Feathered Family Inc.
Parrot Rescue and Adoption, Erie CO
Those loveable Cockatiels...
Like the budgie, the cockatiel is one of the world's more popular pet birds. Indeed, both of these wonders from Down Under made their European debut at about the same time, midway thought he 19th century. With crests reminiscent of the larger cockatoos, these birds were for a while known as "cockatoo parrots" until the modern coinage of cockatiel, from the Portuguese word "cacatilho" little cockatoo. Cockatiels justly deserve their fans. Beautiful and affectionate these little birds can fit in with nearly any living situation. They are also relatively easy for breeding, for anyone who wants to give that hobby a try. Let me interject right here though and remind people, there are a lot more birds in the world than there are responsible owners. Breeding is something best left alone unless you can assure that your fids (feathered kids) will find a good home. Cockatiels come in an amazing variety, from the naturally occurring grey to the pale yellow lutino, the pied, cinnamon, pearl, and albinos. Prices for bringing one of these little wonders home can start as low as $20, and go onto a much higher scale for the hand raised rare mutations. Life spans for most Cockatiels are often quoted to run 10 to 14 years, but again, a bird who starts healthy and is well cared for can live into his 20's.
As interesting and the many variations of cockatiels can be, some health problems have slipped into the genes. Some varieties, such as the white faced and cinnamon, may develop kidney problems on certain formulated diets. Speaking of diets, Cockatiels, like all companion parrots should be kept on a pelleted and fresh fruit and vegetable diet, along with a minimal offering of seed. Cage bound fat Cockatiels are not uncommon.
Cockatiels require attention like all other parrots, and can be wonderful companions. The males are known to speak, and almost all of them will whistle happily. The females are rumored to be the more quiet bird, but I cant back that idea, as every bird in my home is a happy noise maker. A Cockatiel will become tame and loving with just a little work, and it can be fun to have a little friend sitting on your shoulder singing to your earlobe while you go about your daily tasks. Cockatiels do require a severe wing trim though, as they can fly with what seems like nearly no feathers. Talented little daredevils, full of song and joy, a Cockatiel can enhance nearly any home.
A more personal thought..
Cockatiels are one of the only parrots I find to be truly appropriate for children to keep. Of course, not all children are made for cockatiels, as not all Cockatiels are made for children. My personal experience has been that children's natural wonder, affection, and personality is great for these little darlings. My own son, Cedric, keeps a cockatiel of his very own, part of our flock, and he does every bit of his birds care, including cleaning the cage, buying toys with his own money, and feeding him an healthy and varied diet. This would not be so worth mention, but my son has been doing this since he was just seven years old. The 'teil he keeps was not people friendly, and was not friendly to other birds when he took it for himself. His 'teil, Moe, had lived a long life in which he was seen as a cage decoration, and not given any human contact. Moe is now a wonderful companion. Cedric has taught Moe to talk, to enjoy being pet, to do tricks, and most of all.. he has taught him to love. Moe is one of the few birds in our lives who is fully flighted, as Cedric is every conscious of where his friend is, and he watches out for him as carefully as any mother ever watched over a child. It has been beautiful, not only to see the love for this little bird in my son, but to see the love for my son in this little bird. With the right child a Cockatiel can thrive.
One must keep in mind, that no matter how much love and attention you lavish on your 'teil, you will need to give it a place to play happily by itself. We thought we'd show you how simple this can be to do, again with Moe as our example. This is Moe's "Playstation" as my son calls it, which hangs above his cage.
A personal note:
Moe passed away due to old age in 2004. Cedric suffered a broken heart, and still misses him greatly. He can often be found at the webpage playing the recording of Moe's song. Since the time of Moe's passing Cedric has taken another bird as his own, and loves her dearly, but nothing will ever replace Moe in his heart. One must consider a child's ability to deal with loss when considering adding any pet to their life. We all miss Moe, but Cedric misses him the most.