Cockatiel as a first bird?

C.V.

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Jun 6, 2021
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I am considering getting a cockatiel. I've had parakeets in the past but never anything larger. Are cockatiels good for beginners?
 

AmyMyBlueFront

Well-known member
Apr 14, 2015
6,315
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Connecticut
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Amy a Blue Front 'Zon
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.
Cockatiels are great birds for ANYONE! They are very smart,can be super lovey ( mine was 4.5 months old when he came home with me and is super bonded to me). They can "talk" and whistle very well. Only down side is,is they can get very clingy to their person and if you get out of their sight they will "contact call" for you..i.e. WHERE ARE YOU?? I CAN"T SEE YOU!!
All in all I think they are wonderful creatures.


Jim
 

noodles123

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2018
8,145
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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
I think what AmyMyBlueFront meant was that they are good for anyone prepared to have a parrot...As many people are not ready to have birds, so I think "anyone" was referring to prepared parrot owners and prepared potential owners . All parrots are parrots (parakeets included). So make sure you are just as committed as this as you would be to a larger bird in terms of daily care, attention (for the most part-although some species require even more) etc...A cockatiel could get by on 2 hours likely (vs some who need closer to 4-5). That having been said, in terms of danger, volume capacity, destruction, damage, , travel complications, expenses etc a cockatiel is going to be way better for you than a larger parrot who could send you to the hospital from a bite in many cases or scream so loud that you can hear it a block away-- don't get me wrong--cockatiels can be very loud, but not nearly as loud a some larger birds...so if you make a behavioral mistake with a cockatiel, it can still lead to bites and screaming, but the magnitude of each is significantly less, and they tend to be a bit more "chill" naturally than some species and they just don't have the physical capacity to produce sounds or bites like larger parrots.

Since tiels become sexually mature between 9m and 1 year, there is also less time to encourage bad habits that will become inappropriate in adulthood (I mention this because some other species don't sexually mature for up to 8 years, meaning they act like babies before hormones and that lulls people into a false sense of behavioral security, overindulgence, inappropriate petting etc, which leads to problems when they do mature because over that long period of infancy they created a monster but didn't see the results until sexual maturity). Bird's personalities ALWAYS change at puberty and so you can never judge how an adult will be based on the behavior of a baby. That is why creating good, sustainable habits early (in anticipation of hormones) is key for success. That is also why, especially in larger parrots, re-homing an adult bird can be beneficial, in that the basics of their personality are more set-- obviously human behavior and environment also have a huge impact, and I have seen good birds become "bad" because of confusion on the part of the owner and vice-versa (when someone knowledgeable takes over)..but I digress.

Tiels (in general) are also WAY more easy going than many larger species when treated properly-keep in mind, your behavior and environment plays a major part. They also can live over 20 years and their care still is expensive compared to what most would think..Just so you are aware, they are just as smart as larger birds, so don't assume they are "less than" just because they are smaller. You may not have known it at the time, but parakeets are on par with larger parrots too but people tend to brush them off and neglect them because they don't understand what they are taking on....cramp them in small cages, fail to socialize properly etc, or house them with a bunch of other parakeets without having established a bond. I believe the world-record for talking parrots still goes to a parakeet named Disco (no longer alive)..

Make sure you have the capacity to provide 10 hours quiet sleep on a nightly schedule, at least 2 -3 hours out of cage daily, have a bigger cage than you would think you need (look at flight cages), re-vamp your cooking and cleaning to remove deadly chemicals and cleaners that damage their sensitive respiratory systems etc. have a plan for 1x yearly avian vet care (whether or not bird seems sick) etc

Please read this thread and the threads within http://www.parrotforums.com/questions-answers/89863-thinking-getting-cockatiel.html <--see my replies and watch those LiveLaughBirds videos -- she knows her stuff...Her bird dangers video is really good, as are her reviews of subscriber cages, because they give you a lot of info on what to do and what not to do. She always tries to say something positive about even the worst, but you can tell when she really likes a cage.

also- see my reply on this one **I would post it separately but it's long** http://www.parrotforums.com/caiques/89726-can-i-get-1-caique-if-i-work.html *see both of my replies on page 1)

http://www.parrotforums.com/general...change-after-getting-your-first-big-bird.html <-- and this one (again, see my reply)

*Its also super important that you not provide your bird with huts, tents, hammocks, boxes or shadowy spaces (those "snuggle huts" are super bad even though you will see them at stores** Furthermore, even if your bird lets you or enjoys it, never pet places other than the head or neck, as this is sexually triggering and can lead to all sorts of problem behaviors and even health problems. Birds often will start to see you as their mate and the last thing you want is to make promises about *cough cough* things that you cannot keep, because this leads to them imploding emotionally, or lashing out at you or others when sexually frustrated.
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXUALzfFHt0"]10 Dangerous Bird Products You Should NEVER Buy! - YouTube[/ame]


I know you didn't ask, but since it comes up a lot in conversation, if your goal is to bond with this bird, I would just get 1 for now, as 2 can make it harder to bond with the human and because, at sexual maturity, 2 birds that did get along may change and begin either mating, fighting or showing increased jealousy around you. You do not want to deal with bird-on-bird aggression or mating, as both can lead to your birds requiring totally separate spaces and totally separate out-of-cage time (which would mean 4-6 hours of supervised out of cage time if each bird needed 2-3 separate hours out). Once you have established a bond and your bird has matured sexually, then if you decide you want to get another, you could, but still knowing that the separate out of cage time could be necessary. Bottom line-- never get a bird for your bird...Only get another if you personally have the time to make it work (no matter the outcome). Additionally, either way, you would need 2 cages, as a 45 day quarantine (bare minimum) is required in a totally separate space for any new bird. DNA sexing is also important, as in certain species (like budgies/parakeets) 2 females are more likely to fight than 2 males, and as you know, when you combine a male and a female, there is that risk of mating/babies which presents a ton of complex dangers etc.
 
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noodles123

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2018
8,145
472
Parrots
Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
For fun-- here are some clips of Disco talking-- there are billions of these and they are 100% real (I thought it was fake at first) [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSn-xrb-Vik&list=RDCMUCRkcS2wS92KMUrLMAVijwZw&start_radio=1&rv=WSn-xrb-Vik&t=14"]I Dreamz of Cheeseburger - YouTube[/ame]
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XSuHSUH6z0&list=RDCMUCRkcS2wS92KMUrLMAVijwZw&index=12"]I'm Discolicious! - YouTube[/ame]


*note-- no parrot is ever guaranteed to talk, as it comes down to a combination of individual preference/personality, as well as environment and human behavior..But even birds known for their talking skills may never talk (despite someone doing things properly)
 
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