New Cockatiel

[joshuacott]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the world of birds so still learning.
I got my first Budgie last December and he's settled in great, his name is Blu.
During the week I had got a Cockatiel and I called her Angel unfortunately she must have been sick or too stressed and she passed away during the first night of having her.
When I told the place I got Angel they gave me another one, who I've called Pearl.
Pearl seems much healthier and happier than Angel had been.
Due to Pearl having been kept with Angel where I got them I have Pearl booked in with my local vet on Tuesday just to be safe.
Pearl is pretty quiet so far, and shakes her head most of the time if I talk to her, she seems to eat a lot but I'm assuming this is normal as she's a bigger bird than my budgie.
Her poop seems normal and apart from being quiet and eating a fair bit she seems pretty happy.
I'm just a bit paranoid after what happened with Angel.
I just wanted to get some opinions as to if it is probably normal she is so quiet as I know female cockatiels tend to be quiter than males. I'm assuming it's because she's adjusting to her new home.
I would really appreciate any advice/opinions and if anyone has any informative resources they wouldnt mind sharing with me so I can learn more about Cockatiels and Budgies.

Thank you

 

[Sunni Tiel]

Congrats on your baby!

Do you have teflon pans, burning candles, essential oils, or anything else in the air that might harm them? Birds have very sensitive respiratories so you have to be careful. I'm so sorry that happened. Ideally you should take any bird (any pet, really) to the vet when you first get them, any time you see signs of illness, and once a year to make sure. Some signs of sickness are lethargy, heavy breathing, abnormal poop, unclean vent (the underside of the bird), not eating/drinking, and a few more I can't think of off the top of my head. Also make sure there is always clean clean water available, wash the dish with mild dish soap or diluted vinegar and water every day and rinse it anytime you see droppings or food inside.

My cockatiel didn't make hardly any noises when he came home, just stood alert and scared. Within the first week though he started repeating whistles and singing.

 

[joshuacott]

Congrats on your baby!

Do you have teflon pans, burning candles, essential oils, or anything else in the air that might harm them? Birds have very sensitive respiratories so you have to be careful. I'm so sorry that happened. Ideally you should take any bird (any pet, really) to the vet when you first get them, any time you see signs of illness, and once a year to make sure. Some signs of sickness are lethargy, heavy breathing, abnormal poop, unclean vent (the underside of the bird), not eating/drinking, and a few more I can't think of off the top of my head. Also make sure there is always clean clean water available, wash the dish with mild dish soap or diluted vinegar and water every day and rinse it anytime you see droppings or food inside.

My cockatiel didn't make hardly any noises when he came home, just stood alert and scared. Within the first week though he started repeating whistles and singing.

Thank you so much for your reply.
I don't use any oils, candles or teflon pans, sometimes a housemate might have oil or candles going in a different room or downstairs but I make sure all doors are closed so that it doesn't reach my room upstairs where I keep the birds.
I dont think any of our pans are teflon, but ive also made sure the birds are well away from the kitchen just to be safe.
Going by your experience with your cockatiel I would say that Pearl is well and healthy and acting as she should considering she's new.
Will still bring her for a checkup Tuesday to make sure all is well.
Thanks again for your help.

 

[sunnysmom]

Sorry for the loss of your first tiel. There should be no candles or teflon in the house at all. Not just in a different room. It's always good to get a vet check for any new bird. Hopefully, she is just settling in. It's pretty common for a new bird to be quiet for the first few days. Also, cockatiels can be prone to night frights. So, I always have a night light on for my tiels when they sleep.

 

[joshuacott]

Sorry for the loss of your first tiel. There should be no candles or teflon in the house at all. Not just in a different room. It's always good to get a vet check for any new bird. Hopefully, she is just settling in. It's pretty common for a new bird to be quiet for the first few days. Also, cockatiels can be prone to night frights. So, I always have a night light on for my tiels when they sleep.

Oh I didn't realise that in regards to the candles, shall let my housemates know to stop using them.
I'm sure the main pan for cooking is one of the ceramic ones not teflon thankfully.
I have a little lamp on for them at night to help stop them getting any night frights.
Thank you for your help

 

[Sunni Tiel]

Yeah, be extra careful with the pans and candles, You should be completely sure they don't contain harmful things as they can and will kill your bird instantly.

 

[Sylvi_]

Cookware that contains teflon, even if it’s on the other side or even another floor in the house, will still get into the air and can quickly be fatal. So it’s best to never risk it.

I tossed any non-stick out before I had my birds just to be sure no guests or visiting family used them mistakenly.
Same goes for the self cleaning option on some ovens. That can also kill birds so make sure everyone in the house knows to never use that.

 

[joshuacott]

Yeah, be extra careful with the pans and candles, You should be completely sure they don't contain harmful things as they can and will kill your bird instantly.

I'll make sure to be extra careful, my baby Blu & Pearl are more important than a candle or pan, really appreciate the advice and help.

 

[joshuacott]

Cookware that contains teflon, even if it’s on the other side or even another floor in the house, will still get into the air and can quickly be fatal. So it’s best to never risk it.

I tossed any non-stick out before I had my birds just to be sure no guests or visiting family used them mistakenly.
Same goes for the self cleaning option on some ovens. That can also kill birds so make sure everyone in the house knows to never use that.

I will make sure everyone in my house knows, love my babies much more than any candle or pan. Thank you for the advice and help. I appreciate it.

 

[tka]

Check anything else in the kitchen - roasting tins, oven trays, muffin and cake tins, waffle makers, panini presses. Anything that has a non-stick coating must be checked. Unless its clearly stated to be PTFE/PFOA-free, assume it's teflon.

 

[joshuacott]

Check anything else in the kitchen - roasting tins, oven trays, muffin and cake tins, waffle makers, panini presses. Anything that has a non-stick coating must be checked. Unless its clearly stated to be PTFE/PFOA-free, assume it's teflon.

Will make sure they're all safe or else I'll bin them. Thank you for the help