6 week old cockatiel making quiet cry, not food screech, sounds different

[LoveToki]

Does anyone know what this cry means, it sounds kind of sad. Moki does it quiet often, mostly when I get close, sometimes when he/she eats. Moki is currently sleeping on my shoulder and I might die from cuteness. I digress, here is a quick clip of the sound. Is it just confusion maybe? It is Moki's third day with me, but seems to be adjusting well so far.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1257427633022939138

 

[Lady Jane]

Is she an only bird in you home? I am guessing here that it could be a soft call for the company of other cockatiels. Try playing cockatiel sounds for her from YouTube and let us know what her reaction is.

 

[Sodapop&Co.]

Maybe a gentle/baby attempt at a screech/hiss? Never heard that before.

 

[LoveToki]

Is she an only bird in you home? I am guessing here that it could be a soft call for the company of other cockatiels. Try playing cockatiel sounds for her from YouTube and let us know what her reaction is.

aww yes Moki is the only bird, and was with her brothers and sisters only 3 days ago. I feel bad
I will play some youtube videos for her after she wakes up...this is her right now. oh my goodness

 

[Zara]

Sounds like she´s just a little scared. In the video she looks alert, then only as you and the camera get close she makes the sound. You are a new person after all. She will get more and more comfortable with you as time goes by
She´s a very pretty bird
The key is to spend lots of time with her, but only as much as you plan on spending with her in the future.

 

[LoveToki]

Sounds like she´s just a little scared. In the video she looks alert, then only as you and the camera get close she makes the sound. You are a new person after all. She will get more and more comfortable with you as time goes by
She´s a very pretty bird
The key is to spend lots of time with her, but only as much as you plan on spending with her in the future.

Thank you..she wasn't too interested in the YouTube videos of happy tiels.. I think you're right she's probably just a little scared. I will keep reassuring and soothing her and being patient!

 

[Zara]

It may take a week or two for the initial shock to wear off and to start adjusting well to your home, so don´t be discouraged

 

[Lady Jane]

Such aa pretty lady. I bet she will be devoted to her humans.

 

[Tara81]

6 weeks is extremely young . Are you handfeeding? A bird should be weened for two weeks before being sold. Most tiels are not weened until 2-3 months of age. I strongly suggest weighing her daily and making sure she is eating enough.

 

[LoveToki]

6 weeks is extremely young . Are you handfeeding? A bird should be weened for two weeks before being sold. Most tiels are not weened until 2-3 months of age. I strongly suggest weighing her daily and making sure she is eating enough.

No, I'm not handfeeding, the store owner who was handfeeding her brothers and sisters in front of me said she'd been weaned about a week. I'm not entirely sure they are from the same clutch, because the other birds just seemed so much younger. I wouldnt put it past her to have lied about the hatch date, the more I think about it the more I'm uncomfortable with the whole situation. I drove 3 hours one way because it said she was a breeder, but when I got there it turned out she was just the store owner handfeeding them but not the breeder, and she only sold seed, and had a happy hut in the cage, and told me all the bird needed was an 18x18 cage, which she was selling for $250. Never mentioned pellets, or vegetables or any real care advice.
But, I've learned my lesson.
She is eating her chop, she loves spinach and carrots.. and seeds it seems she only eats the smaller ones no sunflowers or anything too big, and she's not too fond of the pellets just yet. I tried to weigh her but I'm trying not to scare her. The quick moment I got her on I thought it said maybe 67 grams. I'll keep trying. What is her goal weight?

 

[Tara81]

The store owner is not caring about the well being of its chicks by selling them too soon. But what is done is done. 30x25x25 is the bare minimum for one cockatiel imo. I have a 60x30x20 cage, which is the bare minimum for 2 cockatiels. If you let them out for most of the day, the cage size isn't a big deal. But sometimes we must leave to work for hours and in that case the bird should have adequate space. I would attempt to slowly switch spinach to kale or another dark leafy green. Spinach is ok twice a week. Her goal weight is 90-110 grams. 67 grams seems pretty small. But now your goal weight is anything above 67 grams. Right now at that age they would normally be 80-90 grams , almost her adult weight. She may have had a slow start in life, or the pet store owner may not have been handfeeding properly. I would keep the scale near her cage, and get her to step onto it for a treat of millet / millet spray. Thats how I weigh my birb. Offer kale, brocolli, carrot, raw or cooked every day. Offer green beans, kale, brocolli, carrots, califlower cooked in a vege mash if you like with some cooked quinoa, this makes it easier when there is no raw food on hand. You can cook a big batch and freeze the extras in daily portions for up to 3 months. Unthaw one portion overnight in the fridge, microwave for 1-3 seconds (depends on microwave) check for hotspots then serve. You can also dehydrate vegetables like kale carrot brocolli sweet peppers in case of times you run out of fresh raw produce. Lastly, you can also sprout organic seeds. Some birds accept pellts that are seed sized, and some accept them in multi colors (zupreem fruit blend for parakeets). Some birds will slowly adjust to pellets if you grind or crush them and sprinkle the dust on their wet vegetables.

