Cockatiels, their care and everything else, tell all!

Hello,
So i am thinking of getting a Cockatiel as a first bird...(I have had very little experience with birds, but i grab at any chance i get to be with them )
I need to know about their care though, like what hey eat, cage requirments, training etc..
i will not be able to get a bird for a while, (like a couple of months at least, like almost november) But im using this time to learn all that i can, and (because im still a minor/not legal age) I will be/Have to pay for all of the bird and its upkeep, because when I get my parents to let me have something wether it be a toy or a pet, i always have to pay for it. (Unless on birthday/holidays, but on my birthdays they usually dont give me stuff i like (cheap toys) or cash (cash for birdies! yayz))
Anyway... Here are some question:

• What should be in a healthy Diet? (seeds, pellets, fruits veggies?)
• what is a good size cage, for one and two birds?
• is it hard to train 'Tiels? (step up/down, talking etc)
• is it hrd to breed cockatiels?
• Do Cockatiels 'stay tame' when/after you breed them? (do they become a breeding pair instead of a 'pet' and become protective etc?)

thanks for the help please post anything about 'tiels that you can ^_^

What should be in a healthy Diet? (seeds, pellets, fruits veggies?)
I feed my birds a seed mix ( Link to product >> Big Parakeet ) alongwith boiled rice, boiled/raw corn, boiled potatoes, boiled peas, boiled carrot and coriander.

what is a good size cage, for one and two birds?
Cockatiels have large wings they like to spread and would appreciate a cage of at least (L)30"/36" x (B) 24"/30" x (H) 30"/36".

is it hard to breed cockatiels?
If there's a set pair, they just need a nesting box. My set pair have laid clutches 3 times in the past year.

Do Cockatiels 'stay tame' when/after you breed them? (do they become a breeding pair instead of a 'pet' and become protective etc?)
The male usually gets more aggressive and may bite. The females are usually tame and while they may huff n puff, I've never had my fingers attacked by anyone other than the fierce male cockatiel protecting his nest.

is it hard to train 'Tiels? (step up/down, talking etc)
Can't help here. Never tried. The ones born or raised at my home by me are very friendly and tame and even sleep on my body for hours. From the pet shop, the females have been friendly but not comfortable to be on / around me and males have just been either nipping me or making the angry huff if I go near.

Hi Moly- those are good questions.
I breed cockatiels, and also have 4 pets cockatiels....I just love them.
they are the best birds to have, they are not loud, very devoted, and beautiful.

like Kiran said you'll need a good size cage so they can spread their wings, which cockatiels tend to do in their cage.

You should look for a baby cockatiel that has been hand raised...meaning hand fed and hand tamed. just because they are hand fed doesn't mean they will be hand tamed.
It's important to remember that when you go searching for one.
If the bird will not sit on your finger, or perch on your shoulder, keep looking.
Also look at the conditions of the cages...are they clean, are the perches clean, are they too close together, are their too many birds in a cage??? is the water dirty, what kind of food does the breeder feed their birds....so many questions
Seed is ok, but a better choice are pellets. many breeders will wean their babies onto pellets, fruits and vegetables. I do when I raise my babies.

If you were to put a male and female together, they may never mate, or they may mate constantly, it really depends on the conditions and the birds themselves.
Training a cockatiel, like any bird requires dedication. that is why I suggested to get one around 8-10 weeks of age, already tamed. you would be well on your way to having a happy bird.
researching is your best option, here is a terrific web site, or on here

Cockatiel Cottage, Cockatiels, basic care and general information on the cockatiel, cockatiel information, cockatiels basic care, diet, nutrition, pellet diets, health, illness, behavior, taming, behavior problems, biting, sickness, symptoms of a sic

good luck!!

Here is a picture of my cockatiel cage for an idea. I wanted something of a flight cage so I bought 2 dog cages for 10 grand local ($200US) and made a nicely sized 72"x26"x26" cage by joining both (basically keeping 1 side open on each cage). In a couple months I will have a table custom made for this cage so it will reach window level. Bird cages are very small here, like 24"x18"x24". We don't get a variety like you do in the states.

Inside, i have one side full of plastic perches for them, with wooden perches in the middle and some ladders (added after this photo was taken). 2 large plastic food grade containers for their seeds and water. there's the flavored cuttlefish bone on the side - orange and pineapple. Some toys hanging for them to play with. (Lemon chilli tied to the cage on the outside is a local ward for the evil eye / jinx). The cages open both in the front and the top.

Next week I'll be getting a 3rd cage and placing it in L shape (opening a front door of the left cage and connecting the new cage to it, as some new borns are soon going to be added in there, taking the total to 20 birds.

http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp217/RasaKiran/Pets/BirdsNewCage_zps4469c530.jpg

http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp217/RasaKiran/NewCage2_zpsb7a01525.jpg

And here as you can see, my handraised darlings come in to take a look at daddy's camera.

http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp217/RasaKiran/NewCage4_zpsf84bea16.jpg

Thanks for all the information and answers! And the links and pictures, they were/are very helpful!
Crimson, The website you linked is great! It's sure going to provide me with lots of info (and reading time!)
Gtg for tonight, its 1am where i am and I gotta be up early(er than im used to )

Most of what needs to be answered is done above. They're really wonderful birds to have, be sure you understand the dangers of breeding and you MUST have time to handfeed if you have to cause the parents can toss them, try to kill them, not brooding them, etc. during anytime or after they hatch. Many things can happen, so please do think ahead before proceeding into breeding! Another thing is during handfeeding as there can be a lot of issues you might have to deal with, if you don't do it properly, you can kill the baby instantly or over time. I've been raising tiels for over 16 years and have encountered quite a bit. I've downsized from the size I used to have and down to 10 as I take them in as well from bad conditions such as neglect, starvation, pecked on with blood scabs all over, etc.

You've gotten good advice so far. One thing though,, i don't think hand raised /pet tiels make good breeders. Sure they'll nest and lay eggs but they make terrible parents and lose many chicks. Parents raised babies make the best breeders. If you want pets,then have pets. If you want breeders then buy birds for breeding from a good breeder, not "seconds ", hand fed from show breeders in a pet store.