About Us
COCKATIELS - ADVICE FROM A BREEDER Page2
by Linda Greeson of BlueQuaker.com
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COCKATIELS AS PETS
The Cockatiel is an ideal selection for the first time pet owner. In comparison to other exotic
birds the initial investment is small and the return in satisfaction is large. They are
characteristically happy and cheerful birds, never moody or demanding. Their whistle is soft and
their gentle, sensitive natures make them a good choice for youngsters.
In order to be readily tamed the cockatiel should be taken into the home situation when very
young. A hand fed baby, just weaned, will rapidly adjust to its new surroundings and be
completely relaxed with his new owner in a matter of days. Hopefully, in the handfeeding and
weaning process he has been taught to sample a variety of foods and has been sufficiently
handled by humans to develop trust and confidence.
The minimum size cage for a Cockatiel who has the opportunity for frequent exercise outside
his cage is 18 inches x 18 inches x 18 inches. This allows room for flapping of the wings and
moving about.If the bird is to be generally confined to his cage a minimum of 36 inches in
length, 18 inches in width, and 24 inches in height allows him additional room to fly back and
forth. The bars should be no more than three quarters of an inch apart for his safety and should
run horizontally across the front and back for ease in climbing. Add a swing and a few brightly
colored toys and your bird will have a happy home.
DIET
Good nutrition is an all important factor in maintaining your bird's health. We feed our cockatiels
mainly on pelleted foods. We know that with each morsel the bird consumes there is a perfect
balance of all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that he requires. Many pet owners and
breeders prefer to feed various seed mixtures formulated for cockatiels but these have the
disadvantage of allowing the bird to select his favorites, resulting in the daily discarding of a
good portion of the food that is required for a balanced diet. Our birds enjoy frequent treats
-greens in all acceptable forms, corn muffins or soft breads, etc. Canned kernel type corn is a
special favorite and a spray of millet is always pounced on with joy.
Cockatiels can easily be taught to say simple phrases and are especially talented at learning to
whistle little tunes. Their voices have a reedy quality much like the voice of a small child. Males
in general are usually more vocal but there are many individual variations. They all love to be
cuddled and petted and rapidly become completely devoted to an attentive owner.
BREEDING
For the novice breeder there is no better way to start than with a few pairs of cockatiels. With an
occasional exception, given sufficient time together they will accept new mates readily. Given
satisfactory breeding conditions they are quite prolific. Although there is considerable variation
an average for one pair yearly is ten young. We limit our birds to three clutches followed by a
long rest period.
CAGING AND NESTBOXES
We set our breeding cages up in L shaped, "bump out cages", 18 inches wide, 24 inches high,
and 48 inches long which we build ourselves. Complete details for the construction of these
cages are included in my booklet Cages - HowTo Build Them, How To Buy Them. Resting and
maturing birds are housed in large walk in flights.
We use standard cockatiel boxes,12 x 12 x 12 inches, the bottom covered by a two to three inch
layer of pine shavings mixed with a small amount of 5% Sevin powder,to discourage mites and
insects.
We use shallow, flat, water dishes in the breeding cages as moisture is important in incubating
the eggs. You will observe your sitting birds squatting in the water dishes, soaking their breast
feathers as well as drinking.
We post an index card on the front of each nest box and record on it the date each egg is laid as
well as the time sitting starts. We also mark the date on each egg with a soft tip permanent
marker. Regular ink will soon wash off. Twice daily checks of the nest boxes are recommended
to keep up with the recording of progress. Productivity can be greatly increased by close
observation making remedial action possible in problem situations.
SANITATION
In planning your breeding set up give careful thought to what your daily activities will be.
Sanitation is only secondary to nutrition in importance to maintaining your birds' good health.
Our wire cages are left open at the bottom allowing most of the debris to fall through to the
ground where frequent raking is necessary. My Mother's aviary is constructed on a cement pad
which requires frequent hosing. In this case drainage must be provided for. The cages are all
washed frequently as some droppings tend to accumulate on the wire. Water dishes are rinsed
and refilled daily. Both food and water dishes are washed in hot, soapy water and soaked in a
bleach solution at least weekly and more frequently if they appear soiled.
Nest boxes are thoroughly scrubbed, sprayed with a strong bleach solution, and allowed to dry
in the sun between each clutch. The shavings usually need replacing at least once while the
chicks are being fed by the parents.
All these chores are vital to successful breeding and there are no holidays. They go on -
Christmas, New Years and Fourth of July! At times it seems like stringing beads without a knot
on the end! Careful planning for maximum convenience, even in seemingly minor chores, is
well worth while when you consider the frequency which with they are repeated.
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