First cocktail hand fed baby learning ahead of time

[Ravenlover]

I know this is a bit late, but have 3 cockatiels (2 girls and a boy), I got them when they were about 5-6wks old and had to hand feed them daily. It's not as hard as some say- I had no prior experience and I was on a 1 month trip across 11 states. (Imagine hand feeding at truck stops & the "feed me I'm hungry" scream at 4am in a hotel)

I understand wanting the attachment/clingy baby; I'm the same way with my pets. As for the screaming... doesn't seem to go away, even with multiple. My 3 were raised together by the breeder, and then by myself, but for the most part they ignore one another even when they're in the same cage. I will say though, when the girls cross paths, they DO NOT like each other. But every bird/situation is different.

The breeder you mentioned sounds legit; prices tend to vary from breeder to breeder, some will ask $340 for a lutino while others will ask $180 (the price of one of mine.) What I looked for when I got mine was someone who actually cared for the birds and wasn't breeding/pumping out babies factory style... all my pets except for my tiels are rescues, so I wouldn't accept anything less

I wish you the best with your baby. They're amazing pets.
(They also seem to get along fairly well with button quail- I have 5 rescue roos as well)

Thats funny since i have buttons ty for this info the first hatched last Tuesday so 7-8 weeks and I'll be avle to pick the female from a few she said since she has more laying this year then last year, but do you happen to knoe if they need shots from the vet ?? Might sound like a dumb question but some times animals do and as I said I havnt owned one before, my button quail dont need any shots lol

 

[Ravenlover]

Omg they are so cute 10 and 12 day olds taken 13-14 days should be ready by the 3rd or 10th of may ❤

 

[CloneFly]

Omg they are so cute 10 and 12 day olds taken 13-14 days should be ready by the 3rd or 10th of may ❤

Awwww! So precious! No, I don't believe they need shots. My cockatiels never did. I DO however, give them Colloidal Silver (250-500ppm) which boosts the immune system. It's safe for humans, dogs, cats and birds alike. You can either buy it online or at a Sprouts... It's actually what has helped turn around some of my sick rescues. I would suggest about 0.5CC mixed with a teaapoon of water for the first few days you have them. Once they hit 4months you can give them 1CC straight. It'll help keep them healthy, prevent them from catching anything from any other birds you may have and will help them fihht off any illness they could catch in the future. I would also suggest giving some to your button quail before bringing the baby home. I hope this helps!

 

[Ravenlover]

Cage came yesterday late putting that together after work today, does it matter what kind of cage cover I use ? I'm looking at amazon and the 30-40$ ones had my eye but today I'm seeing some for 20 (I think prime sale)

 

[CloneFly]

Cage came yesterday late putting that together after work today, does it matter what kind of cage cover I use ? I'm looking at amazon and the 30-40$ ones had my eye but today I'm seeing some for 20 (I think prime sale)

I've always just used a nice, thick blanket. Just tuck the ends between the barring and it prevents any shadows from peeking through! Just a heads up; a cage cover won't completely prevent 'night frights', so you will have to be prepared for those. If I hear the birds freaking out at night, I usually wake up, take them out & hold them close until they calm down... otherwise, they could be freaking out for 5min+ and easily break multiple blood feathers. Also, just a personal experience, but when you bring the 'tiel home, since it's still quite young, you will likely have to deal with night frights for the first few weeks. Keep us updated and good luck!!

 

[RiverOtter]

Get two, this species of bird doesn't become less tame with two if both are gotten as tame babies and you will be spared the screaming that comes with one bird whenever you leave its sight. I always kept them in pairs.

I'm going to advocate to absolutely not start with 2. Screaming/other issues/loneliness is not guaranteed with a single bird. But not being able to give each baby enough individual attention IS, (possibly leading to such problems)along with much greater risk of an owner being overwhelmed. If you're getting a handfed baby, get one.

Further, and I can't stress this enough, Do Not Get Your Pet a Pet.
IF (see the big if??) your bird needs more than human companionship, deal with that then, and be ready to re-home Birdie#2 at the drop of a hat.
Why?
People often use an example "Well, what if you were the only human in an alien home, wouldn't you want another human?? After all, people are social."
Ok, let's roll with that. Think of everyone you know, give them a number, roll a die and THAT'S who you get locked in a room with, forever. And listen, maybe it works out. Maybe you end up BFFs. Maybe it's even True Love. Maybe you just cope with each other in a friendly manner, college roomie style, that's not so bad.
... or maybe you get to spend the rest of your life trying to avoid some handsy, foul-breathed troglodyte who farts in his sleep all night, or trying not to trigger some pretty little psycho with anger issues.

"Get the older one a baby..."
You're in your mid-50s. You have a routine and regular downtime. Cool alien friend you hang with ... and suddenly, there's a 6 year old bouncing around the place. Ok, they can make their own pb&j and mostly don't wet the bed, but they're hardly grown. And maybe that's cool! Maybe you love kids, maybe you always wanted to be a mentor or parent and now you always have your own little angel to cherish!
Or maybe you didn't. But there's still this runny-nosed 6yo everywhere at once, and why do they always smell faintly of sour milk? They don't even get milk. And how are their fingers always sticky? And as soon as you try to instill some manners in Dennis the Menace or point out it's bedtime, suddenly, you're the bad guy.

