Should i get a cockatiel? I will be at school from 9 to 4. Please post pros.Also post any cockatiel sites.?

Question

I have never had a bird. I am very responsible and love animals.

Answer 1

Pros:
1. Sociable, gentle, sweet bird if brought up right.
2. Not as noisy or aggressive as other larger parrot family birds
3. Convenient size- does not require a large cage or specialized equipment.
4. Requires routine maintainence and interaction. Diet is easy.
5. Very affectionate and interactive

Cons:
1. Very sociable. Unless there is someone at home to interact with it during the day- it can get really depressed. I am talking pull its feathers out etc.
2. Unless handraised, it becomes a little more difficult to train it to be responsive to you. The links below will help.
3. You will be cleaning its poop by hand. Though maintainence is not extensive, it needs to be regular. Cage cleaned twice weekly, water changed every day etc.

In my opinion, a cockatiel is as close to a perfect pet as they get. If there is no one at home while you are at school, you can try seeing how it does with toys and other such things- and eventually you might want to get another bird.

http://www.cockatielcottage.net has a nice faq
http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/birds/a/cockatiels.htm - will take you to a whole lot of other links as well as supply some information to get you started
http://www.cockatiels.org/ - the most definitive site.

Answer 2

yes a cockatiel would be great bird to have. give it a few toys and rotate them weekly to keep bird from getting bored. play the tv or radio. my birds like the jazz station; keeps them calm. i leave bird to go to work all time. they will cherish the few hours you have with them. best sites are: american cockatiel society, birdsnway or just google cockatiel.

Answer 3

They make a lot of noise, with or without you around. You could always leave the tv or radio on, while you are out.

Answer 4

Good Luck on that!