How do I make sure I buy a healthy Cockatiel?

So, today I drove all around my town and surrounding areas gathering up all the supplies for the new Cockatiel I'm planning on bringing home sometime next week. While looking around the Petco, Petsmart, and all the local pet shops we have around here I was appalled by the condition of the birds they sold.

At one pet shop I went to the birds were kept in a glass box with no perches to stand on, no toys, no water source of any kind and all they had to walk on was shredded up newspaper! At least the other places kept them in actual cages! All the birds they had; Tiels in particular were either wheezing, had discharge coming from their eyes or nose, or had lost almost all the feathers on their backs or wings. Safe to say I won't be buying a bird from them!
At the other local pet shop the birds; although in better condition. Seemed as though they had never been handled and had no interest in anything, all they did was sit in their cages. They had no toys in their cages and the only enjoyment they seemed to be having was pulling out all the feather on their backs and beating up their cage mates! Also, the cage it's self looked as though it hadn't been cleaned in weeks! Even though these birds looked a bit healthier, I still will not be buying a bird from them.
The only other place that had Tiels for sale was Petco. I was actually very surprised by the condition of all the birds they sold. They all looked very healthy but, they were all extremely over priced. For me at least; one cockatiel cost over $150!

So, having gone through this eye-opening adventure I have started looking at craigslist and things like that to see if anyone is selling a reasonably priced bird. Thankfully, I found a couple of options! But, seeing the condition of all the birds today I am really worried that I will get a unhealthy and un-socialized bird. Which brings me to my questions!
What are the signs to look for to make sure that the bird is healthy? What should I watch out for when looking at adds and contacting sellers to make sure that the people are legitimate and not trying to scam me into buying a mean or un-socialized bird? Is there anything thing else I should look out for?

Sorry, for such a long post and sorry about throwing that little rant in there. I was just shocked at how uncared for all the animals were. Has anyone else experienced something like this?
Thanks for all your help!!

Find a good local breeder!!!! A health Cockatiel will be alert, clear eye and nostrils, and no diarrhea. BUT there can be underlying problem that you will not be able to see until they arise. Virus that lies dormant but comes out for full attack when the bird is stressed, usually when you move them from one home to another. If you can find you a trust worthy breeder locally and visit. You might have a better chance there. I have people requesting my babies often here locally and pet shops wanting to buy mine over the other breeders cause I have healthier looking babies. But I don't do pet shops! I used to many years ago when I used to breed as a business. But I have specific pet shops I sell them to years ago.

Well, it's a good thing you did all this field research, because it just bolsters what many of us say about buying from a reputable breeder.....if we knew where you were, some of us might be able to offer some breeder contacts.....

I'm in the SE U.S. and 'tiels go for anywhere from $20 to $75 for an average 'tiel that's been hand fed.....specialty birds will go up to around $200....

Because birds are very good at hiding illness & diseases they may be afflicted with, you cannot really look at a bird & determine their health, however, most pet stores will give you a health certificate from a licensed veterinarian, but the catch may be that the certificate is not within the last 30 days or it may not be from a local vet...and may warranties are only good for 3 to 10 days and many times a veterinarian needs longer than that to get tests back from an outside lab.....

While states are enacting more stringent laws about how birds are kept, there's still a ways to go.....and.....today, one has to be careful how loudly we complain, lest the animal rights groups add our complaints to their own and those of others when the lobby lawmakers to enact greater limitations and/or outright bans.....

Something you want to consider when collecting/buying things for your new feathered friend(s) is to be sure & wash & sanitize everything that is not sealed in plastic.....

Hope this helps.....

I agree, buy from a breeder! A reputable breeder is the best way to buy any bird other than a good parrot rescue.

Buying from a chain store will only support breeding parrots in less than ideal conditions.

Thanks guys for your help! I live in the Oklahoma City, OK area. But, I'm willing to drive over to Arkansas if there is a breeder around there that's good!

Well, I know a real good breeder, with an excellent rep down near Lawton, but she doesn't raise 'tiels.....someone will pop in on the thread in a day or two.....

I have a family that drove all the way from Arkansas to pickup a baby from me. They told me they couldn't find anyone there...

Another couple of options:

A local rescue. if it is a good rescue the birds will already been vetted and you can get some history and idea of personality.

If you use craigslist you can meet the bird and if the seller really is a decent owner will be able to get you the vet records for that bird. You can meet the bird and see how it interacts with the current owner.

Have you looked for any bird show expo's in your area? I do agree with the others that if you looking for healthy, you need to go directly to a breeder. I was very lucky when I found my tiel. Matter of fact, the tiel that I have now was purchased from a bird expo and the breeder of my tiel is a member of the National Cockatiel Society and is also a judge. I received the vet papers, a hatch certificate of the complete bloodline of the parents and they also gave me their phone number in case I encountered any problems with my tiel.

Try doing a google search on the National Cockatiel Society and look in the members rosters. Maybe there is breeder and a member in your area or they can direct you to a reputable person. Good Luck and please let us know.

Here is the link for you..

The National Cockatiel Society | America's finest non-profit Avicultural society.

National Cockatiel Society is also on fb.
Always go with a reputable breeder, one that cares about their birds, not just in it for the money. you'll be able to tell
now that you've done your research, you know what not to buy and from where.
when you go to the breeders you'll want to look for a few things & some questions to ask...
>how clean the cages are
>check the poop in the cage,if it's runny, or not formed, don't be afraid to walk away
>look at the perches to see how clean they are
>what type of food are they feeding their birds(pellets,seeds, vegetables, fruits etc)
>how much human interaction are they getting, (out of cage time) tame or not tame??
**hand fed does not mean hand tamed**

>plenty of toys, stimulation?
>do they look thin or are they healthy size
>what training have they had, ie: step up, step down, kisses, etc...
>ask to see parents
some breeders will offer a three day guarantee for the health of the bird, as long as you take it to the vets within that time period.

I am a breeder, and I know what to look for in a bird, but that doesn't mean things don't happen. I recently purchased a female cockatiel, looked healthy, a good weight, perky, and tame. after I brought her home about a week later she came down with an illness.
I had to take her to the vets and she is still not quite right. you just never know, but we all do the best we can.

good luck on finding your new bird

Thank you so much everyone for all your help!! I wasn't able to find a breeder or a rescue, but I did find a very nice person selling a hand raised, tame female cockatiel on craigslist. After talking to him and seeing the birds living condition I decided to buy her! She seems really healthy and well taken care of. I'm going to pick her up and bring her home Friday!

Niner10Tango- Thanks for the link! I'll definitely check it out!

Crimson- Thanks for all the information! It was a lot off help!

I suggest you do a rescue or a local breeder. Private bird stores are in it for the money and the profit not the welfare of the animals they sell. Good luck!

ArcticRain said:

Thank you so much everyone for all your help!! I wasn't able to find a breeder or a rescue, but I did find a very nice person selling a hand raised, tame female cockatiel on craigslist. After talking to him and seeing the birds living condition I decided to buy her! She seems really healthy and well taken care of. I'm going to pick her up and bring her home Friday!

Niner10Tango- Thanks for the link! I'll definitely check it out!

Crimson- Thanks for all the information! It was a lot off help!

Click to expand...

Happy to hear that you will be bringing your baby home on Friday
Perhaps to be on the safe side, have her checked out by an avian vet

What is her name?

I'm thinking of naming her Valerie or Val for short, since the song Valerie by Amy Whinehouse was playing on the radio when I called the person selling her. Cheesy, I know. But the name is sticking!

I'm definitely planning on taking her to a vet soon after I get her. Don't worry!