How to Care for a Female Cockatiel

Cockatiels are sought-after parakeets from Australia. These inquisitive and easily tamed birds will thrive in outdoor aviaries, but are commonly kept indoors, where the owner can best enjoy the bird's company. Cockatiels soon learn to mimic human speech and other sounds, and like nothing better than to be handled and taken out of their cage to play. However, male or female, these delightful members of the parakeet family do require daily attention, which the prospective cockatiel owner must be aware of.

Things You'll Need

  • Cage, 20-inches long by 20-inches wide by 30-inches high
  • Two perches
  • Food dish
  • Water dish
  • Grit dish
  • Bowl for bathing
  • Metal mirror
  • Wooden ladder
  • Grit floor liner
  • High-quality cockatiel seed mix
  • Fruit and vegetables in season
  • Cuttlebone
  • Mineral block
  • Avian multivitamins
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Obtain a cage measuring 20-inches long by 20-inches wide by 30-inches high. Your cockatiel must be able to open her wings without touching the cage and should be able to fly across the length of the cage. Select a cage with horizontal bars, as these are easier for your cockatiel to climb up. And ensure that the spacing of the bars is not more than 5/8-inch apart to prevent the cockatiel from getting her neck stuck.

    • 2

      Place a perch on either end of the cage, and hang a metal mirror and a wooden ladder in the cage as well. Supply food and water dishes and a third container for grit, which assists to grind down seeds in the cockatiel's gizzard. Also give your cockatiel a bowl of water in which she can bathe.

    • 3

      Place a grit-covered floor liner onto the bottom of the cockatiel's cage. These floor liners are easily removed when the bottom of the cage is soiled. The grit surface will also help keep your bird's nails trimmed.

    • 4

      Provide your bird with a high-quality cockatiel seed mix. Remove husks and the shells of seeds on a daily basis by blowing them away. Fill the seed dish on a daily basis. Supplement the seed mix with fruit and vegetables. Apple, grated carrots, peas, celery, corn kernels, beans and broccoli will all be readily accepted.

    • 5

      Hang a mineral block in the cage to supplement the bird's diet and to help keep her beak trimmed. Also, put a cuttlebone between the bars of the cage. Your cockatiel will wear her beak down by nibbling on the cuttlebone.

    • 6

      Provide your cockatiel with clean drinking water on a daily basis and add an avian multivitamin liquid to the water dish, as per your veterinarian's instructions.

    • 7

      Cover your cockatiel's cage at night to keep her warm and to offer her a safe and dark environment in which to sleep.

    • 8

      Look out for signs of egg laying. Non-breeding, single cockatiel females should not lay more than two clutches of infertile eggs a year, as it could cause a lot of stress and be bad for their health in the long run. Reduce the amount of daylight she receives by placing a cover over her cage after eight hours to prevent excessive egg laying. Rearrange the cage to make her feel less secure. Switch perches and swings around and remove any mirrors or toys she shows affection for. Eliminate any dark corners (such as a birdie bed or sleeping hut) that will encourage her to lay eggs. Remove any possible nesting material such as paper or wood shavings and move the cage to a different room.