The cockatiel has become a popular choice of slightly larger bird to be kept as a pet. Cockatiels are smaller than cockatoos but adult cockatiels have longer tail feathers. The cockatiel's attractive colors, gentle nature, hardiness and easily-maintained diet are all factors that contribute to the appeal of this species.
Cockatiel Behavior
Pet cockatiels make excellent companions and individuals often form a strong bond with their owner.
Cockatiels are long-lived in captivity, normally living into their late teenage years and sometimes beyond. Exceptional cases have been known to live up to 25 years. Part of their appeal as pets is that they are good with children, being not too large and very affable.
Cockatiels like having their neck scratched and can be trained, with persistence and patience but relatively easily, to talk and whistle. Some individual cockatiels seem to prefer to learn to whistle some quite complicated tunes rather than talking. Generally male cockatiels are both more vocal and more able to learn to talk than females. If the cockatiel starts hissing or swinging its body, in normal circumstances this is a rare sign that the bird is agitated.
For the more serious-minded birdkeeper, cockatiels thrive when kept in pairs or groups, though they tend to be more noisy in groups. Their gentle nature mean that they can be kept with finches, for example. Cockatiels get along particularly well with waxbills. A sizeable aviary would be required, but the combination of colors and behaviors of these different birds is very attractive.
Cockatiel Colors
Bred for many years, there are many color variations of cockatiels available. The natural and common color of cockatiels is a grey body with a yellow head, orange patches on cheeks and white edges to their wings. The colors develop as the cockatiel matures. The colors of the male cockatiel are brighter than the female, and females are also more likely to have striped effects rather than white on their wings and tails.
Cinnamon cockatiels, pied variations and pearl mutations are also popular varieties. The silver cockatiel was developed in the late 1970s and has become increasingly common because this color is a dominant factor when breeding. As with other pet birds, lutino varities are also popular but care must be taken if selecting an appropriate lutino specimen as they tend to be more highly-strung than other cockatiels when kept as pets.
Cockatiel Diet
The diet of a pet cockatiel is easy to maintain. The main ingredients are budgerigar seed or sunflower seed. The balance of the diet, which should be moderate in quantity and varied, can consist of sweet apples, carrots, and varied green vegetables. This creates an easy way to administer vitamin, mineral or health supplements by adding them into or powdering them onto the fruit or vegetables. It is wise to thoroughly wash all fruit and vegetables before feeding to any pet birds.
Cockatiel Cages
Although adult cockatiels are generally no more than about 12-14 inches long, they do thrive on activity and like to fly, so that a large cage is advisable. Although relatively light gauges of metal can be used for the cage mesh, the cage should have a bar spacing no more than 0.75 inches wide to prevent them trapping their heads in the bars while exhibiting their inquisitive nature. Kept in a house or apartment, if possible it is preferable to let them exercise by flying outside the cage having taken sensible precautions.
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