Is our new cockatiel on track (adjustment)?

[Tiel Feathers]

Cockatiels should eat about 50/50 pellets to seeds. They need more seed in their diets than many other types of parrots. I think Lafebers is a good brand, but the best pellet is the one your bird will eat. I feed my birds Roudybush crumbles. You also might want to look into a different seed mix. I think Volkman’s No Sun or Dr. Harvey’s are some good ones. Many cockatiels like their food on the small size, and they are often not big on fruit. Greens are usually readily accepted, as is broccoli, so maybe try those first. It might take a while, and I would offer them every day. If your son eats some veggies in front of Charlie, and then offers Charlie his own piece, he just might try it. You might get your bird and son to both eat their veggies!

 

[SeñorBirb]

Which is better? I assume the daily diet one?

Yeah, that's the one I would get.

Spoke softly for about 30 seconds, then got 2 small chirps and he got on my finger so I could lift him up.

That's a good way to handle that, seems like it worked! You can train him to step up with millet, without using any force. Just lure him onto your hand w/ millet and say step up. Works very well if the bird is food-motivated

 

[Skum]

My heart became a puddle today when Cherry put his little head against my son's cheek.

They enjoyed some window watching together and Cherry liked nibbling on my kiddo's curls.

Thanks everyone for letting me ask questions and share!

You've got a very nice tiel whose bonded with your son

 

[sunnysmom]

At the store they said he was 9 weeks old...which would make him now 10 weeks old. He looked a little more mature than 9 weeks old to me, but I'm not an expect so

Right now I am feeding him the mix the store sent me home with. I can take a picture if you want. If has seeds in in, but I also see some pellets, corn (which he cannot seem to eat yet), whole peanuts in the shell, something that looks like chili pods, some little green and red ball looking things, etc. I have tried offering a couple of fruits cut into bits (apple, shredded orange, and banana) and veggies (kale), but so far he has pecked it a smidge but not gotten totally interested. I'll keep offering every other day or so.

Do you have any suggestions for me? I am here to learn!

It's good that you're feeding him what he's used to for now. Although I would take out the peanuts. Peanuts in a shell can carry aspergillus. He's pretty young then. Cockatiels don't wean until 8-12 weeks and can sometimes regress and need some hand feedings or comfort feedings under the stress of a new home. i would watch carefully to make sure he's eating enough and not losing weight. Often young tiels will make a static sound when hungry, meaning they're regressing. You can try giving him some millet spray. Tiels normally love it. Cockatiels typically aren't fruit eaters. If they eat some fine, but I would focus on vegetables instead. And it can take awhile for them to try them. So just keep trying. You can make "chop". Chopping a bunch of different vegetables into tiny pieces and mixing together. Often birds will eat that. You can try things like peppers, broccoli, squash, etc. Since he's young he may still like softer foods too like some mashed cooked sweet potato. I also give my tiels some rice mixes like Higgins Worldly Cuisine. You can add vegetables in them too. I try to feed my tiels about 50% seeds, 15% pellets (actually nutriberries) and the rest vegetables and some grains. Since they're granivores I believe they need seed in their diet. Some studies indicate that an all pellet diet can be too hard on their kidneys. So a combination is needed. Sometimes letting a bird see you eat something will get him interested in trying it too.

 

[Val1989]

Okay one other question. He seems only do do a short chirp when he is scare or nervous. Not a scream, it sounds happy, but I don't think it is. It seems to come at the times when he would say "help!"

Like if he falls to the bottom of his cage (learning to navigate) or after I put in a fruit or veggie for him to try (of which he has refused try them all) or even when he landed somewhere strange in the room.

They don't feel like happy vocalizations, although they sound chipper. We are at 10 days post adoption now. So I guess I worry.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

Sounds like the chirps might just be little complaints, but it’s hard to say for sure. Maybe post a video?

 

[Val1989]

It was definitely too hard to post a video. Just hard to predict.

Of course, as soon as I posted that, Cherry did some little chirps on his own. He makes the CUTEST little meow-like sounds to himself when he is playing with his bells.

And then today he didn't make a peep....until my son got home from school and he has been doing cute little chirps frequently. Including a couple in response to directly talking or whistling at him. My heart feels warm!

I know I am probably a pain with all my questions. I am just a novice with a cockatiel and I want to make sure we do it right. Everyone has to be a first-time sometime right? We do have a child-friendly book coming on Saturday!

 

[SeñorBirb]

And then today he didn't make a peep....until my son got home from school and he has been doing cute little chirps frequently. Including a couple in response to directly talking or whistling at him. My heart feels warm!

That's adorable. It sounds like they are bonding very well!

 

[Val1989]

The past 2 days have been HUGE breakthroughs! Yesterday Cherry started chirping in response and seemed eager to get out of the cage. He started wandering between my son and I, and climbing all over us.

Today he started asking for and receiving scritches! He makes these adorable little happy squeaks when he is snuggling into our necks and faces.

Some pics with my littles. He is fluffy in thr talking pic because he just finished the most epic preening session I had ever seen. My son kept getting a faceful of tail feathers!

 

[Val1989]

About 2.5 weeks in and these two are in love! Cherry still will not eat regular veggies, leafy greens or fruit, but we'll keep offering. In the meantime, I changed his food to get a more well-rounded diet and he is nibbling on his mineral block.

 

[sunnysmom]

That's so adorable. My cockatiels also really like freeze dried vegetables. I get mine from Bodacious Birdie Bites. That's something you could try too.

 

[SeñorBirb]

Those two are so cute together!
try taking the tops off of broccoli and putting them in a bowl, kind of like seeds, and chop up other veggies really small.