Cockatiels?

Question

would a cockatiel be a good as a first bird? i have always wanted one. i have two dogs and one cat. i go to school for 7 hours would that be a problem? my mom stays at home though and would check on it. also do birds carry deseses that can be given to people? if you have any other suggestions on cockatiels that would be great.

Answer 1

Many people consider a cockatiel to be an ideal first bird.
The dogs and cat might be a problem. Do you know how they are around birds?

So long as your mom wants to give it some attention while you're at school, that would be okay.

Birds generally cannot give you diseases.

Before getting a bird, you need to do some research. A cockatiel can cost roughly $65 - $100. A decent cage will run at least $100. Then you have to furnish it with appropriate toys and perches. The first vet visit, depending on the vet and what tests are run can be anywhere from $50 to $250. Do you have a job? Are you able to be financially responsible for a cockatiel?

Many people don't realise the financial considerations that come with owning a parrot. If you can meet all of the above, then I suggest chatting with some cockatiel owners and maybe visiting a breeder or pet shop to get more acquainted with the birds and make your decision.

Good luck!

Answer 2

I have never had a cockatiel. But have read they are great for first time bird owners. I recommend getting one that is a youngster that has been handfed. Handfed birds are typically more well mannered and have already been used to being handled by humans so they are bonded to them. Of course they can get very expensive. You want it to have lots of toys and a large cage if it will be in there all the time. You will need to spend at least 1 or 2 hours with it everyday. Please keep it away from your other pets, especially a cat. OUr cat torments our bird, and cannot be left alone in the same room for more than 5 minutes. I would research first and see if you have the time and money to be a good bird owner.
Good luck

Answer 3

Cockateils make greatfirst birds, although I would get an hand reared one as it makes teh tmaing process easier espically since you woudl be ouit ofteh house for so long.

As long as the cats and dogs were not aroudn teh bird it prooabbly wodul not be a problem, but you wudl have to be extreemly careful.

You would also have to make sure your mum is prepared not t only look in on your bird during the day, but to give it lots of attention and allow it time out of it's cage. They need a minimum of two hours free flying time and the more human interaction the better!

Do a lot of research an find about tehir diet, habits, exercise needs and all of that first before you decide, but cockatiels are beautiful birds and make wonderful first pets! Good luck!

Answer 4

A cockatiel is a good first bird. If he has toys your school wont be too long. He would need a safe place for his cage so that the dogs/cat dont torment him. People mostly give disease to birds.

Avian flu can be given to people but it is in the wild migrating duck population not pet birds. You just have to make sure the you dont leave you bird outside where the wild birds can make him sick. He is more at risk of a predator bird trying to eat him than disease from passing birds. People have become sick from eating infected birds, so unless you are planning to go pick up a dead bird and eating it, you wont get H5N1 flu. The only other sickness you can get from you bird is a parrot flu but once again dont get a wild caught bird it does not make a good pet anyhow. Aviary bred birds are safe for people.

Answer 5

Hi there!

Cockatiels are wonderful, friendly little birds with a sweet and spunky personality. I definitly think hand-fed cockatiels are fabulous birds. However, I do not agree to the idea of a "first bird". This says to me that these "beginner" birds are somehow "less" then other parrots. Many people snub them becuase they are "too easy" or too "popular". They are popular for a reason! Cockateils (expecially handfeds) are soft little birds that rarely bite without considerably warning. They are also known for thier high-pitched contact calls. If not trained properly, they can become unbelievable screamers for attention.

Cockatiels were recently placed in the cockatoo family. Like other cockatoos, tiels crave attention from their people. They can become obsessed about it. Make sure your bird has plenty of things to do while you are away. You must spend time with your bird every day. Every day! Cockateils are also prone to obesity, so keep the fatty foods away from them. They are also very dusty. Instead of a preen gland (oil gland) to keep their feathers neat and dry, tiels have "powder down". Their down feathers actually crumble into a fine talc-like powder that can cover everything in a very short period of time. Tiels also need extra calcium because of the powder down as well as fresh fruits and vegetables every day.

I strongly disagree that people rarely get sick from birds. Allergies are extremely common- if anyone in your home has asthma or dust/dander allergies, a bird may not be for your. Also, the most common (non-parasitic) illness in pet birds is psittacosis- a flu-like virus that is zoonotic (attacks people and birds). It is not particularly harmful, unless someone very young, very old or with a suppressed immune system gets it. Birds can also carry various types of parasites, some of which can be passed to people. Also, birds can carry salmonella.

There is also a problem with bird feces. When dried, they release fecal dust in to the air. This dust can become accumulated inside the lung. This results in "bird keepers lung"- rather like "black lung" of the coal-mining era. This means you must keep your bird and your birds surroundings clean. It's also a good idea to get an air cleaner/filter for the bird room, both to keep the dust down and to keep the fecal matter out of the air. Bathing your bird every day with lukewarm water can help too.

A note of avian flu: THERE IS NO PROOF THAT PARROTS CAN CARRY H5N1. There is actually proof of the opposite. An aviary of small parrots (budgies and cockatiels) was kept with a flock of infected chickens in Thailand. NO parrot has ever showed any sign of infection. ZERO. Of course, "safety first" so don't let your bird ome into contact with wild or stange birds.

Becuase you have other, carnivorous pets, you must keep your bird somewhere where they cannot find him or her. This means a closed door. You CANNOT train instinct out of pets- dogs and cats are the number two reason for death of pet birds (escape being the first). NEVER NEVER EVER trust dogs, cats and birds together. It only takes a blink of the eyes, a split second for the training to fail and your bird is dead. They don't even have to kill the bird right away- dogs and cats carry bacteria in their saliva that is TOXIC to birds. Why take the risk? Keep them apart. If you are willing to take the time and effort, keeping animals separate is no big issue. If you are not willing to remember to close the door every time, don't mix species.

Parrots are wonderful pets- for the right peoepl in the right circumstances. You could be the perfect prospective bird owner, but if your situation is not good for one, please wait until your circumstances change.

Answer 6

I rescued my two cocktiels on Easter of this past year. Nancy and Sid as I call them had two other birds in their cage and they had died and when my friend's boyfriend told me they were his mother's bird and she only took care of the other cage with one bird in it ...I volunteered to take them. I have one bird now and that's Nancy she had laid eggs before and has began growing back her feathers...she had alot missing when I got her. Sid flew out my house one day when my mom was cooking... he was in our driveway two days later hurt...we took him back inside and he lived to fly out again when he was well. He never came back this time.

Nancy doesn't really fly...she move glides.
She lives in the living room since we moved in September.
She isn't friendly but rather skittish.

My first bird was an parkeet.
It died in the first 24 hours.
It was desersating.
I was really attached to her by then.
She has this ladder she'd climb up and down on.
She left me hold her.

My Second was also a parkeet.
Annabell.
She laid an egg in the wall cause of my sister's bird.
We thought she was going lay another but the white we saw in her butt area was a tumor and she died.

Then We had a indian ring neck I believe they are called.
He talked..got on our shoulders..like to pull on earrings.
He was into himself as well.
His mirror was his girlfriend.
We got him a parkeet.
He loved that parkeet so much.

Cockatiel is good as any bird for a pet.
I apologize for rambling on.

-childs.

Answer 7

they r great birds! i have 1 and hes awesom!
http://www.geocities.com/salayk/?20066
http://www.gotpetsonline.com/cockatiel/cockatiel-eggs/cockatiel-info.html
http://www.petboro.com/artcl_cockatielinfo.aspx
good luck! o and if u need help on deciding a name if u get 1 i suggest asking yahoo!