Tips for beginner Cockatiel owners.

[Egg-Cellent Eggs]

Hi, I'm going to be getting 2 Cockatiels. I have done A LOT of research, but I still need some tips!
Also, what way is possible to tell the gender of your Cockatiels.

Please tell me your Cockatiel Life hacks, care tips, and more stuff!!

 

[Pyxis]

Congrats on your new additions! Are these babies from a breeder or older rescues/rehomes?

Some colors are dimorphic and you can tell the gender by appearance, but others are not, so you'd need to get DNA testing done to tell if yours are any of those colors.

My tips would be to get the biggest cage you can afford/have the space for, since bigger is always better. If they're not already on a pellet diet and you're planning to convert them and aren't sure what pellets they will like, you can contact the pellet companies and some will send you samples. I know for sure Harrison's and Roudybush will send samples if you email them and ask.

Let them have a day or two of no interaction with you to settle into their new home. If these guys aren't hand-tamed yet, go slow and don't force it.

 

[Quailobsessed]

If they are babies you won't be able to tell their gender until they are at least 4-6 months old unless you get them DNA tested.

Are you planning on keeping them in the same cage? If they are together, they need a large cage (which I would recommend anyway). I keep mine in an outdoor aviary with other parrots.

I would actually interact with them as soon as you get them. They will be quite nervous at their new home and having a good first impression on them, you will be seen as the safe thing in this crazy new environment.

This video should give you an idea on what I mean. I know it's about a macaw, but it applies to other parrots too.

Parrots are known for screaming and though they're not as loud as larger parrots, their screaming will probably get annoying. To minimise this, I would try and give the cockatiels other ways of getting your attention like whistling tunes (make sure you don't mind hearing the tune all the time) so they don't have to revert to screaming.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.

 

[Quailobsessed]

I would also check out the birdtricks channel (the people who made the above video). They are amazing bird trainers and have really helpful videos.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1BpMn4ErGPo8XB3Rzltojg

 

[JaeG]

This is an excellent article about helping your new bird/s settle in:
https://pets.thenest.com/cockatiel-familiar-first-him-home-8704.html

From as early as 10 weeks old boys will chortle (quietly at first) whereas hens have a more simple chirp. Boys will strut as well, holding our the tops of their wings so that their wings look like a heart which is something hens won't ever do.

Cockatiels love greens and sprouts more than fruit, but some will eat fruit. Ours want to try anything we are eating. You can make 'chop' which is basically fruits and veges put through the food processor then you can add things like brown rice or pasta. It's a good way of giving them variety and you can make a big batch and freeze it in portions.

If they are hand reared or if you tame them down they will try and groom you, especially your fingers, but can be a little nippy (they don't understand that you don't have feathers). I just close my fingers into a fist if they are getting a bit too enthusiastic in their preening as then my fingers are too fat to nibble. Or you can drop your hand suddenly if they do bite too hard but just enough to make them lose their balance. If you wear rings they will be obsessed with chewing on them and watch necklaces and earrings too. They will enjoy preening your hair as well.

Some parrots can develop issues if you let them up on your shoulder but you shouldn't have to worry about that with cockatiels.

Enjoy your new birds and I hope you adore them as much as I adore mine.

 

[2hotchicks]

Hi, I'm going to be getting 2 Cockatiels. I have done A LOT of research, but I still need some tips!
Also, what way is possible to tell the gender of your Cockatiels.

Please tell me your Cockatiel Life hacks, care tips, and more stuff!!

Congratulations! I am the proud owner of a 20-year-old cockatiel named Clarence. My advice would also be to get the largest cage you can afford. Offer a wide variety of foods while they are young. Put your hand in their cage often & leave a little treat so they will learn your hand is a good thing.
Clarence is a cinnamon cockatiel. His crest is yellow & he has bright orange cheek spots. He whistles the Andy Griffith theme song & talks about how pretty he is. He says, "do you wanna go get bath water?" when he wants to bathe. He also laughs & says "gimme a kiss." He can be quite loud at times & sometimes screams when I'm talking on the phone (I'm supposed to be talking to him).
These birds are very intelligent & need mental stimulation so rotate their toys often & rearrange the cage periodically. Enjoy your birds!

 

[Quailobsessed]

Cockatiels love greens and sprouts more than fruit, but some will eat fruit. Ours want to try anything we are eating. You can make 'chop' which is basically fruits and veges put through the food processor then you can add things like brown rice or pasta. It's a good way of giving them variety and you can make a big batch and freeze it in portions.

I would try to limit the amount of fruit you offer however, it is easy to adopt the idea that fruit and veggies go together and are as good as each other for the bird. Vegetables are the best thing you can feed your parrot and should make up most of the diet. Fruit is better to be offered as a treat as too much can make them sick.