Budgie/Cockatiel Bombast (Rant)

Okay, so this has been bugging me for quite a while and I would like to get it off of my chest. If you agree with this post or do not agree, post and tell me why or why not. Okay let's get started

Budgerigars, and Cockatiels are often very underrated pets. Many people do not even think either are parrots! Many people recommend Budgies and Cockatiels as good pets for kids, and are great starter birds as they do not have emotional problems and difficult needs to be met. The word "starter" before an animal usually makes people think they are throwaway pets. I beg to differ. Budgies and Cockatiels make terrible pets for children. Birds in general aren't good for kids. Kids usually don't understand all that goes into having a bird. However, some kids are great bird owners and get along swimmingly! Usually this is not the case. Let me tell you, I fostered U2's and M2's before i got my budgie, and i'm going to say this right off the bat, my budgie is much harder to read emotionally than the cockatoos (I don't recommend a cockatoo before a budgie though) Anyway, back to emotional needs. Parakeets and Cockatiels are labeled as starter birds because their bite isn't as hard or their screams aren't as loud. This just makes them more advanced birds. Allow me to explain. If they do not scream as loud or bite as hard, people don't usually recognize the discontentment the birds are displaying, and can end up emotionally hurting the bird, as they think their feelings do not matter. This causes them to be flighty or aggressive. I can see where people are coming from with "starter" bird, as they are usually even tempered, and not as messy as larger birds (still very messy). Also, considered "throwaway" birds, (they aren't) people don't think they need the mental stimulation of being interacted with for several hours a day, and yes, although budgies don't do this very often, i have seen M A N Y plucked budgies. (makes me cry) please note i do not believe in "practice" birds. Lastly these birds are cheap for a reason. They breed at almost all times of year (not hot summer months or very cold winter months), meaning it takes a semi-experienced owner to be able to negate breeding behaviors in pet birds. I do think these birds can make great first birds, but i feel finches and canaries should be the first step in bird ownership. This helps people understand the health concerns and mess birds can create. Parrots should be only kept by people who thoroughly understand bird ownership and can deal with the emotional problems of all birds in general. I actually think that all places that sell animals should have a digital quiz on the animals care they are selling and the person has to pass the quiz to purchase the animal. If they do not pass, the animal cannot be bought. Might make sales less frequent but supplies sell more anyway. If people really want a first-bird as a parrot i recommend bourke's parakeet and lineolated parakeets. These birds are much better at conveying dissatisfaction, and bite harder than budgies/cockatiels (i know it's odd)

Budgies are considered one of the smartest parrots alive, and without amazing conditions (i'm sure all of you have A M A Z I N G budgie care), these birds suffer. As I said before people do not usually recognize screaming in smaller birds, so the bird becomes depressed, and ultimately have a bad life. I think that since these birds aren't capable of playing with puzzle toys made for the larger birds such as grays, (which parakeets really have the mental capability to do), they aren't as mentally enriched. However these birds love playing with bells. It takes a more experienced owner to know what is best for such an intelligent species. To all those who do have ANY parrot, and are on this forum, you are some of the best owners out there. Something as simple as joining a webpage about birds, just shows how much you care about your Fids <3 Cockatiels: Cockatiels are in fact a type of cockatoo. A type of cockatoo that is more advanced than they may seem. No,they aren't prone to the behavioral issues as the larger birds, which makes them so much more complicated. People need to start thinking of the well being of the parrot itself, and it's mentality. In nursing homes, these birds are put in a small cage with one perch, and wild bird seed. If it was an umbrella cockatoo i'm sure a whole room would be dedicated to the bird. It just sickens me that just because the bird isn't as expensive doesn't mean it doesn't get as well of treatment. (maybe not a whole room but at least decent living). Again anyone on this forum reading this, I am not referring to you, as i know everyone heres bird is probably a spoiled brat I am just getting my feelings out there, and anyone you know wanting budgie and/or cockatiel, that it isn't just a cage with wild bird seed. It is much more in-depth, with hard-to-understand mentality. Amazons for example are much better at displaying body language and showing discontentment than a budgie or cockatiel because people ignore body language and screaming. The birds stop using both vocalizations and body language and people wonder what happened to their "little singing bird" often put in small ornate hanging cages in their living rooms. For them, i am truly sorry that they do not experience the budgie, or cockatiel for what they truly are. Sweet, happy birds who just want to be part of their lives. BIGGEST PET PEEVE: BUDGIES AND COCKATIELS ARE PARROTS TOO

Thanks for reading my rant, i hope you agree with me.

