Just got a cockatiel :)

[richietiel]

When does your dna test come back?
I wouldn’t bank on your bird being a particular sex simply from what you see and hear, you really need a test unless you know the parent birds and understand mutations etc - we’ve had numerous members here believe their tiel was male (going in visuals and behaviour) till one year their boy bird dropped an egg- female tiels with male names is fairly common lol.

With your "normal" cockatiels, at least in the wild you *usually* can tell by looking at them, but I definitely see what you mean. Especially in captive breeding, we have so many different mutations that you just don't see in the wild. My cockatiel is a pearl, and while I am pretty certain he is male, he hasn't lost any of his pearling. I know that males usually do, but sometimes they don't. Not sure I have the heart to pluck feathers or purposely cut his quick just to know his gender though.

 

[TBOWMAN006]

When does your dna test come back?
I wouldn’t bank on your bird being a particular sex simply from what you see and hear, you really need a test unless you know the parent birds and understand mutations etc - we’ve had numerous members here believe their tiel was male (going in visuals and behaviour) till one year their boy bird dropped an egg- female tiels with male names is fairly common lol.

Oh yeah most definitely. It comes back within a week or 2. That's also why I'm kind of just holding off on a name. But I would agree he appears and acts like a male. But we will know for sure in a week or 2

 

[zoo mom]

Welcome and congratulations on a beautiful tiel. I have 2 girls. Their original names were Eric and Graham. They are now Erica and Grahamy.

 

[TBOWMAN006]

Welcome and congratulations on a beautiful tiel. I have 2 girls. Their original names were Eric and Graham. They are now Erica and Grahamy.

Awwww how sweet! And thank you!! how are your girls doing? How old are they?

 

[zoo mom]

My girls are doing great. Erica is 5 or 6. Grahamy is 6 or 7. I have trouble keeping track of my own age let alone 6 birds, 4 cats, and a dog.

 

[TBOWMAN006]

My girls are doing great. Erica is 5 or 6. Grahamy is 6 or 7. I have trouble keeping track of my own age let alone 6 birds, 4 cats, and a dog.

Jeez that's a lot I see why hahaha well that's good!

 

[TBOWMAN006]

Okay so I just got the hatch date back and he is 6 months and some change old. I thought he looked and acted older than 3 months as well but wasn't sure due to the confusion at the place I bought him for. Also i got some more pics

 

[a_conure]

Adorable!
Make sure to take him to the vet though just to make sure his is very healthy. Also make sure he has lots of toys and a good diet!
If he has been weaned properly this won't be a problem but-
be careful if they are making like raspy sort of noises because they may not have been weaned properly. They can do this even if they have been weaned properly but I lost my first bird this way due to sketchy pet store breeders and my lack of experience and it was devestating
a vet checkup should assure you though

 

[TBOWMAN006]

Yes I scheduled an appointment as soon as I could with an avian vet. Which is almost a month out. Would like it to be sooner because he's worrying me with how much he's eating drinking and being fluffed up a lot. He could be going through his first molt which would explain a lot of this but not sure.

 

[A.K]

Yes I scheduled an appointment as soon as I could with an avian vet. Which is almost a month out. Would like it to be sooner because he's worrying me with how much he's eating drinking and being fluffed up a lot. He could be going through his first molt which would explain a lot of this but not sure.

Has been tested for PDD and PBFD? Just wondering.

 

[TBOWMAN006]

Has been tested for PDD and PBFD? Just wondering.

I have no clue :/ do the normally test for that among with the gender? I will ask them if he has.

 

[A.K]

I have no clue :/ do the normally test for that among with the gender? I will ask them if he has.

Do ask. These are horrible diseases, and it’s good to have a test preformed.

 

[richietiel]

Yes I scheduled an appointment as soon as I could with an avian vet. Which is almost a month out. Would like it to be sooner because he's worrying me with how much he's eating drinking and being fluffed up a lot. He could be going through his first molt which would explain a lot of this but not sure.

Birds naturally eat a lot, so if he is eating a lot, that in itself is not concerning. They have extremely fast metabolisms and they don't typically store much fat, thus why they poop so much.

Being fluffed though is another story, it can depend. Is the room warm enough? they puff up when they're cold. But they also do it when they're extra comfy.
If he seems lethargic/drowsy or shaking on top of being fluffed then that is more concerning.

Either way it's a good idea to have a general checkup.

 

[Bunchobird]

Welcome to Parronthood!!! Can we see the cage?! Id love to see ur setup! XD im not good at cage setups haha lol!

 

[TBOWMAN006]

Birds naturally eat a lot, so if he is eating a lot, that in itself is not concerning. They have extremely fast metabolisms and they don't typically store much fat, thus why they poop so much.

Being fluffed though is another story, it can depend. Is the room warm enough? they puff up when they're cold. But they also do it when they're extra comfy.
If he seems lethargic/drowsy or shaking on top of being fluffed then that is more concerning.

Either way it's a good idea to have a general checkup.

Yes I did take him to the vet today. Just to make sure. He has a bacterial thing going on in his mouth I have to give him medicine everyday in his mouth for that and then also some budding yeast in poop they found so I put medicine in his water for that now. Overall other than those things everything else is good. 500 dollars later but I also got every test done I could. Including DNA for gender, chlamydia and the beak and feather one. Pending results on those from lab. Will keep you and this thread updated but he's overall okay I think just a few little things. I have a room dedicated for him and monitor the temperature humidity everything and it's all perfect temp for him. So unless those 2 issues that are wrong with him are causing him to fluff I think it's more just him getting not a lot of sleep during the night due to new environment. Thus sleeping/fluffing during the day.

 

[TBOWMAN006]

Welcome to Parronthood!!! Can we see the cage?! Id love to see ur setup! XD im not good at cage setups haha lol!

I keep forgetting to take pictures or videos of the cage for you I will try to remember next time haha it's a 30 x 30 x 40 so quite large for cockatiel but I heard bigger the better. Have a bunch of perches toys etc. Sometimes I think the cage is TOO big for him though. Seems like it's so big he's feels there's so much room and is scared of it if that makes any sense. Either way once he warms up to my home and me I'm sure he will LOVE all the space lol although if I'm not at work he's out of the cage anyway.. haha

 

[Bunchobird]

I heard bigger the better. Have a bunch of perches toys etc. Sometimes I think the cage is TOO big for him though.

lol, i got my budgie a medium parrot cage, i always play the bigger the better game with people.

 

[TBOWMAN006]

Welcome to Parronthood!!! Can we see the cage?! Id love to see ur setup! XD im not good at cage setups haha lol!

I used to have more toys but since I just got him I didn't want to over load the cage with them. He really doesn't mess with any of the stuff as it is. He's afraid of everything but we're working on it!

 

[TBOWMAN006]

So guess what guys. Buddy's name is now Sophia/Sophie got DNA results back along with many other tests and stuff. She's a girl and she is negative for the bad diseases. Also she acts a lot like a boy which I'm not mad at. She did heart wings to me today and kisses/pretty bird a lot.

 

[Bunchobird]

nice setup, i'd add a flat perch, you can find some good ones on amazon.