Cockatiel Care Guide: Proper Pet Bird Care

Cockatiels can make the ideal pet for a variety of animal lovers. Cockatiels are very social and intelligent companions that can be part of your life for up to 30 years if properly cared for. Proper pet care for a cockatiel's relatively minimal if done correctly. Taking a few minutes every day to care for your pet can ensure a long and happy life for your feathered friend. You can use this cockatiel care guide to learn how to properly care for your pet bird.

Cockatiel Care Guide: Housing

A vital aspect of proper pet bird care includes having the correct housing for your pet. It's important to select a good cage. You can often purchase cockatiel starter kit cages that have all the equipment needed to take care of a bird. Only use a cage made of metal or acrylic with a bar spacing of 5/8 of an inch or less. The cage should have a removable grate on the bottom for easy cleaning. Place newspapers (with no colored ink) on the bottom of the cage and replace the papers daily.

Cockatiels are very active and social birds that love to climb. Choose brightly colored toys that are assembled well for your cockatiel because they can become destructive when they are bored. Cockatiels love to climb, therefore you should place a couple ladders into the cage. A sturdy swing's a good idea as well. Avoid placing toys with mirrors in the cage.

Your pet bird will need plenty of perches. You can easily use dowel rods but apple or ribbon wood perches are the best. At least one perch will need to have sandpaper coverings to file the birds nails.

Pet bird care for your cockatiel also includes a cuttle board. A gravel rock is also important to have. These will give your bird plenty of things to chew on to keep their beak shiny and healthy. To aid with digestion, many chose to sprinkle gravel n' grit on the bottom of the cage sparingly.

Cockatiel Care Guide: Socialization

Cockatiels are very social animals. If they don't have a flock to socialize with, their owner needs to be their flock. Cockatiels enjoy social interaction and should be handled daily. Cockatiels are very smart birds and with social interaction they will often learn tricks and even begin to talk. Cockatiels easily bond with their owners due to their high level of socializing ability.

Cockatiel Care Guide: Other Tips

Cockatiels should sleep about 12 hours in a 24 hour period. A grumpy bird is never fun to deal with so make sure your bird gets plenty of sleep. You can ensure this by covering the cage at night. This will also reduce the risk of them becoming startled at night and hurting themselves. It will also keep any drafts off them that can make them sick.

At least once a week, clean the cage with warm and soapy water. Make sure you rinse and dry it very well. If any soap residue is left on the cage the bird can become ill. After cleaning it, make sure it's fully dried before placing the bird back in it.

References:

"Basic Cockatiel Care" Angelfire.com
"Cockatiel" Cockatielcottage.net