Welcome to my pond - Swim, wade, or sit on the bank

[Pyxis]

The pet talk reminds me... During one of my absences, Faith decided that she'd like a cockatiel once we've moved and are settled (she did do some research, so the species isn't a totally random choice). Anyone here know anything about cockatiels?

Cockatiels are great. Honestly probably my favorite small parrot (don't tell Fizz I said that, he's awesome in other ways). They're very snuggly very friendly birds. They do need a lot of human interaction or a friend, and they're pretty dusty so not a good choice for people who have breathing issues.

 

[Pyxis]

Well, I just had a combo good hatch and bad hatch. Eggs from one source did really well, will get pictures tomorrow.

Eggs from another source, well...my local chicken friend bought them, a variety of breeds, 44 eggs. She didn't have enough incubator space so she gave me some. She's new to hatching too so I've been helping her out. These were shipped so some loss was expected.

However, the seller sent some porous eggs, and one egg was actually covered in gunk that looked like egg yolk and no eggs had broken in the box so he shipped it like that.

Out of 44 eggs, we got a total of five chicks to hatch between us. Her three, and me two. And of my two, a barred rock hatched, looked weak, and then died. And one other egg made it to lockdown but didn't hatch and upon eggtopsy I found it had a severe crossbeak.

And the one I have that did make it is supposed to be an isabella orpington. But it's completely yellow.

 

[AmyPaperlady]

I do.... they need human interaction and or a buddy. Mom raised em. adopted a poor fellow from the neighbors.... Had been left in his cage with a cover over it most of his lifre. He had pulled all his feathers out out of boredom. To the point they would never come back... but he was sweet and thrived on attention. I think he was around twenty when mom got him so he passed soon after.

deb

Cockatiels are great. Honestly probably my favorite small parrot (don't tell Fizz I said that, he's awesome in other ways). They're very snuggly very friendly birds. They do need a lot of human interaction or a friend, and they're pretty dusty so not a good choice for people who have breathing issues.

Pretty much what she found (don't know if she found the info on how dusty they are--no breathing issues in this household, though, since you don't need timothy for them) Realistically, it'd probably be 6 months to a year before we even start looking, if we do.

 

[Alaskan]

The pet talk reminds me... During one of my absences, Faith decided that she'd like a cockatiel once we've moved and are settled (she did do some research, so the species isn't a totally random choice). Anyone here know anything about cockatiels?

Cockatiels are great. Honestly probably my favorite small parrot (don't tell Fizz I said that, he's awesome in other ways). They're very snuggly very friendly birds. They do need a lot of human interaction or a friend, and they're pretty dusty so not a good choice for people who have breathing issues.

I agree. To all of that. they are super sweet, easy to train, best small parrot by far. No way will they talk.. the boys can learn whistles pretty easily, but the girls only a tiny bit.

However, their personality is really great.

I do.... they need human interaction and or a buddy. Mom raised em. adopted a poor fellow from the neighbors.... Had been left in his cage with a cover over it most of his lifre. He had pulled all his feathers out out of boredom. To the point they would never come back... but he was sweet and thrived on attention. I think he was around twenty when mom got him so he passed soon after.

deb

Are you sure that wasn't a Cockatoo? Cockatiels don't usually have feather picking problems. It is one of the reasons they are so great. They are as smart and snuggly as you can get without neurotic issues/tendencies. It sure is hard to get them to eat pellets though. -sigh- Way more difficult than other parrot species that I have owned.

Try to get one that was weaned onto pellets. The life expectancy will be so much higher if you can get good food into them. Hard to find though....

 

[Pyxis]

I agree. To all of that. they are super sweet, easy to train, best small parrot by far. No way will they talk.. the boys can learn whistles pretty easily, but the girls only a tiny bit.

However, their personality is really great.

Are you sure that wasn't a Cockatoo? Cockatiels don't usually have feather picking problems. It is one of the reasons they are so great. They are as smart and snuggly as you can get without neurotic issues/tendencies. It sure is hard to get them to eat pellets though. -sigh- Way more difficult than other parrot species that I have owned.

