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Cockatiel care guide

fly every day will keep your bird happier, healthier

and fit.

Cockatiels are known for their mimicking skills and can

be taught simple phrases.

Take your time and interact with your bird daily and

you will be rewarded. You will get to know your bird’s

signals, such as head bending when it wants a pet.

Your bird will love your company.

Moulting

Your cockatiel will have its first moult between six to

12 months of age and after that a couple of times a

year. This is an unhappy time for your bird and it will

require extra care during this period.

This process takes between four to eight weeks and

during this time your bird will be more susceptible

to changes of temperature so make sure that its

environmental temperature is stable. Your bird will

need more protein during this time and this can

be delivered by a soft egg-based supplement or

conditioning food.

A vitamin supplement during this phase is also

recommended. Growing new feathers takes a lot out

of a cockatiel.

Grooming and health

Cockatiels love to bathe and a cold-to-tepid bath of

about 2cm depth can be provided two to three times

per week. Remove this after about an hour. Always

do this in the mornings allowing your bird to dry off

during the day. Increase this to daily during your bird’s

moult. Alternatively you can use a water mister or

grooming spray.

Nails should be trimmed by a qualified person.

You should worm your indoor bird every six months or

every three months for your outdoor aviary birds.

Housing

It is best to provide the largest habitat that you can

afford. A minimum size for one cockatiel is 60cmW x

45cmD x 60cmH. The bars on the cage should be no

wider than 1.25cm apart.

Perches need to be a variety of textures, widths and

lengths. This variety will exercise your bird’s feet and

aid in the prevention of arthritis. It also more closely

simulates life in the outdoors.

A metal grate over the bottom of the cage will help to

keep the bird off its droppings.

Cage placement

Keep your bird in the part of the house that is lived

in and include your bird in your family. Keep it out of

drafts and off the floor.

Cover your bird’s cage at night to prevent “night

fright”. Cockatiels need about 12 hours of rest a night.

Cage care

Follow these simple rules to ensure the best possible

care for your cockatiel:

Don’t place food or water containers

underneath the perches – this will prevent

possible contamination

Avoid cooking near your bird with non-stick

cookware as these can release harmful fumes

Clean and disinfect the cage and perches regularly

Replace food and water daily

Remove uneaten vegetables after 24 hours

Replace perches, dishes and toys once worn

or damaged

Rotate toys regularly to avoid boredom

Make sure there are no parts or toys in your bird’s

cage that are lead, lead-base painted, zinc or

galvanised metal.

The signs of a healthy cockatiel are:

Active, alert and sociable

Dry nostrils and bright eyes

Beak, legs and feet should look normal

Eats and drinks regularly

Has smooth, well groomed feathers.

The signs of an unhealthy cockatiel are: Sitting on the floor of the cage or low on the perch

Wheezing or coughing

Eye or nasal discharge

Fluffed, plucked or dirty feathers

Diarrhoea or discoloured stools

Red or swollen eyes

Favouring one foot

Red eyes, tearing or closed and puffy eyes

Appetite loss.

If you notice any of these signs please contact your veterinarian immediately.

Good sized cage

Cage cover

Seed or pelleted food

Variety of perches

Treats

Grit

Food and water dishes

Grooming spray

Millet spray

Variety of toys

Cage liners

Bird bath

Vitamin supplement

Chew toys

Books about care

Cuttlefish/mineral block.

Recommended supplies

This Australian native is a very

popular family pet. They are easy going

and can be great mimics. Like all pets they require daily

attention.

Use this checklist to make sure that a cockatiel is right for you and your family

I have the appropriate location and housing for

this pet

I will provide a safe environment for this pet

I realise that owning this bird will be a long term

commitment (up to 15 years)

I can provide daily supervised time outside of its

cage for my bird

I am aware that birds can be vocal and this is

acceptable for my family and my neighbours

An adult can provide primary care for this pet.

Average size: 30cm (including tail)

Life span: 12 to 15 years

Feeding

High quality bird seed or a pelleted diet should make

up about 70% of your cockatiel’s intake. The remainder

should consist of fresh vegetables and fruits (see the

safe food list). Cockatiels do tend to be fussy eaters

and can become set in their “food ways” later in life.

So when you introduce a variety of fruits, vegetables

and treats at a young age it makes feeding later in life

much easier.

Perseverance is key here. Offer fruit and vegetables

every day and your bird will eventually learn to love

them. They are an essential part of your bird’s diet so it

is important that you are patient. Fresh vegetables and

fruits not eaten within 24 hours should be discarded.

Limit the amount of sunflower seed in the diet as this

is extremely high in fat. If you wish to change your

bird’s diet at any stage make sure that you do this over

the course of a few weeks. Sudden dietary changes can

cause digestive problems, so keep an eye on your birds

weight, stools and general well-being during this time.

Water needs to be chlorine free, always available and

changed daily.

Like us, cockatiels appreciate quality and variety in

their food.

necessary if your bird is on a premium pellet diet as

these are already vitamin and mineral rich.

Treats

Birds need a wide variety of treats to alleviate

boredom, help them to work for their food and

exercise their minds.

Treats should consist of no more than 10% of your

bird’s diet. These can include honey bells, honey sticks

and millet spray.

Behaviour, exercise and taming

There is no quick fix or fast track when it comes to

taming your bird. It takes patience, consistency and

gentleness.

When you first get your bird home and settled in its

new cage, start slowly by talking gently to your bird,

sitting near it and generally including it in your life.

Don’t put your hand into your bird’s cage to try to

get it out; this will most probably result in a bite.

Remember that the cage is your bird’s sanctuary

and it needs to feel completely safe there.

Tempt your bird with a treat held by you at the cage

bars. Once it is happy to accept this try opening the

cage front door to tempt it out this way. You can even

put some sunflower seeds into the palm of your hand

and let it eat from this.

Be careful once the bird is out of the cage that all

curtains are closed, mirrors are covered, doors are

shut and other pets are away from the area. Getting

your bird’s wings clipped is a good idea during the

training phase. Ask our staff for details.

Always get your bird back into its cage before it gets

tired – sit your bird on your hand for this. The last

experience outside of its cage should always be a

positive one.

Once accustomed to you and the environment, your

bird should be exercised daily by letting it out for a fly

and socialising with your family. Allowing your bird to

The following is a collection of fruit, vegetables and other food that you can feed your bird. Fresh food should be thoroughly rinsed first.

Apples (no pips)

Apricots

Banana

Broccoli

Brussel sprouts

Cabbage

Carrot tops

Cauliflower

Celery

Cooked egg (occasionally)

DO NOT FEED lettuce, avocado, rhubarb,

chocolate, alcohol, fruit seeds or caffeine as

these can make your bird very ill. If in doubt

about a food, don’t feed it!

Cooked pasta (occasionally)

Corn

Dark green leafy vegetables

Oranges

Peaches

Pears (no pips)

Peas

Popped corn

Silverbeet

Supplements

We recommend putting a vitamin and mineral

supplement (Ornithon), in your bird’s water, especially

during moulting or in times of stress. This is not