About Cockatiels
Family: Cacatuidae
Nymphicus hollandicu

Description:
   These attractive little parrots are considered part of the cockatoo family (Cacatuidae). As a member of this family, they display their cute little erectile crests, as well as have their male/female colorings and their nesting behaviors. Young cockatiels are more slender than the adult, have incomplete feathering on the head, extensive barring on their breasts, and pinkish to light gray bills. Young birds reach full size at about 9 months, though they begin to molt at about 6 months and will continue to molt yearly from then on. The adult cockatiel weighs 3 to 4 ounces and is 12 inches from beak to the tip of the tail. The adult generally has darker feathers and beaks. Male cockatiels generally have brighter yellow heads and check patches, as well as prominent crests. Most cockatiels live 12 to 14 years, though they can live as long as 20 to 25 years.

   In the wild, the cockatiel is predominately gray. There have been a variety of color variations, or mutations, resulting in domestic breeding which are generally referred to as Pied, Pearl, Cinnamon, Lutino, and Silver. The basic pigments in the cockatiel are yellow, red, and black. The first mutation is the Pied, which has white and yellow spots on their bodies wherever they lack black pigmentation. The second mutation is the Lutino, which is where they lack black pigmentation, and the female generally becomes more brilliant than the male. The third mutation is the lovely Pearl, where they have white and yellow feathers with dark gray borders. The males molt back to gray while the females coloring holds. The fourth mutation is the Cinnamon, where the black pigmentation turns brown. The fifth mutation is the Silver, this a paled gray resulting because the black pigmentation has been partially reduced.

Distribution:
   All cockatiels are native to Australia and and live in the subtropics and temperate regions.The cockatiels are found over most of Australia except the coastal areas. They are not found in Tasmania.

Care and feeding:
  A commercial cockatiel seed mix is generally regarded as suitable along with a good vitamin supplement. You can also supplement with green foods such as dandelion leaves, weeds, carrot tops, celery, watercress, spinach, peas, seedling grasses, and millet. Various fruits will also be enjoyed such as apples, oranges, bananas and others. Proteins can be offered in the form of mynah pellets, game bird starter, dog food, and even mashed hard-boiled eggs. Pelleted diets will also provide a fairly balanced feed, however it does not contain the phytonutrients (antioxidant pigments) that are found in vegetables, fruits, grains, and seeds, so should be supplemented.
Although it was previously thought that grit was needed by cockatiels, it has been found that they do not need grit and can actually cause problems if given to cockatiels. Parrots that eat seed whole without shelling it first require grit, but cockatiels shell their seed before eating it so grit should not be provided . Cuttlebones are still recommended to help provide calcium and to help keep the beak trim.
   It is important to keep their wings clipped! This will prevent them from taking to the air and you never seeing them again, as well as facilitate you taming your bird.
   Fresh branches from trees and bushes such as oak, maple, and fruit trees will give hours of chewing and climbing pleasure while exercising and trimming the beak and nails.
   Give you cockatiel fresh drinking water every day. You can also provide soluble vitamins and minerals to the water.
   Your cockatiel will enjoy a bath!; Either with a dish in the bottom of the cage or a light misting with a spray bottle.

Housing:
   Cockatiels love roomy cages! It must be at least wide enough for the cockatiel to spread it's wings out without touching the sides, so a minimum of 18" wide by 18" high by 24" length (45 x 45 x 60 cm) is essential. A chew resistant metal cage is important, a wooden cage will easily be destroyed. A cage with horizontal bars on the sides are nice as they love to climb. Provide one or two perches about 3/4' in diameter and dishes hanging from the side for feed, water, and grit. Try to place the perches away from dishes so the food and water dish do not become soiled with bird droppings. Do not use plastic because your bird will chew and break the plastic which can become hazardous. A cage skirt or fine screen around the bottom of the sides will help lessen seed scattering. Place the cage in an area out of drafts and sudden temperature changes. Putting it at eye level or higher will make the bird feel more secure. Covering the cage at night is not necessary but will help to keep the bird calm and give it a greater sense of security.
   The cage bottom can be covered with paper, sand, gravel or a corn cob litter.

   A roomy outdoor aviary (depending on your area) can be a good choice. Cockatiels in an aviary can be housed with some finches and canaries. Do not house with lovebirds, however, as lovebirds can be very aggressive birds. The outdoor aviary needs to have a protected shelter that can be heated and cooled where necessary.

Maintenance:
   The basic cage care includes daily cleaning of the water and food dishes. Change paper bottoms daily and litter coverings every 2-3 days. Weekly you should clean and disinfect the cage. Wash and completely dry the perches and toys whenever they become soiled. Sand floors in aviaries should be renewed annually.

Social Behaviors:
   Cockatiels are very docile and friendly to people as well as other birds. In the wild they live in groups of about twelve birds, though they will flock in the hundreds after breeding season and where food is plentiful. Consequently they can be housed very well with other small birds of the non-parrot family. They like attention and handling. Both males and females make equally good pets!