 

[LoveToki]

The store owner is not caring about the well being of its chicks by selling them too soon. But what is done is done. 30x25x25 is the bare minimum for one cockatiel imo. I have a 60x30x20 cage, which is the bare minimum for 2 cockatiels. If you let them out for most of the day, the cage size isn't a big deal. But sometimes we must leave to work for hours and in that case the bird should have adequate space. I would attempt to slowly switch spinach to kale or another dark leafy green. Spinach is ok twice a week. Her goal weight is 90-110 grams. 67 grams seems pretty small. But now your goal weight is anything above 67 grams. Right now at that age they would normally be 80-90 grams , almost her adult weight. She may have had a slow start in life, or the pet store owner may not have been handfeeding properly. I would keep the scale near her cage, and get her to step onto it for a treat of millet / millet spray. Thats how I weigh my birb. Offer kale, brocolli, carrot, raw or cooked every day. Offer green beans, kale, brocolli, carrots, califlower cooked in a vege mash if you like with some cooked quinoa, this makes it easier when there is no raw food on hand. You can cook a big batch and freeze the extras in daily portions for up to 3 months. Unthaw one portion overnight in the fridge, microwave for 1-3 seconds (depends on microwave) check for hotspots then serve. You can also dehydrate vegetables like kale carrot brocolli sweet peppers in case of times you run out of fresh raw produce. Lastly, you can also sprout organic seeds. Some birds accept pellts that are seed sized, and some accept them in multi colors (zupreem fruit blend for parakeets). Some birds will slowly adjust to pellets if you grind or crush them and sprinkle the dust on their wet vegetables.

Thank you such great advice. The cage I have now is 24x24x32 but I do work from home so she will not be in the cage much. Why is spinach only twice a week, is it fattier than kale or something? I will grab some new veggies today I have Kale, BokChoy, Dill, and Rosemary on my list if those are good. I got some dehydrated stuff coming from Christines Chop Shop too. I'll try grinding the pellets and sprinkling over her chop tomorrow. Thank you!!

 

[Tara81]

No problem. Spinach is high in oxalates. You can google oxalates. It inhibits the absorption of Calcium, which birds do not have much access to as us humans who can eat cheese and dairy. Kale is a good source of calcium, as is brocolli and pellets. Pellets also have vitamin D which is needed to absorb calcium. Boiled Egg can be offered once a week, especially during molting or egg laying, for extra vitamin D and protein.

 

[Tara81]

Taken from a website,
"Spinach is the perfect ingredient for light salads and green smoothies. However, it’s packed with oxalate, which offsets the health benefits it is famous for, such as its iron and calcium contents.
So instead of spinach, look to Bok choy, low-oxalate leafy green."
Looks like Bok Choy should be great for birbs too!

 

[sunnysmom]

I think your tiel is older than what they told you. I have never heard of a tiel weaning at 6 weeks and she looks older than that to me too. She is super cute either way.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

You have been given excellent advice already, but I just wanted to add that some tiels are just small and never reach the average weight. My male was small, mid 80’s I think, @sunnysmom had a very small little guy too.

 

[sunnysmom]

You have been given excellent advice already, but I just wanted to add that some tiels are just small and never reach the average weight. My male was small, mid 80’s I think, @sunnysmom had a very small little guy too.

Yes, true. Size does very. My current foster is 72 grams. He was just at the vet's and the vet said it's a good weight for him. Checking the keel bone is a good way to tell if a bird is under weight. (My other tiel was only 74 grams. )

 

[LoveToki]

Follow-up, I got her on the scale today with the millet and shes 71 grams! Gave her a kale, red bell pepper, brocolli, carrot, dill chop and sprinkled some pellet on top. She was not interested..so I sprinkled some seed on top and that got her going. After a while of slow eating, she started making baby noises so I gave her some more seed on top and shes been munching for about an hour.

 

[Tara81]

yay I'd love to hear more updates about your lil birb

 

[Tara81]

Yes, true. Size does very. My current foster is 72 grams. He was just at the vet's and the vet said it's a good weight for him. Checking the keel bone is a good way to tell if a bird is under weight. (My other tiel was only 74 grams. )

I am curious, when tiels are below average weight, do you think it's because of their genetics, (Parents were small too?) or because they had a slow start in life (may have been sick/had sour crop or underfed at some point during the early stages of life) ? Or maybe it's either or?