Wanted a Cockatiel...got 2

[4dugnlee]

A couple weeks ago my friend sent me a video of a cockatiel whistling the Adams Family tune. I replied with "thank you for that...now I know what I want for my birthday...lol". Hubby then said if you want a cockatiel for your birthday we will get one....

I started looking around and of course went to Craigslist. I really wanted a male and I found a couple listings. I inquired on them both and one responded. However, this listing was for two. Hubby said whatever I want (one of these days he will STOP saying that). We went last night and met with the lady, and of course, brought them home. The male is very sweet...just what I was looking for. The female is not aggressive but nervous and has a very overgrown beak. The back of her neck is plucked and she is missing some tail feathers. They have been in a cage (way too small and will be replaced immediately) together, although the lady said they are not related, since June. I am hoping they do not lay eggs...I did that years ago and it was amazing, but I don't want to do it again!!

So, now my questions. First, what is the best thing to do to NOT end up with them mating? I was going to put them in separate cages next to each other, but want to check to see if that is what I should do. Second, the female is a "yellow cheek" pearl cockatiel. With the yellow cheeks, how can you tell male from female?

I know I said I didn't want more fids, but I have been really missing my little parakeets and cockatiels from years ago. I get my "keet" fix from my little grandfid, Skyla, who my granddaughter loves dearly and takes everywhere with her (another update/thread to come), but I really missed the tiels... I am hoping that after the quarantine is done, I can have him/them and Cisco out at the same time. I actually thought of letting my sister in law take the female, as she wants a cockatiel also, but I don't know what effect that would have of either of them.

I have an appointment with the vet for them on Saturday, so I will let you know more then.

And I will post pics....

 

[Allee]

Happy Belated Birthday! Congrats on your new cockatiels! Looking forward to photos.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

I never had a 'tiel but when I was married,our close friend's parents had a yellow cheek <Corkey> and he was a complete doll! He talked up a storm..whistled the Andy Griffith song..played poker with us,ate everything and anything


Jim

 

[inspectorQ]

I've never had a 'tiel but I think I may want one in the future - can't wait to see pictures! Happy late birthday!

 

[RavensGryf]

Congratulations! What a sweet birthday present Leanna ! What color is the male? I'd love to see pics, the female's mutation sounds pretty.

I'm not sure how to tell sex of tiels. I used to think only the more brightly colored ones with 'clean' faces were males, then people who swear they have females look that way too sometimes. I'm sure a cockatiel person can help.

 

[Terry57]

Happy Belated Birthday and congrats on your new family members!
If the female is plucked on the back of her neck, you may want to separate them and see how they do. Looking forward to pictures!

 

[4dugnlee]

Happy Belated Birthday! Congrats on your new cockatiels! Looking forward to photos.

Thank you! I have a few pics but still have to download them. I have had Fred out and he is a real sweetie, but I haven't had my phone/camera with me. Ginger looks pretty rough...hubby says she looks like something from the movie Beetlejuice...lol...(she kind of does)

I never had a 'tiel but when I was married,our close friend's parents had a yellow cheek <Corkey> and he was a complete doll! He talked up a storm..whistled the Andy Griffith song..played poker with us,ate everything and anything


Jim

Hmmm...Years (and years) ago I had a cockatiel that whistled the Andy Griffith song. I had never heard of a yellow cheek before.

I've never had a 'tiel but I think I may want one in the future - can't wait to see pictures! Happy late birthday!

Thank you! Cockatiels, in my experience, are sweet and usually pretty calm.

Congratulations! What a sweet birthday present Leanna ! What color is the male? I'd love to see pics, the female's mutation sounds pretty.

I'm not sure how to tell sex of tiels. I used to think only the more brightly colored ones with 'clean' faces were males, then people who swear they have females look that way too sometimes. I'm sure a cockatiel person can help.

I've never heard of the yellow cheeks but I've always judged male/female by the orange cheek patch. I don't really understand all the "mutations" so I don't understand how to tell gender on a yellow cheek...maybe the vet can tell me on Saturday. Fred is a normal, possibly a cinnamon, I believe.

