Taming Cockatiels- 3 Facts to Know About Cockatiels Before Taming Them!

Cockatiels can be quite the handful if you don’t know how to tame them properly. They can screech, squawk, bite and even pluck their own feathers out continuously if they are not tamed. Taming these little creatures can be very fun as long as you know all the simple little tricks and secrets. Even before that’s begun however, there are a few things we should go over about your feathered friends personality. 

You get to know your family well, you get to know your friends well, you even try to understand your lover, but isn’t it time to start understanding your pet cockatiel? Taming cockatiels is very important; after all, you do live with them every day. 

For starters, Here are three major insights that will help you understand a cockatiel. 

1) As much as you love your bird, you should be aware that this little species may have a mild case of ADHD. Cockatiels are fun because they are filled with energetic interactive traits and are full of personality. They are not necessarily the calm, laid back, watch life roll by types. They like to interact, get involved and receive real attention. Just like humans, If they don’t get certain needs met, they feel very wound up and it will show in their behavior in disturbing ways. 

In this way, your cockatiel can also be compared to a pet dog that is somewhat hyperactive. Many dog owners notice if they don’t walk their dog regularly, the dog is more aggressive in nature and more prone to biting. As you study and read about cockatiels, you will learn how to handle them properly, provide them with the right toys, and give them a plenty of time out of their cage in a safe area. When these needs are met, behavior begins to turn around drastically. 

2) As you give your cockatiel attention, you don’t want to be an enabler. What do I mean by this? When these little guys start plucking their feathers viciously, they usually want attention. Don’t go over and give them attention right then. Instead, walk over after they stop plucking and play with them some. They will learn that self abuse is not a good cry for help but good behavior receives love and attention. 

3) The next thing to know is that your cockatiel loves variety. They like toys to be changed up occasionally. Even change the scenery of their cage some every couple weeks. It’s amazing what an impact this can have on a bird. Cages should be wide and if possible contain several perch levels. Stainless steel or powder-coated cages tend to be best. These birds come from a wild and active social background but doing these things will make your home a much better place. 

This is just the beginning of understanding your cockatiel. The real exciting secrets of handling them and taming them is fun and easy when you know the right methods. People are actually shocked when they discover these secrets. That also means no loud chirping, hissing, feather biting etc. 

For the best source I’ve found for taming these little birds, go to Taming Cockatiels

or visit http://www.squidoo.com/tamingcockatiels

 

Lutino Cockatiels – Multi-Colored Fascinating Cockatiels

Lutino cockatiels are mainly grown by breeders thus you would seldom find these in pet stores unless the owner is also a breeder of this bird. Their grey selection is usually found in Australia. Though they are considered as the top flyers of Australia, their strength in flying is essentially inadequate for them to cross waterways from Tasmania to the mainland of Australia.

Lutino cockatiels definitely are stunning birds. They are the yellow and white birds which have red eyes and vibrant orange patches on their cheek. Lutino genes are also sex-linked recessive genes. Thus, the gray and black color or their melanin pigment that is found in regular grey cockatiel is not evident in lutinos. Conversely, they can be mixed with pied, cinnamon, pearl and white-face mutations to make them as a lutino cockatiel.

The pied cockatiels were the first mutation of cockatiel while the lutino cockatiels were in second place. They are instant favorites often selected by most bird lovers because they look like small white cockatoos with a pallid and golden yellow breast. Their white wings, tails and bodies are also one of the physical attributes that appeals to pet lovers who want to raise them. They have yellow crests and heads.

Cockatiel breeds grow to about 30 centimeters in length and up to 4 ounces in weight. Lutino cockatiels call for a perfectly sized cage. A roomy cage is best. It will give them enough room for toys as well as sufficient room for the bird to draw out their wings freely. They love to spend in dribs and drabs around their playpen. Cockatiel food consists of different sprouts, seeds, nuts, veggies, pellets or fruits.

Determining the sex of these birds may be a little tricky. Juvenile lutino cockatiels have barring under their tail. The barring of males fades away during their initial molt at 6 months. Meanwhile, the female barring remains though it is still hard to identify hens from cocks for the reason that the barring can faint. To differentiate male from female, A DNA test must be done.

