How to Keep a Cockatiel Healthy

A healthy cockatiel can live for 15 years or longer. How can you help your birds to live happy and healthy lives, when they appear to be such small and fragile little creatures? Here are some steps to ensure that your cockatiel is by your side for as long as possible.

Things You'll Need

  • Avian Veterinarian
  • Fruits and Vegetables
  • Vitamin Drops
  • Dietary Supplements
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Locate an avian veterinarian in your local area. This is a veterinarian who specializes in birds. Most small-animal veterinarians treat mostly dogs and cats and don’t have much experience with birds.

    • 2

      Take your bird for an annual checkup. In the wild, birds have learned how to hide their illnesses from predators so that they will not appear weak. For this reason, by the time your cockatiel shows symptoms of disease, it may already be too late to save her. By taking her for a checkup, the veterinarian can run tests and diagnose any diseases before you even realize that your pet bird is ill.

    • 3

      Situate your cockatiel’s cage away from any drafts. Birds are sensitive to sudden extreme changes in temperature.

    • 4

      Offer your cockatiel healthy snacks such as pieces of fruits and vegetables. The breed has been known to enjoy a slice of an apple or a crisp leaf of lettuce. Cockatiels are sometimes choosy eaters and may only eat the types of seeds in their food that they like, causing them to not have enough variety in their diet and possibly create a vitamin deficiency. Giving them fruits and vegetables will help to combat this.

    • 5

      Add vitamin drops to your cockatiel’s water dish. This is another way to get your bird the vitamins and minerals she needs.

    • 6

      Keep her cage clean. Change the newspaper that lines the bottom of her cage on a daily basis, and give her fresh food and water every day. Doing these things will prevent harmful bacteria from forming in the cage.

    • 7

      Keep a watchful eye on your cockatiel whenever she is outside her cage. Make sure she doesn’t fly out of an open window or flutter into a pot of boiling water. As a bird owner, it is your responsibility to keep her out of harm’s way.