Have you been on the edge of adopting a cockatiel? Wondering if they would make a good pet? Well, here are some reasons to convince you to own one!
8 reasons cockatiels are amazing pets
They are a smaller sized parrot
Many, if not most, of the characteristics that you would like in a parrot pet can be found in the gentle cockatiel. Cockatiels are the best bird that you can perch on your shoulder and not worry about it biting you or anyone around you.
A cockatiel does not grow much making it perfect for any size of living space, and keeps its nicer personality well into adulthood. A cockatiel can get plenty of exercise just flying around the room and you don’t have to worry about finding a super big cage for it either.
They have a gentle disposition
As with everything, there are exceptions, but you will find that most cockatiels you encounter are one of the nicest birds ever. Their young is pretty tamable as well.
Even the parent – reared ones only need some gentle handling to become the best and most loving pet. Once you have tamed them, they should remain that way, however, if you want to maintain their kind disposition then you should limit an adult bird’s exposure to daylight from 10 to 12 hours, as longer days can stimulate hormonal activity, territorial behavior, and nipping.
They don’t make a lot of noise as well
This species of parrot are usually kept in apartments and garner little, if any, complaints from the neighbors. On the flip side, you may even meet a few more of them if they are curious about your bird. It may be surprising to find that a single cockatiel may be even noisier than a pair of them, which will chatter more with each other.
Female cockatiels are generally quieter than males are, making only calls, while males will produce a plethora of noises such as whistling, chortling, drumming on their perches, and just generally showing off. Unfortunately, only male cockatiels can develop the ability to talk, and more often than not their vocabulary is limited to only a few words and phrases.
They have active social networks
They are millions of cockatiel lovers out there, and some of them reside on the internet where they share stories and tips for caring about their birds.
One search term will yield huge circles of cockatiel fans and bird clubs. There are even some specialty clubs that raise and show cockatiels such as the American and National Cockatiel Societies, and a thousand Facebook pages made for and by cockatiel lovers, and even a joint one for both guinea pig and cockatiel fans!
They are loving birds
Cockatiels generally love to be touched and shown affection. They will even beg you to rub the feathers behind their crest, going against the grain of the feathers.
Cockatiels may even like to get their cheeks rubbed, especially on their bright red cheek patches. Additionally, they would like you to scratch and help them to unfurl their pin feathers on their heads when those eventually grow in.
Even though they are both loving and affectionate, cockatiels love some ambient attention as well. They are happy enough when they are out of their cage while you laze around on your couch, reading a book or watching TV.
They love to be out and about
These birds make for great parrot ambassadors. They are more often than not gentle and personable enough with young people in classrooms, in the library, or even in senior homes.
These birds can learn to perch themselves quietly on top of strangers, and even younger children will love to learn just how soft their feathers are – when they are at the age when they know how to pet a fragile bird gently, of course.
You can show others how to care for a bird well with ease by pointing out that your bird has a good diet, which includes leafy greens, spends social time with you, and gets the occasional mist.
They have a varied diet
Cockatiels learn to love a varied diet only if it is introduced to them when they are very young and weaning. You can offer them some seasonal treats such as squash, yams, and sweet potatoes, all in addition to a nutritionally balanced diet.
So, offer them some greens or a seasonal vegetable daily. They are not big fans of fruit in their diet so avoid that and explore the world of vegetables that you can browse at the farmer’s market together.
You can buy some cockatiel toys to spoil them
Cockatiels will appreciate and play with their toys, they even have some unusual uses for bells, and have a knack for sleeping while they are wearing them.
They even like to play with some movable parts on toys and would love nothing more than to just chew on some wood. Similar to other parrots, cockatiels can see color and enjoy toys in different colors.
Cockatiels love to climb up everything and love a good swing. However, make sure that you pick out a cockatiel sized toy for them, as toys for budgies are too small and too fragile, while toys for bigger parrots are too dangerous and scary.
Cockatiels show that they are one of the most loving and gentle pets all around. They can fit in any sized home and usually bode well in apartments. Both you and your cockatiel can have a lot of fun just by interacting with each other.
Cockatiels simply love to be touched, but also just enjoy hanging out on your shoulder. You can find many more people that share your love for cockatiels online, giving you opportunities to make lots of new friends!