Lutino cockatiels are easy to maintain and fun pets. They are flexible although any bird can acquire health problem along the way. For best pet health care, be aware of their signs of illness. These birds are available among pet stores even though they may not be as usual as their grey counterparts, thus they are more costly.

Choosing The Right Cockatiel Cage

If you have pet cockatiels, you may have heard that they require special types of cages. You should buy the biggest cage that you can that is suitable for a cockatiel that you can afford. The bigger the cage is, the better it is for your pet. If you have one cockatiel, the minimum size cockatiel cage should be 32 inches across, 21 inches wide and 35 inches high. Keep in mind that this does not include the base of the cage.

There are other things that you should keep in mind when you are selecting your cockatiel cage that include the following:

Make sure that there is enough room for your cockatiel to move around, stretch its wings and flap its wings. You also need to remember the length of the tail, and it must not drag on the bottom of the cage or be caught in any part of the cage. When you are selecting your size for the cockatiel cage, you also need to consider any filling materials that you are going to be putting in the cage, as this will reduce the overall size of the cage and the size of room that your cockatiel has to move around. Check the width of the bars on the cockatiel cage and do not buy a cage that has wide enough bars for the cockatiel to be able to get their head out. Have a cage that is big enough for the cockatiel to be able to move around and climb in its cage. This means that the cage should have horizontal bars and you should not buy a cage that has only vertical bars. Choose a cockatiel cage that has a plastic removable tray at the bottom, which makes it easier to keep the cage clean at all times. The tray makes it more easy to access the entire bottom of the cage to clean.

Buying the best cockatiel cage is important to make sure that your pet has enough room to move around, and to perch when it wants. When you go to select your cage, make sure to check the overall dimensions of the cage. Check that there is going to be enough room for your cockatiel and that there is plenty of space where it will not try to get through the bars of the cage. The right cage can make it a lot more comfortable for your cockatiel, and it can make it easier to clean and take care of the cage on a regular basis. Keep your cockatiel happy and get the best cage for your budget.

Expert Tips for Training Cockatiels to Talk

Here are a few tips for training cockatiels to talk.

Interest

You should be aware that these birds will only try to repeat words that they’re interested in.  If they show little interest when you say the word, then it’s pretty much guaranteed that they won’t try to say it.  You can easily tell if he’s interested when you say something.

Simplicity

When training cockatiels to talk, it’s best to start out very simple.  Don’t try to teach them big words or phrases from the start.  Instead, begin with a word that has only one syllable.  Keep repeating this word during every training session.  Don’t move on to a new one until your bird has learned the first one.

Sex

You also need to consider the sex of your bird when training it.  If you want a talking cockatiel, then it’s best to get a male as opposed to a female.  Male birds are more interested in mimicking human speech than their female counterparts.  It’s pretty hard to tell what sex your bird is if they’re young, so you may need outside help in determining the sex.

Treats

It’s best to have treats handy while training cockatiels to talk.  If they show interest in what you’re saying, then you should give them a treat.  This will encourage your bird to listen better and try to mimic the word.

A Look at Common Cockatiel Health Problems

Most cockatiel health problems are the result of malnutrition or improper care.  Many of these conditions are life-threatening and can easily kill your bird before you can tell anything is wrong.  Some of these conditions include Polyoma, Psittacosis, Pacheco’s disease, and Candidiasis.  This article will discuss some of these common cockatiel health problems.

Polyoma

Polyoma is a condition caused by a viral infection that usually targets younger birds.  The virus can be transmitted via feather dust, droppings, and respiratory secretions.  It can also be transmitted via eggs.  It’s best to have your bird vaccinated against this disease when they reach 40 days old.

Psittacosis

Another common disease of cockatiels is Psittacosis.  It’s also known by various other names such as parrot fever and chlamydiosis.  This condition is caused by bacteria that can be transmitted via droppings, nasal secretions, and feather dust.  Infected birds show symptoms such as shortness of breath, runny nose, lethargy, eye discharge, dehydration, and loss of appetite.  Treatment involves administering antibiotics for 45 days and removing calcium from the diet.

