Stop… Dinner time!
Birds are very high energy animals and need to eat a relatively large quantity and a wide variety of food every day. Your cockatiel has special needs for nutrition and you must keep this in mind when buying food from your local pet store. It is best to feed your bird some type of pelleted food daily, as this will be the best way to assure your cockatiel receives a well balanced diet. However, be sure to look at the content and size of the pellets in order to get the type that is made for cockatiels.

Birds enjoy eating other types of food as well. A well-balanced diet for your bird will include pellets, leafy greens, fruits and vegetables. It is a great idea to share small amounts of the healthy foods that you eat for your own dinner with your cockatiel. It can be a great bonding experience to allow your bird to eat when it sees you eating. This will make your cockatiel feel like you are both part of the same flock! But don’t give it a little bit of everything – stick to just the healthy foods, no desserts! Also be sure that the fresh foods you feed your cockatiel are washed well and free of pesticides and chemicals that could harm your feathered friend. Although cockatiels in the wild eat mainly seeds, nuts, and some fruit, you may also feed your bird small amounts of cooked eggs and other foods that are high in protein and good for your bird.

NEVER feed your bird the following items as they can be lethal to your pet:

• chocolate
• caffeine
• avocado
• soda pop
• dairy products (ONLY mammals drink milk!)
• human junk food
• plants from outside, which could have been sprayed with poisonous pesticides
• treats made for other animals like dogs or cats

These foods can cause your bird to become sick and/or overweight and otherwise unhealthy.
It is very important for your cockatiel to have access to fresh water every day. Some birds like to dip their food in water, so you may need to change your bird’s water twice a day, not just once. You may also see your bird trying to take a bath in its water dish, so be sure it is kept clean! Remember to wash your bird’s food and water dishes daily to avoid bacterial infections.

Here at The Toledo Zoo we feed our animals pellet food, Nutri-Berries, fresh fruits and veggies as well as some fresh leafy greens. If you are ever unsure about whether or not a food item is okay for your cockatiel, ask your avian vet before feeding it to your bird!

A healthy pet is a happy pet.
Just like us, our pets can get sick and need to go to the doctor. It is best to take your cockatiel to an avian vet – that’s a vet Just like us, our pets can get sick and need to go to the doctor. It is best to take your cockatiel to an avian vet – that’s a vet that is specifically trained to work with birds. Be sure you have contacted an avian vet before you take your new pet home.

In the wild, a bird that appears unhealthy will likely be the first one to be snatched up by a predator, so your bird will do everything in its power to keep any sickness hidden – even from you! Checking for slight changes in your bird’s weight can alert you to health issues that might not be obvious. Weighing your bird once a month is highly encouraged and many small postage scales can weight your bird to the gram.

Here is a list of signs your cockatiel could be sick:

• Feather-plucking
• Loss of appetite/not eating
• Weight loss
• Raw, scabby, missing or sore looking scales on the bottom of the feet
• Excessive sneezing
• Eyes less bright/less alert
• Change in normal behavior

A bird’s respiratory system is much more sensitive than that of a human. (Remember the canary in the coal mine?) Fumes, odors and scents that have no effect on you may really bother your bird. For example, if Teflon from cookware is overheated to the point of burning, your bird could die from the fumes! Look all over your house for things that can be hazardous to a bird, especially if it can fly. This includes other pets!

Remember, a good veterinarian will be happy to talk about your animal’s health, so don’t hesitate to call if something seems wrong.

Beauty School
We change our clothes every day, but birds only change out (molt) their feathers 2-3 times a year. This is a perfectly normal occurrence and keeps your birds feathers at their best. However, it should only be a couple feathers at a time, so don’t expect your bird to be completely bald from this (baldness would be a reason to seek vet care).

Let’s talk more about those feathers! They are unique to birds, who use feathers to fly, keep warm and ommunicate. Because of their importance and structure, birds spend a lot of time keeping their feathers in good shape. This is called preening. You’ll often see your cockatiel using its beak to “comb” its feathers. Since it can’t reach the feathers on its head with its beak, it has to use its feet to work on those feathers. In the wild, a cockatiel would let its flock use their beaks to comb the feathers on its head. If you don’t have two cockatiels, then your bird may enjoy your helping it to preen the feathers on its head by giving it a gentle scratch. You may have to start slowly to gain your bird’s trust, but once you have a trusting relationship with your pet, you’ll probably be able to lightly scratch its head and back.

Cockatiels have a lot of an extra type of feather called powder down feathers. This type of feather produces dust because it disintegrates when the bird preens, which waterproofs and improves the condition of the feathers. Your bird’s cage may seem to frequently have a layer of dust on it. For you and your bird’s health, it is important to keep this layer of dust to a minimum. This dust has been known to aggravate asthma and allergies in people.

