Can anyone answer some questions for me?

[greys4u]

@brooke wikette. The movie is Back to the future with Michel J Fox

 

[brooke wikette]

Ok sounds good! I will keep that in mind. Thank you!

 

[Tara81]

"Sometimes my cockatiel, Marty, will just look down and raise his wings and chirp. "

This can mean multiple things. Stretching, Showing off (excited), Claiming the cage as his territory are all reasons for wing spreads. All natural

"Second question, do you think it's good to have a mirror in their cage."

Usually males get more attached to mirrors then females. I would say to take it out and put another toy in there. This could be a reason why he is more territorial of his cage as well.

"But when I were to stick my hand inside his cage, he will get cage territorial and hiss at me."

Don't put your hand in the cage if he opens his beak, moves away, shows any signs of being territorial. Try luring him out with millet and/or a perch. Or try letting him come out on his own.

"Fourth Question, what are some signs a bird is calm, happy, or content?"

Preening, fluffy, happy chirps (whistling/singing), sleeping, the crest down abit, playing with toys, foraging for food, allowing cuddles.


"Fifth Question, Marty will chirp a whole lot at night time which is generally the time that I can hang with him for hours straight and he will chirp like CRAZYYY."

They are birds and birds love to make noises. Only the females seem more quiet. But even so, my female tiel will scream when I leave the room to say "WHERE ARE YOU ITS DANGEROUS TO GO ALONE COME BACK NOW I NEED YOU" all natural. She is also more talkative (chirpy) in the mornings to tell me how happy she is to be with me. If the loudness really bothers you, try training your bird to fly to you to exert some energy, or give him some interesting toys he likes.

 

[brooke wikette]

Ok thank you! Do you have any tips on taming a cockatiel. I always get excited when I think i’m making progress but really I don’t think I am. Marty is sooo tough on me and I have had him since december of last year!!
I have interacted with him so much, and I just don’t want him to turn out as a bird that never will tame up to me and will constantly be a bird in the cage all the time. I don’t want him to get depressed...

 

[Tara81]

food bribery and going at his or her own pace without forcing anything. The bird needs to trust you completely in order to let you touch him. It takes a lot of time and patience. Convert him to a healthy diet of fresh vegetables, sprouts which can also take time. Then slowly remove his seed once he eats his healthier food. Then, offer him millet after his healthy meals , from your hand if he will allow it. If not, show him the treat, and place it in his favorite treat dish. Eventually he will run to the dish when he sees you with a treat. That is when you can try feeding him from your hand instead. A bird who eats only seed is not getting all the nutrition it needs, and has no reason to come to you for treats.

 

[Tara81]

Healthy food meals should be like this:

Meal 1 :
Cooked Vege (mashed or unmashed) + cooked Quinoa (you can portion and freeze + unthaw a portion overnight in fridge - should last 2 months in freezer)


Meal 2:
Sprouts! Soak 10-12 hours , rinse in strainer, spray diluted apple cidar vinegar, rinse, then rinse every 6-8 hours, place in fridge overnight, then next day spray with diluted apple cidar, rinse + repeat cycle.


Meal 3:
Raw chopped Vegetables!


Treats:
Dehydrated Vegetables, Pellets, Seeds, Bird Muffins/Bread.

 

[brooke wikette]

OMG! I really want to do those meals for my cockatiel!! I heard it is bad for your cockatiel to eat only seeds as it puts a lot of pressure on their heart. So are you saying I should still interact with him but quit trying to feed him millet spread because is diet is already unhealthy for a cockatiel? Cause if so, can you give me those recipes!!! And if it lasts up to two months then I totally could do it!! OMG thank you all so much! This made me so happy and I don't know why.

 

[iamwhoiam]

Nothing wrong with feeding a cockatiel seeds. They do need seeds in their diet. I feed a combination of Volkman Cockatiel no sunflower and Mazuri Small Bird Maintenance pellets. They also get chop, mixed veggies, Lafeber Avicakes and Parrot Popcorn, millet spray (infrequently), Caitec Oven Fresh Bites pellets and baked birdie treats from different vendors. Except for the seed and pellets the other items are rotated.