Candidiasis

One of the next common cockatiel health problems is Candidiasis, a condition caused by yeast.  Like Polyoma, it usually affects younger birds because of their immature immune system.  However, older birds with a weak immune system can also develop the condition.  The most common reason for birds to develop it is because of long-term antibiotic use.  However, hand-fed chicks are also susceptible especially when the equipment isn’t properly sterilized.

Symptoms of Candidiasis include depression, vomiting, diarrhea, and weight loss.  If the yeast infect the mouth and beak, then your bird will likely have bad breath and white material in the mouth.  This disease has to be treated with antifungal medications.  Your bird will also need to avoid eating fruit and sugar while he still has the disease.

Pacheco’s Disease

Pacheco’s disease is caused by a very deadly virus.  Birds often die suddenly.  Signs of this condition include intermittent diarrhea, ruffled feathers, anorexia, and lethargy.  This disease can be prevented thanks to vaccination.  However, some birds have been known to have a reaction to the vaccine.

Newbie’s Guide to Cockatiel Food

It’s very important that you feed your cockatiel an appropriate diet.  Otherwise, you’ll open the door to a wide range of health problems for your bird.  This article will teach you a few things you need to know about cockatiel food.

Fruits/Veggies

Fruits and vegetables are an important part of your bird’s diet.  You should feed them on a daily basis.  They will enjoy carrots, grapes, apples, spinach, and peas.  You can also feed them yams, sweet potatoes, watercress and corn.  If you don’t have any of these available, then sugar-free baby food with vegetables and fruit is a suitable alternative.

Seeds

Find a good, nutritious pellet such as Harrison’s or Roudybush. Virtually everyone knows that birds love seeds.  So, you should feed your cockatiel seeds, too.  There are a variety of seeds you can feed him.  Some of the most popular choices include white millet, sunflower, sesame, flax, and hemp seeds.

Nuts

Nuts are also suitable cockatiel food.  These birds enjoy eating almonds, cashews, walnuts, and pecans.  Macadamia and pistachio nuts are also fine.  You should be careful not to feed too many nuts because they can be high in fat, which can cause health problems.

Protein

If you want your bird to be completely healthy, you should make sure they have plenty of protein in their diet.  Birds that are molting will especially benefit from extra protein.  Eggs that have been scrambled or hard-boiled are good, as are the crushed shells for calcium.

Treats

Every good bird deserves a treat every now and then.  You can feed him your favorite cereal such as cornflakes.  Unsalted popcorn also serves as a nice treat.  Besides these foods, your local pet shop should have treats that your cockatiel will enjoy.

7 Foods That are Deadly to Your Cockateil

Author: Nora Caterino

When parrots were first keep as pets, people thought they only lived a short time. This was in part because most of the soft billed wild birds only live a few years but also because the parrots they kept die within 10 years or so. This was because the diet these parrots were being fed did not supply the necessary nutrients and the birds basically starved to death very, very slowly. Some succumbed to illness but this was in large part due to the fact that they were malnourished and their bodies couldn’t fight the disease.

Today we know that many of the large parrots can live to be over 100 years of age and even budgies and cockateils can live to be 20 or more. This is because we now know what to feed our parrots and what to avoid letting them eat.

There are lots of good things to feed your parrot, but there are a few things that you might offer that can kill your beloved feathered friend. The reasons may differ but the results are the same: death.

Foods You Must NEVER Feed Your Parrot

There are only a few things that can actually kill your parrot as far as human food goes. These are:

Avocado
Chocolate
Alcohol
Seeds of any fruit
Raw meat
Uncooked eggs
Any food that may have mold or may have spoiled (including seeds)

As you can see, this is a very short list.

Foods You Should Limit

This list is a lot longer and contains people foods that won’t kill your parrot quickly. However, over time, these foods will be detrimental to its health. These foods fall into three main categories. Some foods may fall in to several or even all of these categories:

Foods High In Fat

Any food that has a high fat content should be limited. In the wild, parrots eat very little fat; what they do eat is mainly from bugs and other protein sources. Now, this doesn’t mean that you parrot pal can’t have a taste of these foods occasionally. Think of feeding your parrot as if you were feeding a three year old child. You would let a child have a few potato chips even though they are high in fat and salt, but you would limit the quantity. With a parrot, of course, the portions are much, much smaller. If you want to let your parrot have a bite or two of a single potato chip once in a while, there is nothing wrong with this limited quantity. Just do not let it become a habit that every single day the parrot gets potato chips and don’t let the quantity increase over time. Everything in moderation is the practice to be followed for this list – every small amounts if what moderation means here.