Try to get one that was weaned onto pellets. The life expectancy will be so much higher if you can get good food into them. Hard to find though....

Yes, I loved my two boys. Fizz is great in different ways - he's an excellent talker, he's smarter, he's super personable, we have a great bond, but cockatiels are just so sweet and easy. My younger male that I got as a baby learned to talk well and whistled up a storm.

I actually converted my first cockatiel, a male I rescued, onto pellets after at least 15 years of eating a seed diet. That took some doing. Luckily Shika was weaned right onto pellets so that was nice.

 

[WVduckchick]

Thinking about that rabbit I had as a kid. . omg the poor thing. It probably hated me
I used to put it on a leash and collar drag it around. Until one day it got spooked by something and wrapped around a tree and nearly strangled. A rabbit in distress has got to be one of the most horrifying sounds on earth.
And being a child. . I didn't even know they could make noise so talk about frightening.
I carried it home crying cause somehow I still thought it was going to die. It was fine. .but that was the end of the leash and collar.
I told my grandpa about it and one day he brought me an old shopping cart from the grocery store where my grandma worked.
I had no clue why I would want that silly thing until my dad fitted it with hardware cloth and made it where I could take my bunny for walks again
Dear God. . no wonder I never had any friends

omg that is hilarious!
we only had one-at-a-time pets. Dogs first, then my mom changed to cats.

Well, I just had a combo good hatch and bad hatch. Eggs from one source did really well, will get pictures tomorrow.

Eggs from another source, well...my local chicken friend bought them, a variety of breeds, 44 eggs. She didn't have enough incubator space so she gave me some. She's new to hatching too so I've been helping her out. These were shipped so some loss was expected.

However, the seller sent some porous eggs, and one egg was actually covered in gunk that looked like egg yolk and no eggs had broken in the box so he shipped it like that.

Out of 44 eggs, we got a total of five chicks to hatch between us. Her three, and me two. And of my two, a barred rock hatched, looked weak, and then died. And one other egg made it to lockdown but didn't hatch and upon eggtopsy I found it had a severe crossbeak.

And the one I have that did make it is supposed to be an isabella orpington. But it's completely yellow.

That's pretty sucky. What were the good ones?

I agree. To all of that. they are super sweet, easy to train, best small parrot by far. No way will they talk.. the boys can learn whistles pretty easily, but the girls only a tiny bit.

However, their personality is really great.

Are you sure that wasn't a Cockatoo? Cockatiels don't usually have feather picking problems. It is one of the reasons they are so great. They are as smart and snuggly as you can get without neurotic issues/tendencies. It sure is hard to get them to eat pellets though. -sigh- Way more difficult than other parrot species that I have owned.

Try to get one that was weaned onto pellets. The life expectancy will be so much higher if you can get good food into them. Hard to find though....

My budgies are flying so well now. At least the boys are. The girl doesn't come out of the cage as often, so she is not practicing as much. They boys finally trust me when they fly into a different room and can't find their way back.
I tried pellets early on, and they wouldn't eat them. I just stuck to the seeds. I should try changing them over again. I forgot pellets were better for them.

 

[kwhites634]

omg that is hilarious!
we only had one-at-a-time pets. Dogs first, then my mom changed to cats.




That's pretty sucky. What were the good ones?



My budgies are flying so well now. At least the boys are. The girl doesn't come out of the cage as often, so she is not practicing as much. They boys finally trust me when they fly into a different room and can't find their way back.
I tried pellets early on, and they wouldn't eat them. I just stuck to the seeds. I should try changing them over again. I forgot pellets were better for them.

Mom's step-aunt had two. The blue male, Jackie, used to ride all over the house perched on her shoulder, 'til she forgot one day & stepped out onto the front porch to get the mail out of the box...byb bye Jackie.

 

[WVduckchick]

Only you guys will appreciate my new "plant"

 

[sourland]

Only you guys will appreciate my new "plant"
View attachment 1427671

Umm, nice ?

Good morning, Pond.

 

[WVduckchick]

Umm, nice ?

Good morning, Pond.

I think I over watered it.