Cockatiel questions

[Colt Frost]

I'm considering getting a Cockatiel or 2 when I get the money. I haven't done as much research into them as I have for other birds, but I'm going to do a lot tonight. I have some questions that I'm hoping to get answered. First off, would this make a good diet? Hagen tropican lifetime granule pellets, a mix of goldenfeast cockatiel blend and goldenfeast conure and small bird blend, and a chop. Would this cage work for 2 Cockatiels? (I'll link the cage at the bottom). And if I get them I'm going to be adopting, and most of the cockatiels at the sanctuary are bonded to another cockatiel, so I'll most likely have to adopt 2. Will they do good in an aviary? I visited the sanctuary yesterday and all the cockatiels are in an outdoor heated and cooled aviary year round. So I assume they will. I might have more questions later, but for now this is it. Here's the link to the cage: Amazon.com : Prevue Hendryx F050 Pet Products Wrought Iron Flight Cage, X-Large, Hammertone Black : Prevue Bird Cages : Pet Supplies

 

[expressmailtome]

Bump.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

I’m glad your thinking of adopting two cockatiels! That cage is big enough, and the diet sounds fine. Cockatiels should eat about 50/50 pellets/seeds, and as much fresh food as you can get them to eat in addition to this. Cockatiels are wonderful little birds, and I would try interacting with them before you bring them home. If you get a very strongly bonded breeder pair that are not tame, it might be hard to get them to be friendly towards you.

 

[Colt Frost]

I’m glad your thinking of adopting two cockatiels! That cage is big enough, and the diet sounds fine. Cockatiels should eat about 50/50 pellets/seeds, and as much fresh food as you can get them to eat in addition to this. Cockatiels are wonderful little birds, and I would try interacting with them before you bring them home. If you get a very strongly bonded breeder pair that are not tame, it might be hard to get them to be friendly towards you.

As I said above, I went to the sanctuary on Sunday and I got to go in the aviary with the cockatiels. They were in a big aviary with other birds such as Plum-headed parakeets, Rosellas, Budgies, Turquoisine Parakeets, and a couple more I can't remember off the top of my head. I don't think any were breeding pairs, as they don't let them breed (don't provide nest boxes or nesting materials). I think they were all just really close to one another. None of them seemed aggressive, and most of them actually seemed to want to be pet and interacted with. Should I soak the pellets? The sanctuary has them on a pellet and seed diet, but I don't know if they soak them or not. I have to go there and visit all of them before I make a decision on which ones I want to adopt, just because they want to make sure the bird doesn't for some reason dislike me. And then this is more of a general parrot question, should I keep the pellet and seed bowls full 24/7? Or just give a certain amount in the morning? And how much are cockatiels supposed to weigh in grams?

 

[Colt Frost]

There are 2 that I have really fallen in love with. Their names are Cookie and Pilot. I saw them in the aviary and they were playing around with each other. I don't know if they are a breeding pair, but they seemed pretty close. If you want to look at them, they're on the sanctuary website. I'll link all the birds they have available. Adoptable Birds | Best Friends Animal Society

 

[iamwhoiam]

There are 2 that I have really fallen in love with. Their names are Cookie and Pilot. I saw them in the aviary and they were playing around with each other. I don't know if they are a breeding pair, but they seemed pretty close. If you want to look at them, they're on the sanctuary website. I'll link all the birds they have available. Adoptable Birds | Best Friends Animal Society

They have LOTS of birds. Mr. Freeze is a beautiful budgie and Amarillo is a very cute conure. There are a lot of beautiful birds posted. Are you sure you want a male and a female? Both Pilot and Cookie hatched in 2015 so I wonder if they are siblings or were turned in by the same person. They are both nice looking 'tiels.

 

[Colt Frost]

They have LOTS of birds. Mr. Freeze is a beautiful budgie and Amarillo is a very cute conure. There are a lot of beautiful birds posted. Are you sure you want a male and a female? Both Pilot and Cookie hatched in 2015 so I wonder if they are siblings or were turned in by the same person. They are both nice looking 'tiels.

I was thinking to go and look again. The guide told me that almost all of them are bonded together, but some of them more closely then others. I'm wondering if I would be able to get Pilot and Curley. I really really like Pilot that's for sure. Actually I love them all. But I can't adopt all of them . And ya they had so many beautiful birds there, I still can't get my mind off of Ripley. That's the macaw I danced with. I also got to hold Kaimi, but her friend Laquita got mad at me and started screaming. And there's a bird there named Paco and he was born in 1957. I think he's on the website too.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

I keep the seed/pellets in their cage all day, but I just give them water in their sleep cages. I toss the seed/pellet mix every night, and give them fresh each day. I feed fresh foods mostly at dinner, but many people give fresh foods at breakfast. You would have to find out if the facility soaks the pellets, and for the first few weeks you should feed them what they are used to eating. Cockatiels can weigh anywhere from 70-115 grams, some even more or less, so it really depends on the bird. They are really cute!

