New baby cockatiel!!

[Maria_Metropolis]

Well I purchased a White Face Cinnamon Pearl Pied Cockatiel male who was hand fed, and already seen by avian vet Dr. Scott McDonald. He will be going for a second check up soon. He's getting acclimated to his new huge cage - it's a stand alone cage around 2.5 x 1.5 x 3 feet wide, but with correct bar spacing.

We named him Muffin, and he's 7 weeks old. He has several pearches. His cage is so huge, maybe we'll be able to get him a friend one day.

Yes, he was an impulse purchase, because I was looking for a Budgie, and I was at a small bird fair. I liked the breeder, she asked me a million question before she allowed me to take him home. He is very tame, and steps up, and is very cuddly. Although he has two weeks of hand feedings left, which I took on, as I was familiar with doing them from my cockatoo.

So I'll probably have lots of questions. Wish us luck!

 

[thekarens]

He's beautiful, congrats!

 

[Mike17]

Lovely bird, Maria, and a long title

 

[Maria_Metropolis]

Thanks!! I appreciate the kind words.

 

[Megapixel]

I love the white face mutations.

 

[Maria_Metropolis]

Question. Since he's tame and hand fed, and he was cuddling with me on my hand, and he readily goes to me, do I have to leave him in his cage much of the day? I've read that a new cockatiel must not be removed from his cage the first few days to a week or more, in order to get acclimated to his surroundings.

He is not a pet store bird, and he was in a cage with just three other small birds when I obtained him. He walked around with me at the fair, and he didn't want to leave my hand when my husband wanted to take him. . . . LOL!

I am ambivalent about the kids handling him just yet, except my daughter, who is very calm and careful. I think he needs more time to acclimate to my sons, and of course, I have no problem with my husband holding him.

 

[Megapixel]

Question. Since he's tame and hand fed, and he was cuddling with me on my hand, and he readily goes to me, do I have to leave him in his cage much of the day? I've read that a new cockatiel must not be removed from his cage the first few days to a week or more, in order to get acclimated to his surroundings.

That may be a general rule people hand out, but it really depends on the individual bird. If the bird has no issue with being handled and being away from the cage, there is no reason to leave him locked up if he doesn't need to be.

 

[Maria_Metropolis]

We're planning on leaving a night light on for him too, because of cockatiel "night frights" and his cage is very large. I'm hoping I can get him to eat the new Zupreem uncolored pellets we purchased. He loves spray millet a lot though. He's hand feeding still, and he ate a good dose of formula in the evening.

I'll search the forum for nutrition recommendations, but if anyone has any others, feel free to comment.

 

[Maria_Metropolis]

LOL! He's preening my hair, and he wants to be with me. He's soooooo cute. Avian vet visit tomorrow. He's eating, and drinking in his cage, and getting very used to his surroundings. I was worried he wouldn't find his water. Oh, its like having a baby again, except not as much work. . . for now. I have to get a few more perches and toys, but since he's a baby, the perch is lowered for now, that's his cage in the background, and my messy computer desk (sorry!).

He needs a nail trim, hence the reason my daughter is wearing gloves, but his nails don't hurt me that much. The vet will trim them tomorrow.

 

[MomtoPercy]

He's just gorgeous! Congrats!

 

[Blueridge]

He's beautiful. I really like his color..

My bird was an impulse purchase too.. When I went to the pet shop I was planning on getting a Cockatiel but I found my quaker parrot instead. I love him so much.

Congrats and good luck with Muffin! Cockatiels rock! You can teach him all kinds of tricks too!

 

[GaryBV]

Oh Maria he's just so pretty - how exciting for you. Also in a picture there looks like you have the Prevue F040 cage - and that would be a perfect cage for him. I've never seen that coloring on a cockatiel before, but I'm not an expert on them. Congrats and best of luck with your new baby

 

[Maria_Metropolis]

Oh Maria he's just so pretty - how exciting for you. Also in a picture there looks like you have the Prevue F040 cage - and that would be a perfect cage for him. I've never seen that coloring on a cockatiel before, but I'm not an expert on them. Congrats and best of luck with your new baby

Thanks Gary!

