Copyright 2007 Cockatiel Foundation, Inc.
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ARTICLE
| CHARMED BY COCKATIELS America continues its love affair with this elegant, captivating, and ideal companion parrot whose magnetic appeal and popularity continue to soar. © 2003 LINDA S. RUBIN Originally published in December 2001 issue of BIRD TALK magazine "All Rights Reserved" |
| Personality Plus Although long regarded as a popular aviary bird for many decades, the cockatiel continues to rise in popularity as the most widely kept pet parrot found in American pet homes today. And it is no wonder. For many, the cockatiel, with its clownish personality, graceful demeanor, appealingly upbeat and ever-cheerful disposition, is the absolute perfect companion bird. If a cockatiel is obtained while young, its sweet and loving personality makes it an excellent companion bird for children, the elderly, and the ideal family pet. Although it is commonplace for many parrots to prefer only one member of the family, or even one gender of humans, frequently, the cockatiel is an “equal-opportunity friend,” happily gracing the fingers and shoulders of all who offer. Good Things Come in Small Packages Cockatiels are the smallest members of the cockatoo family, Cacatuidae, and are the sole species of their genus. Similar to cockatoos, cockatiels have a retractable crest that they can raise or lower in response to their emotional state. Over time, it is possible to “read” a cockatiel’s reactions of alarm, excitement, aggression, and contentment, by observing the position of the crest. And, just like cockatoos, cockatiels produces a white, powder-down, which gives unbathed cockatiels a dusty appearance. The powder down is normal and necessary for healthy preening activities. However, it is crucial not to add any foreign substances to the bath water that may interfere with the production of powder-down. Plain bath water is best to keep the cockatiel’s plumage in peak condition in order to repel drafts and chills that can lead to illness. Unlike larger psittacines, cockatiels are relatively quiet parrots and make considerably less noise in comparison to the loud screeches of bigger birds. This may make the cockatiel an ideal companion for apartment or condo dwellers where loud squawking would be a concern. Additionally, cockatiels lack the ability to inflict a severely excruciating bite or cause any real damage that larger parrots are capable of. Although older, untame cockatiels can bestow a painful bite, handfed cockatiels are extremely docile when properly handled and socialized, and very rarely nip. Taming and Talking Ability Cockatiels will learn to talk more quickly once they are hand tame. Initially, only one person should be appointed as trainer to tame the bird and teach it to speak. Once the bird is at ease, other family members can participate further in the training. Although cockatiels are not considered good talkers - their speaking voice is more metallic and far less clear than larger parrots - both genders can be taught to talk. Cocks in particular are clever at learning how to whistle. The author does not deny her enjoyment whenever encountering a group of handfed cocks chortling wolf-whistles at her upon entering the aviary! One young hen the author sold to a new home was later reported to learn a vocabulary of some twenty-odd words. This is not unusual, since the talent in learning how to talk not only lies in the bird, but also lies in the persistence of the trainer. Handfed versus Parent-reared It is highly recommended to select a handfed chick whenever possible, or a young bird newly weaned, as it will be relatively simple to tame. Handfed chicks are already hand tame, and all that is necessary is time and interaction in order to bond to the new owner. Young cockatiels, newly weaned, but raised by their parents also make good pets. Parent-reared chicks may take slightly longer to hand tame, but they generally step up onto extended fingers within a few days. Cockatiel chicks wean at approximately 7 to 8 weeks of age, although some handfed young can require extra time. Generally, the author prefers to hold the young an extra week or two to be certain the chicks are eating completely on their own before going to new homes. As long as the chicks continue to be handled, they will remain tame. Some breeders like to sell unweaned chicks that require two or more feedings per day. It is both unnecessary and unsafe to secure an unweaned cockatiel, because handfed chicks do not need to bond to their handfeeders and handfeeding requires practice. Cockatiel chicks, once weaned, will easily bond to whomever becomes their future caregiver. Although it is not impossible to tame an older cockatiel, the challenge will be greater and more patience and understanding will be required. However, with perseverance and gentle persuasion, even with very wild cockatiels, it can be done. But this is not for everyone. |
| "Providing Resources to the Cockatiel Community" The Cockatiel Foundation, founded in June 2007, began out of a growing need in the avicultural community to offer its members programs for pet owners, breeders and exhibitors, in addition to services never before addressed in the cockatiel community. CF is establishing a Cockatiel Adoption & Placement Program to hrlp in the placement and rehoming of cockatiels to new, permanent "forever" homes. CF offers a wealth of information on color genetics, mutations, and breeding research. CF is addressing the needs of our Youth Members in the CF Youth & Education Program developed for tomorrows' next generation of cockatiel afficionados. Please visit our unique LOST & FOUND Center to report and reunite birds with their owners! Joining the Foundation When you join the Foundation as a Member, you will receive many benefits, including the Cockatiel Chronicle and have access to the Members' Only Yahoo Group for chat, PHOTO CONTEST, Members' Articles & more! Please read about our Membership benefits and peruse the website. COME JOIN US! |
Cockatiel Foundation, Inc.
c. 2006 Alyssandra Young
