Cockatiel sleeping at the bottom of his cage

im_ron

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Hi, so i just got my first cockatiel (yay) i was so happy, but when it was night, he decided to sleep at the bottom cage, is this normal? my friend (whom owns a cockatiel too) says its normal for them.
 

itzjbean

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How old is this cockatiel?

It's normal for babies, not so normal for adults. They learn to perch and sleep on perches as they age, by the time they are around 3-4 months old they should know how to do this quite well. so it leads me to believe this one is very young. Do you have a variety of perches and a nice big cage for him to climb around in? Proper diet including healthy stuff, like a high quality seed mix or veggies? Being new to you, have you taken your new bird to the vet for a thorough first checkup?

When adults sleep on the bottom of the cage, it can be a sign of illness so its important to make sure your bird is healthy with a trip to a certified avian vet (parrot vet) that can check over your bird's health and ensure they are where they need to be.
 

noodles123

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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
if he is super young it could be, but if he is an adult/teen that is a bad sign.
 
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im_ron

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my cockatiel is about a year old, plus i just brought him home today.
 

noodles123

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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
Have you had birds before? No teflon/ptfe/pfoa in the house right? No candles or scented products....

I am going to post something...hold on...
 

noodles123

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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
I post this over and over because it is all of the stuff people may or may not know that is important when owning a bird. It is long and you probably know some of it already, but since there is a large learning-curve, I hope it is helpful! WELCOME!

When you have a bird, any sort of heated mechanism (anything that heats or is intended to be heated) and contains PTFE/PFOA/PFCs/Teflon will be out of the question (and most things that heat up or are intended to be heated DO contain these chemicals)--This includes things like pots, pans, cupcake trays, cookie sheets, cake pans etc, but it will also things like include hair-dryers, straighteners, curling irons, curlers, rice-cookers, SLOW COOKERS, popcorn poppers, air fryers, microwave meals (including certain types of microwave popcorn), steamers, irons, ironing board covers, electric skillets, griddles, George Foreman Grills, drip trays, toasters, toaster ovens, poaching pans, electric blankets, humidifiers, heat lamps, SPACE HEATERS, Scotch Guard etc etc...Here 2 links about it: https://www.ewg.org/research/canarie...on-kills-birds
To find out what contains PTFE/PFOA/PFCs/Teflon, you have to call and be a bit insistent about it over the phone (and in some cases, you won't get far--but sometimes it is a matter of how you ask). Almost always, it will take a few days (and numerous holds) for them to get back to you and you must provide the full chemical names, abbreviations and brand-names. Shopping when you have a bird is super annoying because cannot visually ID these chemical coatings, as they can be colored, transparent, or mixed into metal/fabric during the manufacturing process. Teflon and chemically similar products have killed birds on separate floors with the doors shut. Similarly, while DuPont claims that off-gassing only occurs at higher heats, there have been myriad bird deaths (even within academic circles) at temperatures well within the 300 degree F range! There is a reason they used canaries in coal-mines and it is because they die very easily due to even low levels of fumes of any sort. Some specific accounts: https://www.ewg.org/research/canarie...-death-diaries
Here are the abbreviations and full spellings of the chemicals you need to ask about when inquiring about a product (give the name, spelling and abbreviation of each):

Teflon= common brand-name using the chemical types in question
PTFE= Polytetrafluoroethyline
PFOA= Perfluorooctanoic acid (sometimes known as C8)
PFCs= Perfluorinated chemicals

Sleep=essential to hormonal and immune function. Different species have different requirements, but 12 is pretty much the average. This means that someone must be there to cover and uncover the bird at the same time each night and that your home must be conducive to sleep.