I don't think ours is that brand. Our cage is as wide and deep, but not as long. Our cage was $165 an it has a nicer door opening than the Prevue, and a lock. It's pretty large for him. He is just around to getting to explore it, but I have to buy more perches and toys. The breeder told us to get this cage when we showed it to her at the bird show. It's bigger than most cockatoo and Ekkie cages I've seen.

He's preening my ten year old daughter's hair right now. So cute!!!

He likes everyone in the house, we're his flock buddies.

 

[PieMaster]

He is super adorable! Congrats

 

[GaryBV]

Well it's terrific that his cage is so big. In cages, I think bigger is always better - and cockatiels have such long tails in proportion to their body that I think a big cage is even more important. You sound so thrilled with him it just made me smile reading your posts and I swear I could FEEL your smile in your typing lol

 

[UMARKHANMARDAN]

Gorgeous & what i really like about Cockatiels there response to owners love.I really love the sweet voice when the bird is good mood, spreading his wings & whistles.

 

[Maria_Metropolis]

The breeder clipped his wings, so he's not able to fly. He just gently flutters to the ground. Perhaps I should do a cosmetic clip the next time his feathers grow in so he has some flight capability, but he doesn't go to the moon and back. What do you think? I think he should still be able to fly.

We're very very very happy with him. I added more varied wooden perches (natural) to his cage and more toys, and now I'm trying to get him to like veggies, which isn't going to be easy. He's addicted to spray millet. He enjoys exploring his cage, eating and and being with us He fell asleep on my knee yesterday as we watched a little television after a long head scratch.

He is so comfortable around the family. We took him by the piano and looked so happy and content on my husband's shoulder while he was playing. It was so adorable.

Stop taking pictures of me Mom!!!

 

[GaryBV]

Wow I wish every bird had such an easy transition to a new home as your new one has, he seems right at home.

 

[Maria_Metropolis]

I think he's going to be very vocal, because he chirps A LOT! Even when he's comfortable sitting on me, and I'm cuddling with him, he chirps and chirps. He sounds like a cricket at this point. LOL! He likes to crawl into the nape of my neck and into my long hair, like he's hiding, and we cuddle a lot.

I'm trying to get him on pellets. I crushed them with my spice grinder, and threw them on the clean kitchen table, and he started eating them, little by little. He's on one hand feeding a day per doctor's orders, at night. I also give him one sprig of millet a day, but not in his cage, otherwise he won't eat his regular food. He tried a tiny bit of left over turkey my son was eating from Thanksgiving, and he liked it!!

He even tried a green bean, but it was just a few pecks at it.

Well, thanks for listening. I am just gushing all over the place about my new baby.

Ignore the red mark above his eye, I accidentally kissed him with my lipstick on, and I was promptly scolded by my daughter for doing so.

 

[TessieB]

What a beauty! When I hand raised cockatiels I was always amazed at how the youngsters seemed to adapt. One clutch I actually took to work with me as the parents abandoned them (new parents). Since I worked in a vet clinic, I simply put them in an empty dog cage-each one was in a padded bowl and supplied heat to the appropriate temperature. The vet, who was not an avian vet, was stunned at the care needed to raise them. He was kind enough to allow me to slip away every 15 minutes or so to tend to the youngsters. As they grew I had an audience during feeding time. And had people eager to buy the youngsters when I weaned them.

Despite the hour trip twice a day in a car, the youngsters managed to do well, and had no issues with the barking of dogs, ringing of the phone, and yowling cats. When the cockatiels were ready to go, there was no issues with change of environment. These youngsters were used to traveling, changing cages, and gawking people. I did have one owner who lived alone note their bird seem to enjoy the TV and radio.

So I guess if a hand-raised cockatiel is exposed to different things while maturing, settling in a new home is no problem.