 

[Colt Frost]

I keep the seed/pellets in their cage all day, but I just give them water in their sleep cages. I toss the seed/pellet mix every night, and give them fresh each day. I feed fresh foods mostly at dinner, but many people give fresh foods at breakfast. You would have to find out if the facility soaks the pellets, and for the first few weeks you should feed them what they are used to eating. Cockatiels can weigh anywhere from 70-115 grams, some even more or less, so it really depends on the bird. They are really cute!

They feed Hagen and a couple of other kinds of pellets at the sanctuary. She didn't say anything about chop, but I'm going to feed it anyway because it's healthy lol. Thank you for the info!

 

[Colt Frost]

Right now I only have 75 dollars (lol). I estimate it's going to take at least 400$ to get everything set up. $120 for the 2 birds (it might be just $60 for both), $160 for the cage, $55 for the Goldenfeast, $40 for the fresh foods, and $15 for the pellets. And on top of that about $80-90 for the toys. I'm buying a bunch of materials in bulk so I can make my own toys. I have a couple carts full on here, filled of toy parts. From the vendors on here I mean.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

Don’t forget money for a check up and savings for emergencies!

 

[Colt Frost]

Don’t forget money for a check up and savings for emergencies!

Oh ya.. So make that at least $575 lol . Round up to $600, and I *think* that should cover everything. Right before I adopt, the sanctuary does a checkup for free so first vet bill is already paid. They have a parrot clinic right next to the building that holds the cages and aviaries, it's pretty cool.

 

[Colt Frost]

When I get the money I'm going to buy they cage right away so I have something invested in it so I can't turn back lol. I highly doubt that I'll lose interest by the time I have all the money, but there's always that one little chance.

 

[Colt Frost]

And raise that to $650. I added Goldenfeast Australian mix to the seeds because it has a lot of probiotics in it. So I'm going to do three parts everyday, a third of the dish Australian mix, a third of the dish Conure and small bird mix, and the last third of the dish as Cockatiel mix. And then feed Hagen pellets and a chop. My first chop is going to consist of Broccoli, Cilantro, Ginger, Sprouted mung beans, Cooked Quinoa, Radishes (with tops), Mint, Carrot (with tops), Orange and yellow bell pepper, and Turmeric powder. I'll put the turmeric on right when I serve so if he doesn't like it I didn't ruin the entire batch. How full should I fill the chop bowl? I've decided about half is good for a Meyers parrot, but I know cockatiels don't eat as much veggies and fruit. Oh, and I'll also put some fresh fruit on top. Maybe some Pomegranate and Dragonfruit for the first go.

 

[Colt Frost]

Are Hagen pellets better than Goldenfeast Goldn'obles? Hagen has d3 and a lot more vitamins, but Goldenfeast has a lot more ingredients and probiotics. Is there a way to buy d3 powder that I can put on the pellets or seed mixture? Or could a maybe switch between them day to day to get them all the nutrients and also get them accustomed to switching foods? Or would that upset their stomachs?

 

[Colt Frost]

Would it be okay to sprinkle repashy calcium plus powder on the food? It has a whole butt load of nutrients in it. And it would allow me to switch around between foods and still give the right nutrients. It also provides some nutrients that the hagen pellets don't. I know it's for reptiles, but I think it would still work for birds. I use this for my leopard gecko it seems to give him all the nutrients he needs. On top of crickets and worms of course. These are the ingredients. Calcium Carbonate, Dried Kelp, Brewer’s Dried Yeast, Salt, Molasses, RoseHips, Marigold Flower, Paprika, Hibiscus Flower, Algae Meal, Turmeric, Natural Fruit Flavor, Magnesium Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Methionine Hydroxy AnalogueChelate, Manganese Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Copper Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate. Calcium Propionate, Potassium Sorbate, Mixed Tocopherols (as preservatives),Vitamins: (Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Calcium L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Beta Carotene, Pantothenic Acid, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex).

 

[Colt Frost]

I think a better diet would be the Goldenfeast goldn'obles with the powder above sprinkled on top. The powder has almost all of the same vitamins and stuff that the hagen pellets have. Besides 2-3. Like the hagen has copper sulfate and zinc and the powder doesn't. And then by using the goldn'obles I can drop the australian seed mix because it has probiotics also.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

I personally would only feed quality products made for birds. I have no idea if the powder would be okay or not, and I do not give my birds supplements. Some people do, but I think if they eat a varied diet, you don’t need to. My birds are also outside for a few hours almost every day for six months out of the year. I think feeding a variety of foods rather than one type with a supplement would be best.

 

[Colt Frost]

I personally would only feed quality products made for birds. I have no idea if the powder would be okay or not, and I do not give my birds supplements. Some people do, but I think if they eat a varied diet, you don’t need to. My birds are also outside for a few hours almost every day for six months out of the year. I think feeding a variety of foods rather than one type with a supplement would be best.

So just do the switching around pellets plan? I'm going to be doing a different chop everyday. Well 2 chops just switching which one I use a day. And birds get vitamin d from the sun correct? So I could do switch offs every other week with the pellets. Hagen 1-2 weeks, and then the Goldn'obles 1-2 weeks. With the seed mixture of course.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

Or a little goldnobles and Hagen each day with chop and a good seed mix too.