Make sure you aren't using any unsafe products around the bird. This is pretty much everything with a scent (and some things without).
No perfume, carpet cleaner, flea shampoo, aerosols, solvents, air fresheners, paints, smoke of any kind, vaping, sunscreen, bugspray, candles of any kind (organic or non), insecticides, certain soaps/shampoos, fire-places, burning or heated oil/fat, self-cleaning ovens, gas and any household cleaners (e.g., bleach, windex, lysol, fabreeze, scrubbing bubbles, kaboom, pine-sol etc)...You will seriously have to re-think your entire home and your cleaning routine will change a ton.
NEVER use the self-cleaning oven function or try to season cast iron around birds.
The list goes on. Birds have VERY sensitive respiratory systems. Essential oils are also fairly unsafe due to their ability to be absorbed into the blood-stream and due to a bird's sensitive air sacs.
Metal toxicity is a real danger for birds, especially zinc, lead, brass, copper etc. Galvanized products should be avoided, as should contact with anything other than stainless steel.
In terms of safe cleaning alternatives: White vinegar + water (as long as you don't heat it), grapefruit seed extract + water, baking soda (for scrubbing), some (but not all) natural cleaning products sold in pre-mixed formulas, and then avian-safe veterinary disinfectants, such as F10 SC (the yellow/clear concentrate has to be mixed with water but it is super safe and more effective than vinegar at killing bacteria etc).

Fumes make traveling with a bird complicated, as it is very unsafe to bring your bird with you into a location where teflon or chemical cleaners are being used. My bird does travel with me, but it is important to consider the safety of your final destination, as well as car temperature and any stops along the way (if you plan on bringing your bird inside).
I would recommend getting an air purifier (non-ozone producing/non-ionizing) to help with dust/mold etc (which can harm birds). Please note- a purifier will not protect birds from cigarette smoke, vaping fumes, teflon/ptfe/pfoa etc. It will only help increase the quality of the air to some extent. You cannot use unsafe chemicals around the bird just because you have a purifier.

Generally, you should only pet birds on the head/neck and you should not allow any shadowy spaces in the cage (boxes, bedding, crumbled paper, tents, blankets, low furniture, in clothing etc)...and so are tents/huts/hammocks etc. These things are hormonal triggers and they can cause health and behavior problems and snuggle huts can also entangle birds and cause blockages.

Birds hide illness like crazy, so there is nothing intuitive about their diseases. You have to be ready to study your birds poop and behavior daily, because even the slightest change can be a huge indicator. Blood work must be done yearly (at minimum) and should be done soon after you get a new bird. Birds can carry and spread deadly illnesses without showing any symptoms, so play-dates and exposure to boarding facilities etc come with risks of their own. PBFD, ABV and PDD are all very serious and very contagious diseases that can be spread by things like feather dust in the ventilation system. These diseases are also notorious for producing false negatives in infected but asymptomatic carriers (when tested).
Bottom line: make sure that you have a certified avian vet (CAV) near you. Exotics vets who see birds are not the same thing. If you don't have a CAV near you, your life will be much more anxiety-ridden than if you do (and the difference between a CAV and an exotics vet can mean the difference between life and death for your bird in certain instances).

Birds are very sensitive to temperature changes and drafts. Any temperature change of 10 degrees or more puts significant stress on their systems. If you have to take your bird out in the cold, make sure you carefully cover the cage and pre-warm the car. Also, make sure you don't have any air-fresheners in the car or vents blowing directly on the bird. Extreme heat can also be harmful. Over time, birds can adjust to a wide ranger of temperatures, but this adjustment has to take place over a long period of time. Anything too quick is going to shock their systems.

Dowel perches that are smooth/even in texture lead to a disease called bumble-foot. Textured perches prevent this---look into dragonwood, manzanita and pummice perches. There are numerous guides to appropriate sizing online.

Birds move in slow motion and especially and establishing real trust can take many months.

