Is she sick? Or is this normal?

The tiel hasn't eaten. I brought her home Wednesday afternoon.. I gave her some spray millet tonight and she ate a few seeds then chewed through the stem and it fell to the floor of the cage and now she won't touch it. The first evening, she slept. The next afternoon (yesterday) she spent about 5 minutes chirping and whistling at herself in the mirror, then went back to sleeping. Today she's whistled a couple times and went back to sleep.

Is this normal for a tiel? I am beginning to worry. I won't be able to get her in to the vet for a checkup until sometime next week.. the pet store I bought her at has a 72 hr health guarantee/return policy. She was the only tiel, the rest were Budgies. All the birds were sleeping when I was there. Maybe half were fluffed up. I thought they were just having their afternoon nap.. but now I'm worried what if they were sick? I'm prone to over worrying so I thought instead of freaking out I should ask for opinions. She also has some dry crusty/flakey stuff inside her nostrils.. is this normal? Did I buy a sick Tiel?

I've been worried about her not eating but I'm getting more and more worried. And her sleeping all day makes me very concerned that I bought a sick bird. Shouldn't she be more alert? Or is she just sleeping because she's stressed? Piper never acted that way even from the moment I brought her home; that's the only experience I have to go off of.

I'm upset. I'm worried that she hasn't eaten anything to speak of (maybe 5-10 millet seeds).
Am I worrying too much or do I have a sick bird?

I should add, she sleeps standing on both feet with her head tucked under her wing. I read that it's a sign of illness and that healthy birds sleep on one foot. Piper sleeps on one foot and doesn't normally tuck her head under her wing.. now I'm freaking out.

I've never bought an animal from a pet store. :\

Some birds sleep on both get and all of mine sleep with their heads tucked in their wing. Is she sleeping on the bottom of the cage? If so that would concern me.

No, she's on her perch. I've never seen her leave it except if I change her water or check her food. She will flit around the cage then go back to the perch as soon as I close the door.

Hopefully someone with tiel experience will pipe up soon. Hopefully it's just the new environment.

I hope so. C'mon Tiel people!

So it is pretty unusual for a tiel to sleep on both feet. At least from what I've seen. The crusty nostrils are a concern. Does she have a rattle sound? How are her droppings? Is her vent clean? Does she puff up even when she's not sleeping?

I know shes new but the fact that she doesn't even touch the millet can be concerning. My tiels all love the stuff though I don't feed it anymore. Also, has she been drinking at all?

Its hard to say what is unusual for her because she's new but my tiels do not sleep nearly as much as what you are describing. I would get her to a vet as soon as possible. Even if we are both being overly cautious it is better than catching it too late if she really is sick!

Oh and I've seen pics of her and she's so pretty! You made me go look at more tiels...I had to convince myself that I didn't need another...

I don't have much tiel experience. Check from to time from side or back of cage to see if she is actually sleeping or if an eye is open. Could she be cold? Is she clipped?

Could u try some different interactions with her...sitting, talking, quiet, play with a toy, eat so something in front of her that she can have. Can u leave door open for a stretch of time and see if she will come out.

I would call the store to discuss your concern so it is on record in case she is sick and you want hem to pay vet bill or u can't keep her at home.

No rattle sound, yes she may be cold.. I keep my house cooler during the winter and the pet shop is much warmer. I don't see any new poops since I counted them yesterday evening (there were 20 of them in about 56 hours).

And it just dawned on me that she may be terrified of my dogs. I think she's too stressed out and/or possibly sick. The only way to keep her separate from the dogs is to put her in my 2nd bedroom.. I can't keep my dogs outside or locked up.. they will destroy my house if I can't watch them (they are both Terriers, and I've even caught them chewing bricks and my siding) and I'm not going to keep them in crates all day and all night for weeks or months until the Tiel gets settled in. My dogs come first, they were here first.

I think this Tiel would be MUCH happier in a home without dogs, and probably cats. Poor dear thing. I think Tiels are too timid for my household.. at least this one is. I feel HORRIBLE. I had no idea she would be this timid and terrified. I think I'm going to take her back to the pet store so she can eat and be back in a familiar environment, and away from dogs. I feel so bad for her

Usually I would encourage a person to hang in there and work through the tough times of the first few days and weeks. But after reading your last post, it doesn't seem like it will work out too well for you to have this new birdy that requires some speical attention and perhaps being the priority amongst the pets for now. I agree with you to return her to the pet store where she seemed to be adjusted and healthily eating and warm. Will they take her back today? Even if they won't refund your money, I think it is the right thing to do, unless you have a private, experienced, loving person that will take her in forever.

sorry Quakermom, I've been busy looking after Tundra, and just saw your post.

she does sound ill, unfortunately, a cockatiel sleeping most of the day is NOT normal.
you know cockatiels, hyper, active, and they may doze occasionally.

was it that beautiful one I helped you find out what the mutation was??....maybe the store can cover some of the vets costs.....just a suggestion.

they are going to have to pay for a vet anyways.

is there anywhere else you could put your tiel, sort of out of the way of the dogs?