 

[brooke wikette]

Yeah I know, but I don't want his diet for the rest of his life to just be seeds because it can be hard, from what I have heard (But you cant always believe everything you hear) I have attempted to give him stuff other than seeds before but he just leaves it in his bowl just to rot. In conclusion, I want to find another nutritious food for him so then I can give him so millet so maybe he will tame better. I just want him to be healthy

 

[brooke wikette]

Where can you get those items of food and pellets too. Like did you buy it from your local pet store or offline?

 

[iamwhoiam]

Not saying all seed but a combination of seeds and pellets and then the other types of foods such as chop, veggies, etc. You have to keep trying with different foods and not giving up. Neither of my 'tiels would eat veggies at first and now they like them, mainly corn and carrots. Another favorite are carrot tops...the leafy green parts of the carrot.

I purchase Mazuri here:
Small Bird Maintenance Diet | Mazuri® Exotic Animal Nutrition
Other stores do sell it. Do a search online.
Volkman and Lafeber products are sold by multiple vendors such as http://www.chewy.com

 

[brooke wikette]

Ok thank you! Yeah i’m going to keep trying to find foods he likes thank you for all the help!!!

 

[brooke wikette]

I have never given him pellets but i’m going to try to find some.

 

[iamwhoiam]

I have never given him pellets but i’m going to try to find some.

You can contact some of the pellet manufacturers and see if they will send free samples. Let them know you want to try some of their products before buying and ask if they offer samples. Lafeber will send a lot of samples of nutriberries and avicakes. Just send them an email and tell them what kind of bird you have.
Contact Lafeber - Bird & Small Mammal Food - Lafeber Company

 

[brooke wikette]

Ok thank you! Can you give your cockatiel some spaghetti do you know? I’m going to try to find some recipes to make some bird muffins and healthy and nutritious meals for him to make a better immune system and to make sure he is constantly healthy And I will find some pellets But I will still give him some seed

 

[Tara81]

seeds, grains or sprouts are still needed in the diet as they are a great source of protein and vitamins like E and B. A varied diet is best, 20-50% seeds/grains/sprouts, 20-50% vegetables, 10-30% pellets. Kale, brocolli and sesame seeds are sources of calcium i believe. You can feed boiled egg once a week during molting for extra protein, and I think egg has vitamin D as well. Fruits can be fed once every 2 days but are not necessary .

Birdy Bread Recipe

1- 2 cups Almond Flour / Corn Meal (not jiffy - no added salt etc) / Whole Wheat flour
1 cup shredded vegetables ( Carrot / Kale / Brocolli / Leafy Greens/ Peppers )
1 Banana or 1 cup Applesauce

Water if needed

Optional:
1-3 teaspoons seed (becomes more of a foraging treat - but will entice the bird to taste the bread)
1 teaspoon sesame seed (becomes more of a foraging treat - but will entice the bird to taste the bread)
1 teaspoon hemp hearts
1 tablespoon ground pellets
1 teaspoon whole oats grounded

Cook at 300-325 F for 20-40 mins depending on oven until toothpick comes out clean from bread/muffin.

Birdy Vege Mash Recipe

1-2 Cup Cooked Quinoa
Cooked Vegetables such as:
- carrot
- brocolli
- peppers
- green beans
- peas
- kale / leafy greens (collard / dandelion)
- sweet potato

Stir together and freeze in portions for easier to prepare meals. Unthaw a portion overnight in fridge for the next day.

 

[iamwhoiam]

Ok thank you! Can you give your cockatiel some spaghetti do you know? I’m going to try to find some recipes to make some bird muffins and healthy and nutritious meals for him to make a better immune system and to make sure he is constantly healthy And I will find some pellets But I will still give him some seed

I've given my 'tiels cooked pasta but they didn't like it. Just a small amount is OK and I wouldn't do it daily.

 

[brooke wikette]

Ok thank you! And Tara81, your cockatiel in the picture is adorable!!! What’s his/her name?

 

[brooke wikette]

iamwhoiam, your bird in the picture isn’t cute as well!!! Is it a cockatiel? And what’s his/her name?

 

[Tara81]

Her name is Alsing, thanks for asking. Alsing actually means "To fly" in the Mi'kmaq Language. I am part mikmaq. So her name is sorta like your tiels name Marty mc fly