A baby bird will generally be friendly to all (much like a baby human), but teen and adult birds experience significant hormonal changes which impact their personality and preferences. Puberty is particularly bad in many cases. Although it passes, an adult bird will never be as nice as a baby and it will come with a whole new set of preferences, desires and rules.
It is very important not to engage in behaviors that will eventually be inappropriate for the bird as an adult, as this sets an unsustainable precedent. You must teach independence, refrain from allowing the bird to graft itself to you all day, do not spend excessive time with your bird due to the fact that they are a new and exciting new pet (because you will be expected to keep it up long-term), pet on head/neck only and do not provide your bird with access to fleece huts, huts in general, tents, boxes, blankets, pillows, bedding etc, ignore screams for attention and attend to the sounds you will be able to tolerate long-term, ignore biting when it happens and do not scold/react.
 

noodles123

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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
It is not normal for adult cockatiels to sleep on the bottom of the cage unless they are ill (or injured).
 
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im_ron

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It is not normal for adult cockatiels to sleep on the bottom of the cage unless they are ill (or injured).
I'm pretty sure he's not ill because he was fine when i saw him with the breeder.
 

noodles123

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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
That could be the case, but if you are using chemicals in your home (that weren't being used there) he could be sick because of the environment. I thought you said you got him yesterday (because you said he slept on the cage bottom). That is plenty of time for him to get sick if there are respiratory irritants in your home. All it takes is a few minutes to a few hours (depending on the chemical).
 
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im_ron

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That could be the case, but if you are using chemicals in your home (that weren't being used there) he could be sick because of the environment. I thought you said you got him yesterday (because you said he slept on the cage bottom). That is plenty of time for him to get sick if there are respiratory irritants in your home.
are decorative plates harmful for them?
cuz i have one in my room
 

noodles123

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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
What do you mean? If they are just on the walls you are fine. Look more at what is being heated up in the kitchen, what is being used to clean the house, any heaters/ovens/toasters/pans/curling irons...those types of things--- and anything with a scent (unless avian safe). Air fresheners, incense, vaping, burning food, smoke of any kind = all very bad.
 
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im_ron

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well, my birdcage is above my closest (which has two backpacks small ones btw and two decorative plates 'plates that are dried')
 

noodles123

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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
You need to think about your whole house--- birds are super sensitive. If your mom/dad/roommate is using something in the kitchen or bathroom, it could impact your bird. The Teflon/PTFE/PFOA/PFC thing is huge---birds can die from it on a separate floor from where it is being used (even if doors are shut).
 
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im_ron

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You need to think about your whole house--- birds are super sensitive. If your mom is using something in the kitchen or bathroom, it could impact your bird. The Teflon/PTFE/PFOA/PFC thing is huge---birds can die from it on a separate floor from where it is being used (even if doors are shut).

nothing is being used, expect the sink of course and the bathroom vent is turned off
 

noodles123

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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
What kinds of pots/pans have been used in the past 24 hours?
Have any chemicals been used in the past 24 hours?

I am not saying that is it---heck, your bird could have some other issue (but sleeping on the cage bottom is not normal for a 1-year-old).

Can you get him/her to a vet?
 
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im_ron

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What kinds of pots/pans have been used in the past 24 hours?
Have any chemicals been used in the past 24 hours?

I am not saying that is it---heck, your bird could have some other issue (but sleeping on the cage bottom is not normal for a 1-year-old).

Can you get him/her to a vet?

i'll get him to the vet this morning. or i'll ask the breeder if it's normal for them to sleep that way.
 

AmyMyBlueFront

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Jonesy a Goffins 'Too who had to be rehomed :-(

And a Normal Grey Cockatiel named BB who came home with me on 5/20/2016.
What kinds of pots/pans have been used in the past 24 hours?
Have any chemicals been used in the past 24 hours?

I am not saying that is it---heck, your bird could have some other issue (but sleeping on the cage bottom is not normal for a 1-year-old).

Can you get him/her to a vet?

i'll get him to the vet this morning. or i'll ask the breeder if it's normal for them to sleep that way.

Not normal to sleep on the bottom of his house. Even when BB was just 4.5 months old he was snoozing on a perch. Actually I have never seen him on his basement floor.


Jim
 

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