As for now, I would cover her up all sides except for the front.

can you post a picture??

Hopefully she is just stressed, but she does sound sick.

** Keep her as far away as possible from your quaker **

This is why you should always quarantine your new parrots. It is not uncommon for pet shop birds to have an illness.

Thank you everyone. I was able to return her to the pet store.. one person told me they'd refund the money but when I took her in the manager told me it's not their policy. I was so upset about her not eating, and being sick, and having to return a beautiful bird.. when he told me they don't give money back I almost cried. I thought, what am I to do? Take her back home and further stress her, and hope and pray she makes it?

He must have felt some compassion because he did return the money and he said they would quarantine her and put her on antibiotics. I felt so bad for her.. I can't make myself call the store and see if she made it. If she didn't I'd never forgive myself.

Later I talked to the lady with the blue Quaker since she breeds cockatiels. She talked to her friend who also breeds and they both thought the Tiel wasn't fully weaned and ready for the stress of being rehomed. She thought returning her was best since she'd be in a familiar environment since I don't know a thing about hand feeding. I am sick over this. She was the first and LAST animal I'll ever buy from a pet store.

So sorry to hear that. Keep an eye on your quaker and make sure he hasn't caught anything.

And it's not your fault at all so don't feel bad. Only the pet shop is to blame.

I hope you get a nice, healthy cockatiel soon!

Good luck and best wishes

I agree.. its the pet shop that's to blame...
My experience with pet shops has left a terrible taste in my mouth....

A petco receives budgies that are way to young to be selling and they sell them anyway.....they sell birds that are sick and that are falling off their perches......my cinnamon green cheek Rain was as good as dead before we rescued her from there.....I can only imagine what other pet shops do...my wife working at another Petco...opened my eyes to the poor conditions many birds face in these "stores"...and yet they all claim that they're all for helping animals...

They'd help birds a lot more if they had even a slight clue as to how to treat them and how to spot illness...there all about the money...poor birds...sorry..didn't mean to hijack your thread.

QuakerMom,
Please don't be hard so hard on yourself. You have done the right thing in this case. the only other option would have been to take her to a vet and then possibly get involved with large vet bills for boarding fees or a baby that should not have been sold by the store just yet. take some breaths and go hug your doggies and give yourself a pat on the back for being sooooo concerned about the welfare of this baby bird.

My Ekkie sleeps with his head tucked into his chest but always sleeps on one foot.
When I got him he was 4months and was in a cage with no perches just huddled in the corner. The rest of his sibling's had been sold. So he was a little scared and lonesome. He soon got over that as I have a pied Lorie and 5 IRNs.
He sort of doesn't mix with them that much as he is on the top of his cage (which is fitted with a gym section)

Thank you all. I get attached to my animals very quickly, and trying to make the best decision for her tore at my heart. I hope I did right by her and I hope she's ok. Poor thing

its okay, you did the right thing im like you too, i cant part with animals.... it wasnt ur fault-you tried, right?? at least you dint risk keeping her. maybe she would have gotten better with time, but hey, you cant risk it. you did what you should have done.im so sorry u had to give her back, but you did the best chill, she'll be fine at the store

Thank you all again; I'm so tired my brain isn't working right lol. Crimson, yes she was the one you helped me identify her colors and gender.
I'm not sure I want to try another Cockatiel. She made the most beautiful whistles/chirps and she was stunning. But I worry they are just too timid for my household. Piper was and is perfect. She chattered the whole way home and made herself right at home from the get-go. The first thing she did was walk over to me and bite the living daylights out of my arm. Hahaha. She's bold, sassy, and comical. There is never any guessing about what she wants, likes, or dislikes. She's sweet as pie now.. she has me trained haha. She tells me when she wants a fresh bowl of water to bathe in, when she wants to sit on my shoulder and preen me, and she has me trained that 10:30 is her bedtime. She's perfect for me

I think I chose the best bird for me to begin with. Quakers are like the Terrier of the bird world.. feisty, full of life, and they do whatever you're doing.

The blue Quaker is still available. Maybe I'll go visit him this week