Examples of these foods are:

Potato chips
Vegetables with lots of butter
Fried foods
Cream, whipped or liquid
Cake icing
Ice cream
meat (I wouldn’t give any parrot meat.)
Butter sauces and cream soups that contain a lot of butter

Foods High In Salt

Too much salt isn’t good for people or birds. Of course, since parrots are so much smaller, a little bit goes a long way. Some foods can simply be taken out of the food preparation cycle before salt is added to allow the parrot to enjoy a safe serving. If your parrot enjoys cooked veggies and you salt your food, then by all means take some out before adding salt. Crackers can have the salt scraped off before allowing the parrot to have the food. Many foods can be found in unsalted versions that can safely be shared with you parrot. For example, unsalted nuts are fine but eating a lot of salted nuts is not good for your feathered kid.

Some of the foods in this category are:

Salted potato chips
Salted corn chips
Salted nuts
Salted vegetables or meats
Many prepared foods such as microwave entrees
Salted popcorn

Foods High in Sugar

Parrots can become little junk food junkies is allowed. They seem to love sweets and will insist on having a taste. Most foods with sugar are perfectly safe to allow the parrot to have a bite or even two, but limit the quantities to a very small amount and do not allow these foods every day. These are for the rare occasion rather than daily diet.

Examples of these foods include:

Cakes
Cookies
Candy
Sweetened juices
Other sweetened drinks
Sugary cereal
Ice cream

Everything Else

Everything else that you eat, you can and should share with your parrot. The more different foods your bird eats, the better its health will be, the more vibrant the feather colors and the happier you’ll be. However, use some common sense about feeding people food to parrots.

Fruits and vegetables are very good additions to the diet, preferably raw but if you parrot prefers some things cooked, that is better than not eating the food at all. Eggs, cheese, pasta, rice, potatoes (other than potato chips or French fries), pizza, noodles, and other people foods are ok for your parrot. I wouldn’t recommend ever giving meat to a parrot because in the wild, parrots do not get a lot of meat-type protein.

Of course, fruits and vegetables are the best for the parrots and for us. But variety is the spice of life and everyone wants variety including your parrot.

To learn more about what you should feed your parrot visit www.eliteparrotsclub.com
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/7-foods-that-are-deadly-to-your-parrots-379928.html
About the Author:
Nora Caterino helps parrot owners from over 14 different countries in taming and teaching parrots to TALK. If you want to learn more about her parrot training videos – to instantly solve annoying behaviour problems like biting, screaming, or feather plucking – then join the ‘Elite Parrots Club’ and get super coaching from the ‘Bird Lady’:

www.eliteparrotsclub.com

Teaching a Cockateil to Talk

Author: Jimmy Cox

With some time and perseverance, it is not such a difficult job to teach a bird to talk.

Whichever species of bird is selected for training, it is preferable to buy young and if possible, hand-raised birds, between 2 and 6 months old. A bird’s learning ability is not as rapid, the older it becomes. It is much more difficult to teach a wild or untrained adult bird, as its own calls or whistles will have been firmly implanted in its memory.

However, a grown bird still can learn, but the owner will have to use more patience in teaching words to it.

There is much variation in their ability to imitate the human voice, whether hand-raised or wild, young or adult. This faculty depends on the species selected, the owner’s teaching technique and patience, and most important, tameness of the bird itself. Half the success is assured with a bird which is calm and gives you a bold look when you approach it.

The different species of Amazon Parrots from the American Tropics are good talkers, some better than others. Cockatoos can also be taught to talk. Ravens, which are really big black Crows, will talk. Young ones are sold very reasonably. Less proficient talkers are: Macaws, Cockateils, Conures, Magpies, the Lesser or Malabar Hill Mynah, Grass Parakeet, English Starlings, Love Birds and the larger species of Parakeets.