"If you get two siblings/babies at once..."
There's this old movie, Blue Lagoon, with Brooke Shields, just watch it. I mean, it's true they don't fight much...

Get a second pet if YOU want a pet, and be prepared to make it as easy as possible on your current pet, which means possibly keeping them separate. And if you feel that your pet is unhappy without same-species companionship (cats, guinea pigs, goats and small birds you don't handle, you should get 2, but everything else, evaluate. And even those have exceptions) then go ahead and find them a friend, but understand that a friend is not the same as "random member of the same species", but an individual they get along with - which means possibly not the first one you bring home, and you need to be prepared for either rehoming, or now having TWO pets that now EACH need a companion.

 

[CloneFly]

I agree. Every cockatiel is different. My original 3 tolerate each other (the girls, barely) and with my 4th (a recent rescue) he doesn't seem to like company. Having multiple will not make them less tame though, unless you don't interact with them... which is something VERY important. Cockatiels NEED at least 1hr of hands on interaction and if you want them to talk/sing, even more so. I luckily was able to juggle the 3 I have and give them all attention while they were growing up, but as of late I've been quite busy with school, chickens and work so I haven't had as much time with them as I'd like and it does pull on the guilt strings

As @RiverOtter said, if you want multiple, then go ahead. Honestly, it would be better to get 2 that were reared together now then add stranger into the mix later.

 

[Ravenlover]

Lol I'm getting one no matter what who says its a female and I have plenty of time and when I'm at work (only have to be on property for 4 hours at work) my fiancee is at home to help also ty @CloneFly I just saw ur post about night fright s I will definitely take them out and cuddle them to calm them down I plan to have the cage next to my side of the bed and its on wheels so i can move if need be i have more stuff that came yesterday so I have to set it up more but here is a pic (in pic i only just put it together and put the long perches it came with and water/food dishes it came with) just got 2 half flat apple wood perches one side is cut and smoothed the other is the bark like normal 100 plastic color chains and 30 of those wood balls they csn destroy and a rubber ball on a bell open bell not closed plan to buy her food today and other things btw which food is better these are the two the breeder says they use

https://www.amazon.com/Volkman-Avia...hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584276296793395&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/F-M-Browns-Encore-Cockatiel-5-Pound/dp/B000HHODIQ


Ps I will be posting updated cage pictures today and the 3rd&4th pic is to show how big it is from the amazon pics

 

[Ravenlover]

I'm going to advocate to absolutely not start with 2. Screaming/other issues/loneliness is not guaranteed with a single bird. But not being able to give each baby enough individual attention IS, (possibly leading to such problems)along with much greater risk of an owner being overwhelmed. If you're getting a handfed baby, get one.

Further, and I can't stress this enough, Do Not Get Your Pet a Pet.
IF (see the big if??) your bird needs more than human companionship, deal with that then, and be ready to re-home Birdie#2 at the drop of a hat.
Why?
People often use an example "Well, what if you were the only human in an alien home, wouldn't you want another human?? After all, people are social."
Ok, let's roll with that. Think of everyone you know, give them a number, roll a die and THAT'S who you get locked in a room with, forever. And listen, maybe it works out. Maybe you end up BFFs. Maybe it's even True Love. Maybe you just cope with each other in a friendly manner, college roomie style, that's not so bad.
... or maybe you get to spend the rest of your life trying to avoid some handsy, foul-breathed troglodyte who farts in his sleep all night, or trying not to trigger some pretty little psycho with anger issues.

"Get the older one a baby..."
You're in your mid-50s. You have a routine and regular downtime. Cool alien friend you hang with ... and suddenly, there's a 6 year old bouncing around the place. Ok, they can make their own pb&j and mostly don't wet the bed, but they're hardly grown. And maybe that's cool! Maybe you love kids, maybe you always wanted to be a mentor or parent and now you always have your own little angel to cherish!
Or maybe you didn't. But there's still this runny-nosed 6yo everywhere at once, and why do they always smell faintly of sour milk? They don't even get milk. And how are their fingers always sticky? And as soon as you try to instill some manners in Dennis the Menace or point out it's bedtime, suddenly, you're the bad guy.

"If you get two siblings/babies at once..."
There's this old movie, Blue Lagoon, with Brooke Shields, just watch it. I mean, it's true they don't fight much...

Get a second pet if YOU want a pet, and be prepared to make it as easy as possible on your current pet, which means possibly keeping them separate. And if you feel that your pet is unhappy without same-species companionship (cats, guinea pigs, goats and small birds you don't handle, you should get 2, but everything else, evaluate. And even those have exceptions) then go ahead and find them a friend, but understand that a friend is not the same as "random member of the same species", but an individual they get along with - which means possibly not the first one you bring home, and you need to be prepared for either rehoming, or now having TWO pets that now EACH need a companion.

Ty for the good info but no no more parrot variety untill she is gone in her old age which can be well read this person cockatiel is 30 and happy still so 20-30 years lol then and only then (hopefully retired) will i be buying a new bird probably a pricy African grey with red tail by then just a grumpy old man and his parrot relaxing

 

[Ravenlover]

Are pearl pricyer? Then the standard thats 150 I assume so but like what do people charge for a pearl? I dont care what color I get but I like those little yellow stripes on the pearl females adorable