can be. What you say matters and is good advice but It really depends on the cockatiel, they are very tough birbs.

 

[Pyxis]

I've done zero of what you said, I cook around my tiel, smoke weed with it, give him a seed only diet and 3-4 hours of attention throughout the day. He's only been to the vet twice, once for a concussion, once for a check up. My tiel is 16 years old now, and he's as happy as can be. What you say matters and is good advice but It really depends on the cockatiel, they are very tough birbs.

You've gotten lucky, then.

Birds have such an efficient respiratory system that secondhand smoke is absolutely terrible for them. Not to mention it can cause feather issues because of the residue it leaves behind. Ever seen a room that's been smoked in a lot have yellowed walls? That same residue will settle on everything, including the bird.

https://birdtricksstore.com/blogs/birdtricks-blog/smoking-around-your-birds

As far as cooking near birds, fumes from Teflon pans kill parrots all the time:

https://www.beautyofbirds.com/teflon.htm

And accidents can always happen when cooking. Recently in one of my cockatiel groups online someone had their bird fly in from another room and right into a pot of boiling water. They could land on a hot stove, get scalded by steam, etc. There's just so many things that could go wrong that it's not worth it.

Seed only diets cause fatty liver disease. It may take years to show up, but eventually it will catch up with the bird. My first cockatiel was a rescue I took in from a home that fed him a seed only diet. He was 12 at the time. He had fatty liver disease. Even with getting him switched over to pellets, I still lost him to it within a year. In addition, a seed-only diet can cause heart disease and even diabetes in birds.

https://www.animalhouseofchicago.com/news/birds-fatty-liver

Birds that don't get enough attention can start to develop emotional issues, and start self-harming, like by plucking out all their own feathers.

https://parrotfunhouse.com/blogs/pa...g/my-parrot-is-feather-plucking-what-can-i-do

So it's good that you haven't had any issues (yet) with your 'tiel. But that doesn't mean any of those things are okay to encourage an owner of a parrot to do.