Raising Cockatiels

A cockatiel is a small social parrot that is usually gray in color, with mixtures of brighter shades. The tail feathers make up for about half of the bird's entire body length. Its beauty is matched by its strong personality, whether it acts playful or, in some cases, is a pest. Some cockatiels develop behavioral problems after adolescence, such as aggression and disobedience. Overall, however, the bird is social and fun.

  1. Social

    • Cockatiels are very social animals and love to perch on your shoulder. The bird tends to stay on your shoulder, where it enjoys being scratched on the head, and doesn't venture away very often. When they do fly off, it is usually to explore other areas and to interact with other people. Some cockatiels even like taking showers with their owner. When out of the shower, cockatiels love to be picked up and demand playful attention. For example, the bird rushes over when it hears a crinkling bag.

    Food

    • A high-nutrition diet should consist of veggies and bird pellets. Too many dry pellets can cause the bird to have kidney failure and other health issues. The bird should eat a variety of foods. Many owners succumb to the tempting solution of feeding seeds and pellets to the cockatiel, because it's an easy menu to serve. But cockatiels demand treats, which can consist of whole-grain bread, chicken, egg and fresh seeds. Be patient when introducing your bird to healthy food, as it may be reluctant.

    Age

    • Most cockatiels live to be between 15 and 20 years old, depending largely on the quality of their care. Some cockatiels don't live past 12. The oldest reported cockatiel lived to be 35 years old. How long your cockatiel lives depends on how well you feed it, and other living conditions such as companionship and level of stress and exercise. You can decrease stress and increase activity by allowing the cockatiel to fly, which it enjoys periodically.

    Natural Habitat

    • The bird is native to Australia, where it lives in an arid or semi-arid environment, and always close to water. Cockatiels move around and stay in multiple areas, depending on where they can find food and water. Hundreds of cockatiels sometimes flock on a single water source. The species is considered a pest to many farmers, because they move into farms and pillage crops of food before they is harvested.