Yes I do agree they tend to be under rated! BUT I do feel that they are good birds for kids as they are usually more easy going birds. YES they CAN have emotional issues, I've seen some with deep emotional issues. I personally don't think that either Budgies or Cockatiels are hard to read, they WILL tell you when they're displeased! Anyone consider them as throw away birds shouldn't have birds in the first place, not even finches! I think highly of both birds after raising them in the past. IF any parents were to get either birds for their kids, they should be the one that learns about them first and be watchful of their kids if they're not doing something right! Like one family, they're rich and all, her daughters are in the tv show "Nashville", they're bunch of brats! She made me sooooooooo mad while she was at my house when I told I think the baby is a boy and she said no no no it's a girl. I said sometimes you wouldn't know until they get to around 3 months old. He started singing away at 3 months old and started acting like a boy. Her daughter was holding him so rough and my baby was very displeased with her and started mouthing off at her. She said oh it's got to be a cranky girl. I said NO, it's because he don't know you and I told her don't do that over and over. I was glad when they finally left cause they're NOT getting any of my babies. Don't rough handle my babies like that, it ticks me off. Right there tells you that the parents have absolutely no knowledge and don't teach their batty kids properly on how to handle a bird. They had one that died after eating avocado, that shows you how much knowledge they have or read up about them at all....And then I have other families that come in with their kids and I watch when their parents said hold gently and when I said not to do something, they don't do it and their parents told them watch the man on how to handle them. I take my time to teach them and they all have my email and phone to reach me anytime they need help. All it takes is the right guidance to begin with for proper ownership of birds period!

You made a great point. I took my bird to the vet like i do every month, and all these people are sitting their with macaws, greys, and cockatoos. A couple walk up to me and say "just a 'keet"? I tell them "I love my bird, so crawl along". Another thing that bugs me is when people think I have no experience because I only have one bird. The reason i have one is because I volunteer at parrot rescues and foster, so I only really need one, maybe another one in the future. I love my budgie <3

Yea people tend to think that way, but you can learn a lot by just having one bird. By having multiple birds of different types only lets you gain more knowledge of other types of birds to learn and understand on how they behave, but not two birds are the same. But mostly they do act about the same. Especially when you deal with multiple of them of the same kind. It's a good thing your doing to volunteer!!!! Unfortunately we don't have places like that here that I can go volunteer. But my problem is I don't think I can handle it cause IF I see some of the conditions they were brought in from it would make me go in tears and I want to bring them all home....That's why we try not to visit places like that, I once ran out of petsmart with full of tears after visiting their cats. It breaks my heart....I just come home to tell my babies, look you guys you little brats, there's poor babies out there that needed good homes and your all spoiled brats....lol....

Haha same here. I cry at the pity of petsmart. 394 budgies in one cage...just what i mean by underrated. anyway, the poor snakes, lizards, and tortoises, not receiving proper lighting and nutrition (more so tortoises)... don't even get me started on the birds... Their GCC was bleeding and I told the person at the desk. You know what they said "It will be fine, just a bird"...JUST A BIRD...the nerve... I marched that individual right to the manager to tell them... the manager had no clue why bleeding was such a problem. I took them over to the book stand and flipped to the page on medical care, I told them "study this". I went home and reported that store... let's just say i wasn't their only complaint. The store was ultimately closed. No joke, i saw that same employee...working at the petco down the road...

Well, I'll admit, Oz IS my first bird, but I don't think he's a throw away bird or just a bird to get me started. I mean, yeah, I'd love to have a bigger parrot too someday but that doesn't mean I don't love him as much as I'll love the future birds I'll have. I did a lot of research before buying him.

Once I had him, I took him to the vet for a 'new bird' check up, I paid 60$ for a pet sitter to come play with him and give him out of cage time twice a day for 3 days (when I could have had the landlord just come change the food each day for free) while I was gone and built him a playgym (that got pretty expensive when I realized that the sisal rope at home depot was NOT bird safe and ordered 6 rolls of 25 feet online xD It was definitely worth it thought, he loves the playgym).

Thought, I totally agree with the budgies and tiels are parrots too. All the people I mention Oz to seem to think he's not a 'real' bird or something. Even my own mother, when she saw how much I was spending on him (even a tiel gets pricey on a student budget xD) told me: it's just a bird. =I

Agreed. I do think budgies and cockatiels are harder to have than made out to be. As said in my thread starter, inexperienced owners or ones who didn't do research do not read their often subtle body language (compared to other parrots) and their bird ends up being a biter. I'm glad you feel the same as i, i just build my budgie a huge aviary (converted the walk in closet)... I keep her in the aviary when i am not home but when i am home she is either outside the cage or in her actual cage. I love my bird

Cockatiels are really awesome birds, my household isn't complete without a Cockatiel! I love my big birds but I love my Cockatiels too. They got huge personality and they're very entertaining!!!! And one of the very few birds that I allow on my shoulders while they cuddle against me. They're just absolutely adorable!!!

