Architectural Designs

Cockatiel stuff questions?

Well I'm getting a Cockatiel on June 4th (MOST LIKELY) this year(88 more days (self countdown)). I've been gathering lots of random information from the internet and pet care brochures from pet stores. So I was wondering: 1)Is this a good size cage?:http://www.petco.com/product/114144/PETCO-Designer-Brown-Ranch-Style-Top-Cockatiel-Cage.aspx 2)Would this be a good outside cage toy for a cockatiel & 2 parakeets(but not at the same time):http://www.petco.com/product/105862/Super-Pet-Feathered-Fun-Desktop-Activity-Center.aspx 3)Do they release a lot of dander? 4)What's their relationship with parakeets? They won't be housed together, but they're going to be housed really near each other. One of my parakeets is semi-tamed, and the other is really not tamed... So I want to know if they'd get along? 5)I PLAN(emphasis because I might not) on getting a tamed cockatiel from a nearby bird store(magnolia bird farm), but obviously it's not really going to be tamed to me, so how can I make it feel warmed up to me? These're the main questions I have and I plan on getting a grey cockatiel male.OH AND *** HOW DO I SEX THE COCKATIELS??? I'LL BE GETTING ONE THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS: http://www.cockatielcaresecrets.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/cockatiel-care-300x274.jpg It's going to be like 3-4 months old most likely so is there a way to determine it earlier? THANKS IN ADVANCE!

Public Comments

1. 1) very good choice of cage an even smaller one would even work. i think you will be a great owner and have a good friendship with your cockatiel. but make sure you don't put the 2 parakeets with the cockatiel in the same cage, they can really hurt each other. 2) yes i think your birds will enjoy playing with that toy any toy will work though i give my parakeets bells and they start to wiggle it and bite it. also make sure before giving it to the birds you clean it because it might have germs. 3) no they do not realese dander at all i have had 6 cockateils and none had any dander trust me. 4) no they will not ghet along especially if your parakeets are male and female the male will get jealous and maybe hurt or even kill your cockatiel ( sorry for the harsh language) 5) how to sex a cockateil? With normal grey cockatiels, and many of the mutations, hens have grey feathers mixed into the cheek patches, giving them a grey or duller appearance, however, brightness of color does not apply to sexing cockatiels, since the mutation lacks grey pigment. Aside from the barring/spots on hens, male and female greys have the same bright colors. In addition, all hens have wing spots, or tiny pea size dots along the lower half of each flight feather. like this: http://www.cockatielcottage.net/cockatiels4.html best of luck! and god bless
2. It's time for you to join a cockatiel forum. Although I've had experience with cockatiels in the past, I haven't had any of these birds for almost 30 years. You can chat with lots of cockatiel owners and share your concerns with people who are dealing with the same issues. http://talkcockatiels.com/forum.php As for your questions, here: 1) This is of adequate size, although bigger is always better. Imagine this cage with lots of toys and dishes in it. As illustrated, they are only showing one perch and the bird itself. There may not be sufficient space to allow the number of toys, perches & dishes that most cockatiels need to be happy. 2) That particular toy appears to only be suitable for budgies. Cockatiels are probably a little large for it. 3) Yes, they do produce LOTS of dander/dust. 4) I kept cockatiels and budgies at the same time and would have nothing to do with each other. Of course, others may have differing opinions (hence the link to the cockatiel forum.) 5) Getting a hand-fed, human-reared bird is always preferable to an aviary bird. They are more trusting with humans, which makes it easier for a first-time owner. 6) DNA-sexing is the current method for identifying most birds. However, standard cockatiels are sexually-dimorphic (each sex looks different in some fairly obvious way). The males have bright orange cheeks, while the females will have softer orange cheeks. This is only in the standard cockatiels, but not with the many "new" colour mutations out there. In the event that your bird looks just like the one in the link posted, rest assured it is a male (bright orange cheeks.) :P
3. 1.) This is a pretty good sized cage for one cockatiel. I personally prefer ones without the fancy tops (birds tend to feel more secure and there is more space) but this cage is still alright. 2.) I would have to say no to this one. This looks to be made of mostly (or all?) plastic. This will do nothing for a parrot. Nothing to chew on or play with and it is very small. Plastic perches have no benefit either. I would look for a play pen that looks more like this: http://www.ioffer.com/img/1133164800/_i/9530925/1.jpg 3.) Cockatiels are pretty dusty birds because they have down feathers, which disintegrate into dust. These are not the best pet birds if you or someone in your household has bad allergies or asthma . 4.) Cockatiels and parakeets can be kept near eachother but should not be allowed out of the cage together. This can result in serious injury for one or both of the birds. Don't take any chances! 5.) See http://www.cockatielcottage.net/bite2.html The most important thing to remember about baby cockatiels is that you cannot tell the difference between the sexes visually. ALL baby cockatiels will visually look like females. It is not until a cockatiel is 6 months old that it will start its first moult and get its adult feathers. Then, depending on the mutation, you can determine visually if it is male or female. You are in luck as the normal grey cockatiel is the easiest to sex. The males will develop a bright yellow face, with the females retaining the grey face. Females, and babies, will have stripes on the underside of the tail, and on the underside of the wing feathers. These stripes are lost in the males at the 6 month moult. Photo for comparison: http://www.cockatiel-birds.com/breeding-cockatiels-my-breeding-pair-of-birds-7061.jpg