Help before cockatiel dies!?

Question

My wife bought me a cockatiel for a late christmas present. We've had the cockatiel about about 5 days now. She got it from a petshop and it was not tame at all. When she brought it home it was hissing and trying to bite us. So, I put it in the cage. My wife took the bird out and said that cockatiels are not supposed to spend the majority of their time in a cage. She forced the bird to hang out with her most of the first day. And has had the bird on her shoulder now everyday all day except when she is cleaning and stuff. The bird is now very clingy to her. It follows her around and climbs up her body and back to her shoulder. It wants to stay there all day. My wife will say kisses and the thing puts it's beak to her mouth. I've told her that the bird isn't doing it because it loves her. It's doing it because it is afraid of her. My wife insists on petting it on its head and neck. The poor thing lays it's head down while she is doing this. Why doesn't she understand that she is hurting the poor thing? Not only that but today I witnessed something that was so scary. While my wife was eating rice and stew the bird perched on the side of her plate and she allowed it to eat from her plate!!!! RICE AND STEW!!?? Not only that she has been giving it cheese, lettuce, carrots, and all kinds of other stuff! She insists that bird seed isn't all that good and it needs other foods besides it. My wife will make this kissing noise and the poor thing will bob it's head up and down. I know it must hurt it's ears or something. Or else it wouldn't do that. all it wants to do is sit on peoples shoulders. She's going to kill this bird. How can I convince her to stop what she is doing?

Answer 1

Hmmmm, your wife bought YOU a late Christmas present? LOL I don't think so!

From what you've described, the bird has bonded with your wife nicely. However, please tell her that birds are lactose intolerant and should not have dairy products like cheese. The cooked rice is great for birds but if there was meat in the stew, it isn't a good idea for the bird to have that much protein.

Sorry, you've lost your Christmas "present" to your wife but overall it sounds like she is doing a wonderful job with the bird.

Silver2sea

Answer 2

I have a 20 year old Cockatiel named Softy. I had him since he hatched and I hand raised him. Dad and I used to breed Cockatiels, Canaries and Budgies. What ever your wife is doing is just fine. Softy is the same way to me. I can't have Softy's cage door open when I cook or do housework because he'll fly right to me. When my husband and I are sitting at the table to eat, and my husband sits on my right, Softy will fly around him and right to me. My bird also eats bread crumbs, toast off my plate. I had a grey Cockatiel named Fish and he used to sit on my shoulder and would eat toast and fried eggwhites. Not often though. But the other stuff like fruits is okay. Oh, your wife should give her bird a little piece of greens like lettuce once a week. It's good for digestion.When I say to Softy give me kiss he will peck at my lips too. And as soon as I put my finger to his head, he bends his head so I can scratch him. Birds love this attention. Maybe you're jealous of the attention the little old birdie is getting. My husband was for awhile. I had the bird before my hubby. Anyways, she's not killing this bird she's just loving the sweet little thing. Don't give to much of stew and other stuff just a little bit like a treat. Very little. When I sit to watch T.V. or sometimes when I'm on the computer, I'll have my bird on my shoulder. When I was still single I had him with me all over the house. I rarely had him in his cage. Married and raising two kids, I'm alot more busy so he's in his cage more often than before.

Answer 3

The only way I can see that your bird is in any danger is eating people food! Fruits and veggies...fresh ones are OK...but rice and stew...not! People food is for people. As far as the "kissing" the bird is not afraid. Cockatiels are very social birds and usually love being petted etc. Bobbing of the head is normal. As far as letting the bird put its head in her mouth...I'd worry about her more than the bird. This is not a healthy practice!! Never let any bird pick at your teeth or mouth in any way. I worked in a pet store and also owned cockatiels. We fed our birds fresh fruits and veggies but they should be removed after about an hour if not totally eaten. These birds are tropical and eat fruit in the wild

Answer 4

I have an african grey and we share dinner together every single day. We have been doing this for nine years now. I am very careful to cook nutritious foods and go organic whenever I can. I would never cook white rice, for example. There is no nutrition in white rice. I cook brown rice, and often mix in other healthy grains. My parrot is in the pink of heath: parrots are after all omnivores so meat here and there (lean chicken, NO pork) is very healthy for them. If you can get your bird to eat fish that's the very best of all: my grey likes salmon. The bird's diet should be varied and incorporate foods of high quality and packed with nutritious "punch". Hard cheese in small amounts is fine. Feta cheese is low calorie and high calcium so if he'll eat that it's wonderful. The bird may eat whatever we humans eat but remember not to feed foods with high sugar, salt or fat content. Alvocado is DEADLY to birds and so is CHOCOLATE. Avoid caffeinated drinks; no fizzy drinks either. Use common sense. Your wife is entirely correct about an all seed diet being nutritionally deficient. Just remember variety and quality!

The only problem with the way your wife is interacting with the bird is that she will not always have so much free time to entertain him. There needs to be balance: the bird needs to have plenty of toys available to play with on HIS OWN. A bird who doesn't learn to play alone becomes a very clingy and unhappy bird and is liable to feather-pluck, scream for attention, and so on. The bird needs a play area on top of his cage and toys inside his cage also. Teils love to chew and shred things.

Answer 5

um the cockatiel likes her company but the eating off the plate will become a nasty habit.they shouldnt be fed too much human food due to health risk.cautle bone(i think is the name) and different kinds of seed are good feed and treats for them.fruit and grasses are good too.they dont have to be out of the the cage to often,for a little time everyday is good but time in the cage wont hurt it unless neglected.if the bird becomes obsessed and she cant spend as much time with it,its health could be at a risk because it needs that much time with her and it just wont be pretty sight for all.tell her too much cominy will be the demise of the bird and will end up hurting hers too if she becomes too attached,that some attacchment is good but not 24/7,like everything else it needs time alone also.if the bid gets company in the form of another bird it wont cling to her as much,its lonely and she offers friendship to it which wont be passed up.so theres a possible idea and i hope it helps.

Answer 6

1. well she doesnt need to feed it stew & it needs to stay in his cage atleast 3-4 hrs. a day. the lettuce & everything is else ok. it is actually good for them & is better than the dried fruit in their seed. but they really need bird seed. it has vitamins in it that they need.
2. they like being rubbed on the sides of there heads (where the orange/yellow spot is) but there ears are under that spot. rubbing his head to much will give them a sore ear. its like a scratchy noise being right beside his ear & they have sensitive ears. its fine to rub them but not too much.

i understand it is hard to stay away from it but it does need to be alone for a little while. i hope everything turns out alright!
be sure to tell her this info came from a cockatiel breeder or show it to her!

Answer 7

1. sounds like somebodys jelious
2.that bobbing up and down,it means it like that
3. chill out carrots and lettuce are good things
4. no cheese,rice, or stew PLEASE!!
5. your wife is not killing it shes helping it birds love the atintion.
6. jelious. jelious.jelious

Answer 8

You're right.A cockatiel needs to eat fruits,vegetables,and its dry food from its own bowl not your wife's.

Answer 9

Your wife is right. & it sounds like she has done a great job with it.

Answer 10

bobbing its head up and down doesn't mean its hurting his ears, its a happiness thing.