How long do cockatiels live?

[TwoCrows]

My cockatiels were all raised in Kaytee pellet diets. Over the years they have been offered everything under the sun to eat, including seeds. Pellets in their main dish, seeds in their treat cup. They never stopped eating their pellets over their seeds.

My lovebirds were also raised on Kaytee pellets and had offerings of seeds. However none of them even ate the seeds and chose to eat their pellets exclusively. All my birds have lived to their life expectancy or beyond. The birds I keep now are in their mid to late teens. (cockatiels)

I do agree that seeds can cause fatty liver and possibly nutritional deficiencies if they eat only one type of seed all their lives. But I also believe that having access to many types of foods is healthy for mind, spirit and body. There are things in the seeds that may not be present in processed foods and visa versa. My birds are very healthy and happy and seem to thrive on all the foods they eat.

Good health of a parrot comes from many sources other than food. How happy are they? Do they get to be part of the human flock and interact? Are they included in on breakfast, or dinner? Are they getting enough exercise? Out of the cage time? Are they mentally challenged with toys etc..? All these things, including food lead to a well rounded healthy life for a bird. No matter how long they live.

 

[Nambroth]

My cockatiels were all raised in Kaytee pellet diets. Over the years they have been offered everything under the sun to eat, including seeds. Pellets in their main dish, seeds in their treat cup. They never stopped eating their pellets over their seeds.

My lovebirds were also raised on Kaytee pellets and had offerings of seeds. However none of them even ate the seeds and chose to eat their pellets exclusively. All my birds have lived to their life expectancy or beyond. The birds I keep now are in their mid to late teens. (cockatiels)

I do agree that seeds can cause fatty liver and possibly nutritional deficiencies if they eat only one type of seed all their lives. But I also believe that having access to many types of foods is healthy for mind, spirit and body. There are things in the seeds that may not be present in processed foods and visa versa. My birds are very healthy and happy and seem to thrive on all the foods they eat.

Good health of a parrot comes from many sources other than food. How happy are they? Do they get to be part of the human flock and interact? Are they included in on breakfast, or dinner? Are they getting enough exercise? Out of the cage time? Are they mentally challenged with toys etc..? All these things, including food lead to a well rounded healthy life for a bird. No matter how long they live.

Quoted for truth, the bold is my emphasis. Great post!

 

[craftgeek]

Thank you Nambroth, your message was of great help to me, but let me explain a little. Ive had george since he was an egg almost because I purchased him from a private breeder. Before getting him I ask the vet that I take all my criters to all about this breed and he gave me lots of good lititure on raising a cockatiel and as soon as I picked him up the breeder let me know about his strange eating habiys and I tried introducing all the great nibblies that supposidly the love including millet spray and cuddle bones and gravel, well he wold have none of it. And let me just say I would never prasume that other birds would do as well with the same diet of my birds. But the message I read that led to my responnse pretty much said a bird with a diet as mine has would be ready for the shoebox. And I would not think of refering to his diet as birdy junkfood nor would I refer to it as a poor diet. Because with my situation even after seeing the vet, he just refuses and like I said I gave him lots of yummy choices from the very start. And its not as if I could force him so I have always kept up with vitamin and mineral drops in his water and thank god he allows that. Ill tell you another shocker, I have never been able to spray or wet him, Yep you guessed it, He hates it to the point he becaomes really upset and stressed and will hide in the corned of his cage for sometimes days so I fare not try that again. He also will not let me put any toys in his cage, this also makes him hide. BUt he does love watching television. So thank you again for your imput, it was greatly appreciated. Thank you!

 

[silkiechicken]

I really hope my tiel can have a long life. Cornelius will try ANYTHING at least a few times if you are eating it or she thinks you are eating it. LOL Must be lucky in that aspect as I can get her to eat a wildly diverse diet in addition to her daily staple of kaytee pellets. Some birds are totally stubborn though, just ask any of my parakeets. LOL

 

[FireTigeris]

Birds that husk their seeds don't need grit right?

Teils and most hook bills husk their seeds before eating.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Birds that husk their seeds don't need grit right?

Teils and most hook bills husk their seeds before eating.

They don't need grit Grit is actually bad for them it's suppose to be for finches since they dont Haul there seeds

 

[FireTigeris]

They don't need grit
Grit is actually bad for them it's suppose to be for finches since they dont Haul there seeds

That's what I thought but I saw people in this thread offering grit.... and of course got worried.

 

[Schumar]

My girlfriend has a cockatiel that hatched from my aviary and he is now 20 + years old. He is still going strong and she says he can tell when I talk to her on the phone and he starts the wolf/breeding whistle every time.

I used him several times for breeding and he was a good daddy. I read cockatiels live to 12-15 years usually. Most people don't know what to feed and keep them in small cages. This is a big factor.
I don't have a big aviary anymore but I still breed cockatiels. Mine are starting to do a lot of chattering cause they know spring is coming.

Jane

 

[Schumar]

I have taken in several rescue cockatiels. I don't know how old they are but they were left in homes for several weeks during the winter with no food or water or heat. I could tell by their seed cups that they had the usual cockatiel mix with sunflower seeds. I gave them seed mix with safflower seeds, roudy bush pellets and mixed veges every morning. From my other birds they learned to eat everything. the female cockatiels died just a short time ago but the male is still going strong. I have often found that colored pellets were never liked by my birds. Even the amazon parrot. But they like the Roudybush pellets. I also give fresh spinach, apple, banana, and other fresh greens whenever possible.

 

[Nambroth]

I have taken in several rescue cockatiels. I don't know how old they are but they were left in homes for several weeks during the winter with no food or water or heat. I could tell by their seed cups that they had the usual cockatiel mix with sunflower seeds. I gave them seed mix with safflower seeds, roudy bush pellets and mixed veges every morning. From my other birds they learned to eat everything. the female cockatiels died just a short time ago but the male is still going strong. I have often found that colored pellets were never liked by my birds. Even the amazon parrot. But they like the Roudybush pellets. I also give fresh spinach, apple, banana, and other fresh greens whenever possible.

Sounds like you are doing well! Thank you for taking in those poor abandoned cockatiels. How terrible it is that someone would leave them to slowly die!
It's actually good that your birds don't care for the colored pellets. There have been some studies that the artificial color added to some pellets might cause harm to parrots over time. When in doubt, leave it out, right?