Most birds like to take an occasional bath to keep their feathers clean and healthy. If you notice your bird trying to take a dunk in its water dish, try offering it a larger dish of shallow water for it to splash and play in. You can also do this in your sink, or you could even put a perch in your shower! Never force your bird to bathe and do not hold your bird directly under the faucet /shower head. Make sure the water is not too hot, and misting your bird is preferred. Misting and humidity from baths and showers are good enough alone for feathers, so never use soap, shampoo or other cleaning agents on your bird’s feathers.

If you choose to have a bird that does not fly, you can keep your cockatiel’s wings trimmed. Be sure to get instructions from your avian vet before trying it by yourself. Only certain types of feathers can be cut and don’t cut blood feathers. A blood feather is new/growing feathers that have an active blood supply and will bleed profusely if broken or cut. A cut blood feather
can be deadly to your bird—cornstarch can be applied to the feather to help stop accidental bleeding.

You may decide not to trim your bird’s wings but remember that this means if the cage is open, your bird can fly anywhere it wants! Make sure to bird-proof your home (no open doors/windows, watch for ceiling fans, etc.) and prepare to clean poop everywhere your bird can go.

Also, a bird’s nails and beak will sometimes need a trim. Nail trims are something that your bird’s veterinarian can do for you, or show you how to do, when you take your bird in for a check-up. However, beak trims should be left to your avian vet. You will also have to watch for bleeding when trimming nails as they also have a blood supply (cornstarch can be used to stop
bleeding if needed). You should always try to avoid cutting back too far to the point of blood.

Could I have some space please?
No cage can be too large for any bird, so get the largest cage you can afford that will fit in your home. It is recommended that you have a cage no smaller than 20” long, 20” wide and about 24” high. The more space your bird has in its cage, the happier it will be! Also, if you decide to have two birds in the same cage, the cage should be a bit bigger than the dimensions
listed above.

When you have decided on a size, look for a cage with as many horizontal bars as possible. This makes it easier for your bird to climb and hang on the sides of the cage. Also, try to find a cage that has small doors for you to easily access the bird’s food and water dishes. Some cages have a helpful bottom tray that slides out for cleaning and line this with newspaper to minimize mess. Also “seed catchers” or “seed skirts” around the edges of the cage can be purchased. All these things are very helpful since many birds eat their favorite food and toss the rest in all directions! Thinking about all these options now can
save much time and frustration later.

Time to decorate! Like your home, a bird’s cage should have several different places to rest. Using multiple perches or branches in different sizes and different materials (wood to stone) will add interesting space and prevent foot problems for your cockatiel. The perfect perch size is a bit bigger than your bird’s foot; they shouldn’t be able to get their toes all the way
around. Some stores sell soft hanging tents for bird that your cockatiel can snuggle in at night. Sounds cozy.

Now add toys! Adding cockatiel-safe toys will keep your bird active and prevent negative behaviors like screaming/squawking and feather plucking. Just remember to keep enough space to allow your bird to comfortably turn around and stretch its wings without bumping into the cage walls or lots of toys. Also, a ladder to help your bird get around in the cage is a great addition to the bird’s home.

Finally, check your cage for sharp objects or anything that the cockatiel could get its foot, beak or head stuck in. Great! Place this ready to go cage in a room that you spend a lot of time. It’s nice for your bird to be near a window in order for it to get some sunshine, but be certain that window isn’t too drafty and there is shade somewhere in the cage! Cold breezes and harsh
constant sun can upset your bird, and it could get sick.

Outside the cage, a cloth covering at night will help establish a day and night schedule that matches yours. This is not essential, but may be beneficial. Since your bird is naturally active during daytime hours (diurnal), it will tend to wake and become active (noisy!) at dawn. Keeping your pet covered will give it feeling of security and let it know it is time to rest.

It’s also a fun idea to have some type of play stand that your bird can sit on in the same room with you when it’s not in its cage. This can be as small and simple as one perch with a food and water dish or as elaborate as an entire jungle gym for your cockatiel to play on.

Clean up time! Now that you have a happy, living, eating, pooping cockatiel, it’s time to clean up. Every day you should remove any wet newspaper, bits of old food, and any other mess your feathered friend has made. Once a week or so, strip all the newspaper out of its cage and wipe down all the perches and any plastic parts of toys that can be cleaned. Remember to wash the dishes daily. If you choose to use a cleaning agent on the cage, be sure it won’t cause the cage to rust and that it is bird-safe.