To teach a bird to talk, constant repetition of a word or short phrase is necessary. This can be done at different times, such as before removing the cover from the cage in the morning. In the dark with no distractions, a bird will concentrate on listening and answering back. Repeating words at feeding time, or when giving it a preferred tidbit helps also.

At times, when you may be out of sight, you may hear your bird trying to enunciate some word or phrase. This is a good opportunity to repeat what you want it to learn, or if the bird seems to be attempting a different expression from what you are teaching it, fit in words or a short phrase to go with the bird’s vocal efforts and make them clear. Meanwhile keep out of sight and don’t approach the cage.

Still another excellent method of teaching your bird to talk, whistle or sing a tune, is by having a phonograph record made with a few words or short phrase on it. If your own voice isn’t clear and distinct, some friend of yours could oblige by repeating in the recording machine for you. The clearest voice is that of a child, next a woman’s and lastly a man’s.

When the record is made it should be played at different times during the day, and it will surely drill the lesson into your bird. Let’s hope that you can stand hearing the sound of your own voice frequently. It is important when making a record, to limit it to a few words or a phrase only. If you change over to different words or sentences, your time and money are wasted. Birds have a small brain capacity and cannot assimilate too much at one time.

If you wish to teach it more make another record. The second record can have the previous lesson partly incorporated into it; however, emphasis should be placed on the new vocabulary. A criticism of some records sold ready-made is that they contain far too many words or sayings, which makes them worthless for teaching purposes.

Therefore, to build up a good vocabulary in a bird through the use of records, have a new one made for each lesson. The previous sayings may be repeated in parts of each successive record, till the last one contains everything the bird has been taught to say or whistle.

Using the above method, it will be no time at all before the bird you are training is able to talk.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/teaching-birds-to-talk-229419.html

About the Author:
Long Lost Manuscript Resurfaces With The Best Talking Parrot Secrets Ever Created – You’ll Have The Happiest Parrots Around!

http://www.talkingparrot.org/

Training a Cockateil to Talk

Author: Marty Rubenski

The remarkable ability of a parrot to mimic voices has to be the main reasons why parrots are so popular as pets.

Whenever a friend visits our home, one of the first questions asked about our African Grey is if he can speak. I have to tell them that, sometimes, I wish he would stop. Needless to say he is often silent when a stranger is close.

So how can you teach a parrot to speak? Firstly, it really does depend on the type of parrot. Some types, or individual birds, will learn far more readily. Many African Greys have a vocabulary of 1,200, words or more. Others, including parakeets and cockateils, will hardly make a meaningful peep, however long you spend trying to teach them.

The younger your parrot when you commence training him, the easier it will be. You can start once your bird has been tamed. Training a parrot to speak will be frustrating and not easy if your feathered friend is not settled and comfortable in your presence.

Often, your bird will start to mimic common phrases heard inside your home without specific training. They are much more likely to imitate words or phrases when shouted or said with strong emotion. If this is the case, you may want to be very careful what you say around your pet since he will be just as happy to repeat cuss words as anything else.

Start teaching your parrot to speak with two 10 or 15 minutes sessions a day. Any longer than this and he (and you) will become bored and uncooperative. Begin with something basic like Helllo or maybe your. You will have to repeat the phrase many times at first. Try and add emotion to your voice if you can, since he will be more interested in the sound and hence more likely to try and copy it. Once you get some sort of response, even if it’s only a peep, praise your pet and give him a treat of his favorite food. It will only be a little peep at first, but be sure to offer him a small treat every time he tries. After a number of attempts it will become closer to the sound of your voice. It may take two or more weeks even for a natural mimic, so don’t give up hope if it takes a long time for the first words. Less talented birds may take several weeks or even months. The first phrase always takes the most time but subsequent words will come more quickly. Once he has the first few words, he will often pick up new words with only 2 or 3 easy training sessions.

It’s a good idea to have a certain phrase at each session of the day. For example, mine will happily call out Hello! when I come downstairs in the morning since this is the phrase I used during the morning training session .

Good luck with teaching your parrot to talk!

For more advice on choosing, taming and training parrots visit Taming and Training Parrots at http://training-parrots.blogspot.com
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/training-a-parrot-to-talk-101270.html

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