Happy Belated Birthday and congrats on your new family members!
If the female is plucked on the back of her neck, you may want to separate them and see how they do. Looking forward to pictures!

Thank you! I let them settle in last night and tonight I separated them. I had one spare cage but still need a new cage and more perches as the cage they came in isn't good at all. They are next to each other so I hope they will adjust.

 

[4dugnlee]

Here are the pics I got when I brought them home the first day...I will get more...
This is the Fred and Ginger...




This is Beetlejuice Ginger...




Hope I did it right

 

[Nakiska]

Awww! Congratulations with your new family members! By looking at your pics, he is a normal grey and she (bless her heart, is sooo cute!) Is possibly a cinnamon pearl....but I'm not up with mutations either.

She may be raggedy looking because of mating, even if she is not laying eggs. Separating them COULD...not saying it will ..but could cause a good bit of screaming if they are bonded. That's what happened with a couple tiels I rescued years ago. They were so miserable apart, even caged side by side...I gave up and let them be happy together. Sometimes sweetpea lays eggs and I remove them. I do everything I can to discourage nesting by not providing any nest type materials in their cage and of course no boxes or covered areas she may want to try and raise a family in. Hehehe.

Charlie, our male tiel is a very good talker! I will try to get video uploaded one of these days. But he says stuff like...Hello, hello Charlie, whatcha doin? Him a good boy? Such a pretty, kiss kiss kiss (and makes missing sound) I really love it when he says...sucha buurrrrrd! He whistles "if you're happy and you know it and kisses for the clap your hands sound.

He has learned SOOO much at our house and didn't know anything but screaming when I rescued them. I guess they were about 3. We've been owned by them for 5 years now.

I think cockatiels are a bit under appreciated these days. Folks don't know what they are missing! All our cockatiels have been absolute joys.

Good luck with yours and again Congratulations! Have fun teaching your guy to talk...and be careful what you say around him...he will most likely start repeating everything! (I do have an older video of my Chicken Little talking you can view by clicking on the link in my signature line. He was a really fast learner. Sadly, lost him 3 years ago...Charlie learned a lot of his vocabulary from Chicken.)

Toni

 

[RavensGryf]

They're both so cute Leanna . I love the yellow face color of the female!

 

[4dugnlee]

Awww! Congratulations with your new family members! By looking at your pics, he is a normal grey and she (bless her heart, is sooo cute!) Is possibly a cinnamon pearl....but I'm not up with mutations either.

She may be raggedy looking because of mating, even if she is not laying eggs. Separating them COULD...not saying it will ..but could cause a good bit of screaming if they are bonded. That's what happened with a couple tiels I rescued years ago. They were so miserable apart, even caged side by side...I gave up and let them be happy together. Sometimes sweetpea lays eggs and I remove them. I do everything I can to discourage nesting by not providing any nest type materials in their cage and of course no boxes or covered areas she may want to try and raise a family in. Hehehe.

Charlie, our male tiel is a very good talker! I will try to get video uploaded one of these days. But he says stuff like...Hello, hello Charlie, whatcha doin? Him a good boy? Such a pretty, kiss kiss kiss (and makes missing sound) I really love it when he says...sucha buurrrrrd! He whistles "if you're happy and you know it and kisses for the clap your hands sound.

He has learned SOOO much at our house and didn't know anything but screaming when I rescued them. I guess they were about 3. We've been owned by them for 5 years now.

I think cockatiels are a bit under appreciated these days. Folks don't know what they are missing! All our cockatiels have been absolute joys.

Good luck with yours and again Congratulations! Have fun teaching your guy to talk...and be careful what you say around him...he will most likely start repeating everything! (I do have an older video of my Chicken Little talking you can view by clicking on the link in my signature line. He was a really fast learner. Sadly, lost him 3 years ago...Charlie learned a lot of his vocabulary from Chicken.)

Toni

OMG that video is GREAT!! I did separate them with their cages side by side and they seem to be fine so far. I only know what the lady told me and her story didn't really add up. At any rate, I will feel better after they see the vet on Saturday, especially Ginger.