I love cockatiels but when i brought my budgie into the bird store to meet the cockatiels she absolutely hated them.. every single one. She turned her back to me and wouldn't look at me for the rest of the week... I gained her happiness back by offering some millet and a bath

My Budgies and Cockatiels gets along great!!! My two male Budgies tend to go after male Cockatiels....lol....One of the Budgie is feeding a male Cockatiel....

Well Oz doesn't get along with himself =I He hisses when he sees himself in the mirror on my door and tries to attack the reflection sometimes. Kinda makes me NOT want to introduce a second cockatiel in the house. =P

Kiryon said:

Well Oz doesn't get along with himself =I He hisses when he sees himself in the mirror on my door and tries to attack the reflection sometimes. Kinda makes me NOT want to introduce a second cockatiel in the house. =P

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Is Oz a female??? I know he/she is a Cinnamon Pearled Whiteface....

Well, there were no DNA tests, but I believe he's a male since he's pretty vocal and has said a word before and attempted whistling. Guess I'll know for sure when he molts if he loses his pearls or not? If he turns out to be a girl, he's gonna need a name change xD

could you please post pics for me of all your bird's cages? I do not know how you manage all those cages ...*shudders* so...much...roudybush....

Oh I agree. I see them as "starter birds" but by no means a throwaway bird. I think there's a huge difference.

Starter birds are 'easy' in regards to maintenance, temperament, things like that. I love my budgie's and wouldn't be without them. But just like my 'big bird', they are with me for life unless it's best for them to be elsewhere. Brucie is an invalid, Lucie is Brucie's mate and they're just my precious babies. My best bird ever was a little budgie named Wonsy. I don't think any bird will ever match up to the standard she left behind!

Budgie's and cockatiel's are great. They're tiny birds with HUGE personalities!

Agreed... 100%

It bugs me SO much that people don't think budgies or parakeets are parrots. I don't believe in birds for kids . I believe in the adult caring for it and the kid saying its theirs . Budgies and tiels are VERY misunderstood birds, I agree . Just because they are " beginner " birds does not mean they easy to care for . I hate the woman at our local petco , she's the "expert" of the bird section . when i got pepsi and sprite she told me to buy grit ! Also told me to feed them a millet and seed diet ONLY . By what specific age group to you mean ? I think that after the age of nine or ten you could have a parrot with the proper
Knowledge . I learned that myself . I'm 12 , I have two budgies and is in the process if obtaining a sun conure

Yeah like 12-under, but you seem like a great bird owner

my first bird was a cockatiel. not because of being a "starter" bird, but because i truly wanted a cockatiel. i saw cockatiels at a pet store when i was 12 and i knew then and there that i wanted one, because they were so friendly and sweet as they ran up to the side of the cage for attention. i did my research from then on, and for my 19th birthday, my husband bought me my first bird, Dallas.

i looooooove cockatiels. behavioural problems? oh they can have just as bad of problems as the larger birds, but on a smaller scale. screaming i find is a usual issue with cockatiels. but their voices are small compared to big birds, so i think that downplays it a bit, so yes you are right it gets over looked. biting, oh cockatiels can bite. my male tsuka can pack a bite almost as bad as my female lovebird. both have left scars on my fingers, both have gotten me down to the bone a few times. they cant break fingers like some macaws and toos can, but bites are still a bite. the message is very much the same for all birds. plucking isnt normally noted in cockatiels (behaviourally anyways) but it does occur. most plucking cases with tiels is medical reasons. but they can still be challenging.


i live with a very difficult male cockatiel. he dive bombs my face at times and he has a very bad attitude. he is a sweet little guy, dont get me wrong. but he is moody and is not afraid to show his moods. some days you wake him up, uncover his cage and he runs at the bars lunging at you. the next day he might be talking to you. or he may lunge and attack only to ask for scritches two minutes later. he is very moody and unpredictably so. and he will fly at your face to go for blood. that beak hurts when it gets your nose, trust me on that one. he is sometimes a living terror to live with, and i am sure if he was a larger parrot, it could be seriously dangerous to live with.


but on the other hand, i have our other cockatiel who is a total pansy. she is like putty in your hands and loooooves to be pet. she is extremely gentle, never even nips, and tolerates even kids holding her (a lot like to touch her wings, tail and feet, which she tolerates well.)

my point is, they're all individuals, so people shouldnt label them based on difficulty.


just to show the difference:


Dally being pet by kids (ages 3-12)



and Tsuka having an attitude day: Diving at me!




so, all birds are best judged by individual standards, not by price, availability, species, or gender



(so you know, tsuka has a very sweet people friendly temperament, but on his good days lol he is a very moody bird.)

LOVE your post...i'm glad how people do agree that their screaming is overlooked and causes behavioral issues I'm going to start re-bonding with my bird, we were just clipping her nails and she started bleeding. As hard as it was (emotionally) We had to pin her to put the quick-stop on her. Our bond is broken. :*( we will regain it though