# Good resources for cockatiels?



## Khaos (Jul 9, 2007)

Good evening chaps,

I'm a long-time reptile and invert keeper who's wanted a cockatiel for a long time and, you know what, I'm 29 and I work hard and I earn good money and damn it, if I want a cockatiel I'm going to damn well research them and make a considered decision on owning one!

So, if anyone has any good care-sheets, owners forums or personal tips, especially if you've gone from reptiles to a bird - please cheep, er, chip in!


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## franky (Oct 9, 2014)

Im also thinking of getting a cockatiel. Would like to hear off fellow keepers. Ive exhausted nearly all you tube vids lol.would it be best to get hand reared or a parent reared bird, if time and patience put in could you get them silly tame? Any info appreciated x


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## Nikster199 (Apr 24, 2014)

Hi I've got a 1 year old pied hand reared cockatiel. I've had him/her since 10 weeks old, now he is silly tame and spends most of the day out of his cage. There not that hard to care for but do enjoy a lot of attention. I owned caged budgies for 7 years before and always wanted a hand reared cockatiel, so last summer I decided to get one, I was supposed to get a yemen chameleon but I decided to get a cockatiel. I only paid £80 for a pet shop near me that 'specialised' in birds but he wasn't in the best of conditions when I got him but after a few months with me a lot of food and baths he was healthy and looked much better too. 

I recently taught mine to say hello when I open his cage and when I come home, he also has a ball that makes sounds when u shake it and he now repeats all the sounds. He also let's me scratch his head/neck, took him a few months to trust me enough to let me but now he loves it. 

The main things I'd say is make sure u can spend time with he/she, get it a big cage (but make sure the bar spacing isn't too big) with a lot of toys.
Also try to get them on to pellets instead of seeds as soon as possible it's more healthy for them, I'm trying to get mine onto Harrisons fine pellets it's one of the best brands and he seems to like them.

Feel free to ask questions


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## Nikster199 (Apr 24, 2014)

franky said:


> Im also thinking of getting a cockatiel. Would like to hear off fellow keepers. Ive exhausted nearly all you tube vids lol.would it be best to get hand reared or a parent reared bird, if time and patience put in could you get them silly tame? Any info appreciated x


Mine wasn't fully hand tame he steped up on my hand but that was it. Try looking on preloved or other classified websites for hand reared cockatiels there's usually a few for rehoming.


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## Nikster199 (Apr 24, 2014)

Nikster199 said:


> Hi I've got a 1 year old pied hand reared cockatiel. I've had him/her since 10 weeks old, now he is silly tame and spends most of the day out of his cage. There not that hard to care for but do enjoy a lot of attention. I owned caged budgies for 7 years before and always wanted a hand reared cockatiel, so last summer I decided to get one, I was supposed to get a yemen chameleon but I decided to get a cockatiel. I only paid £80 for a pet shop near me that 'specialised' in birds but he wasn't in the best of conditions when I got him but after a few months with me a lot of food and baths he was healthy and looked much better too.
> 
> I recently taught mine to say hello when I open his cage and when I come home, he also has a ball that makes sounds when u shake it and he now repeats all the sounds. He also let's me scratch his head/neck, took him a few months to trust me enough to let me but now he loves it.
> 
> ...




When I first got him 11 weeks old 
He had baby food stuck in his feathers around his neck and some feather didn't come through yet and he was a bit under weight


About 11 months old


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## Arcadiajohn (Jan 30, 2011)

David Alderton wrote a pretty good book just on cockatiels. you can get as an Ebook or in print from the usual places.

john


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