Pellet diet specifically formulated for your Cockatiel is recommended in order to meet their recommended dietary nutrition. This also prevents the Cockatiel from becoming too picky. Enriched seed mixtures designed for your Cockatiel are also great as long as your Cockatiel isn't only eating his favorite seeds and discarding the rest. To supply calcium, your Cockatiel should have a Cuttlebone in it's cage at all times.

Although pellets can provide your Cockatiel with the ideal nutrition you should also be sure to include variety in your Cockatiel's diet. Giving your Cockatiel a variety of foods will inspire them to eat. Cockatiel love fruits, nuts, beans, legumes, grains and vegetables(no avocado). You will enjoy seeing them flurry excitedly to their dish at each feeding time.

Your Cockatiel should have water readily available at all times.

Cockatiel droppings should be removed daily and the bottom of the Cage disinfected at least weekly.

Use Gravel Paper already cut to size and made especially for bird cages. This is the cleanest and easiest low maintenance way to go. It will absorb spilled water and droppings.

Once a month you'll want to disinfect the walls of the cage to protect your Cockatiel's health. The Water Dispenser and Feeder Bowl should be rinsed out daily and disinfected weekly. This helps protect against harmful bacteria. Cage Cleaners disinfect and dissolve hard dried-up droppings.

Trim your Cockatiel's nails and beak. Wing clipping is also recommended if you want to limit or eliminate the bird's flying abilities. If you do not feel comfortable trimming or clipping, an avian veterinarian or breeder will do it for a small fee.

Back to Top of Page >

Cockatiels have a reputation as gentle and docile birds who often like to be petted and held. Cockatiels are not as loud as some other parrots. Typically males are better at mimicking speech and whistles.

Cockatiels can be kept in pairs, but usually will not bond as well with their owners or mimic speech or sounds. A single bird is fine, as long as you spend a significant amount of time interacting with the cockatiel on a daily basis.

Cockatiels are active and playful and should have a large cage. The Cage should be at least 20 inches by 20 inches wide, and 26 inches tall as a bare minimum. The cage bars should be horizontal with no more than 3/4 inches of separation between them.

Back to Top of Page >

The Cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus), also known as the Quarrion and the Weiro, is the smallest and genuinely miniature cockatoo endemic to Australia. They are prized as a household pet throughout the world and are relatively easy to breed. As a caged bird Cockatiels are second only in popularity to the Budgerigar.

The only member of the genus Nymphicus, the Cockatiel has previously been considered a crested parrot or small cockatoo. However, more recent molecular studies have settled the debate. These indicate that the Cockatiel belongs in the Cockatoo Subfamily Calyptorhynchinae (commonly known as Dark Cockatoos). They are hence now classified as the smallest of the Cacatuidae (Cockatoo family). Cockatiels are natively found across the outback regions of inland Australia, and favour the Australian wetlands, scrublands, and bush lands.

Back to Top of Page >