Handling/Training:
   Very little time is required for training and cockatiels are easy to handle.Young birds, about 12 to 14 weeks old, are the easiest to train. It is easier to tame and train a single bird than two birds, as they will prefer the company of each other to you. Females are naturally quieter so males are better to train to talk. Have your cockatiels wings trimmed to limit the ability to fly, and have one person do the training to avoid confusion. If the bird is a biter, stick train it first and then move on to the finger.
   Taming and training is best done in a small room with few distractions. Training involves acceptance and trust between you and your cockatiel. Speak softly to the bird to calm it and always move slowly. Start from the floor and approach the bird from the side rather than head on.; With a treat held between two fingers, coax it onto your hand. It may try to fly and you may have to repeat this several times. Once it's on your hand, then you start having it step up from one hand to the other. If a bird bites hard and persists with biting, say "no!" in a loud firm voice and repeat the training. Repeat the hand-taming lessons several times a day but for short periods of time, about 20 minutes a session.
   Most trick training is accomplished with food rewards. Some of the more advanced training includes climbing ladders, ringing bells, and spreading it's wings. Cockatiels are more adept at learning beak tricks than claw tricks. They have high pitched voices and are not the very best talkers, but they can be trained with patience and repetition.
   When trained by one person, be sure to introduce the cockatiel to others to avoid it becoming a one person bird. Repetition, patience and time are the keys to successful training! For help with tricks and training, try Chet Womachs Parakeet/Cockatiel Training Course. For speech training try Teach Your Parrot to Talk.

Activities:
   Cockatiels love climbing and stretching their wings, as well as playing. Keep the quantity of toys and accessories in the cage light so that you don't inhibit the bird's movements. They enjoy a variety of toys such as seed treats, swings, ladders, bells, and mirrors. Tree branches and wooden chews provide excellent exercise and keep the beak trim. Bright shiny plastic toys are for parakeets, not cockatiels! Never give them rubber toys!
   A tame cockatiel will enjoy a playpen outside of the cage. It makes a superior cockatiel toy and can be equipped with ladders, perches, swings and hanging toys.
   10 to 12 hours of rest are needed each day for a healthy, well adjusted cockatiel.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   An excellent breeding choice because cockatiel is on of the easiest of the parrots to breed in captivity. In the wild, cockatiels will often pair for life, building their nests in tree hollows about 6 or more feet above the ground. A good size breeding cage is 48" wide by 48" long by 24"-36" high (120x120x60-90 cm high). The recommended nest box size is 12" wide by 16" long by 12" high (30x40x30 cm high) with a 3" hole. The box should have an inch or two of wood shavings or pine bedding in the bottom.
   Cockatiels should be 18 months to two years old to begin breeding. Keep in mind that pet cockatiels can often become aggressive toward you during breeding. Mating can be immediate or may take up to 4 to 6 weeks, during which time there will be a lot of mutual preening. The female will lay an egg every other day for a clutch of between 3 to 9 eggs. The incubation period is 18 - 20 days. The chicks will begin to leave the nest at about 5 - 6 weeks and will be totally independent about 2 weeks after leaving the nest.

Potential Problems:
   The cockatiel is a very hardy bird. However, signs of illness to be aware of are if a bird shows a lack of activity, the feathers are ruffled, or if it shows any signs of weight loss (weight loss can be quick and fatal).
   Some of the common illnesses and injuries your cockatiel could contract are broken wings or legs, cuts and open wounds, overgrown beaks and nails, lameness or sore feet, feather picking, feather cysts, weight loss, heat stroke, shock, concussions, egg binding, indigestion, eye disease, mites, watery eyes, colds, tumors, Psittacosis, coccidiosis, French molt, goiter, E. coli, Aspergillosis, conjunctivitis, constipation, diarrhea, arthritis and rheumatism.
   Set up a hospital cage where you cover all but the front of the cage and add a light bulb or heating pad to keep the interior cage at a recommended constant temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove all perches and put food and water dishes on the floor. If you don't see improvements within a few hours, an ailing parrot should be taken to a avian veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment.

   Behavior problems usually stem from something missing in the bird's environment. Cockatoos are particularly vulnerable to feather plucking because of their intense need for socializtion. Boredom, lack of trust, lack of interaction with other birds or people can lead to problems like biting, feather plucking, and screaming. Try to develop a bond of trust and spend time with your bird to help avoid these problems. We have also had good success with Chet Womach's Parrot Training Course. He offers free 3-day introductory course so you can try it out before you buy anything.

Availability:
   The Australian government instituted a strict ban on the export of these native birds in 1994, consequently, all the cockatiels in the United States are from captive breed stock. They are readily available in the pet industry in their natural grey coloration as well as in the many color mutations. Cockatiels are a fairly inexpensive little parrot.