How long before a baby cockatiel can be given to a new owner?
Category: Cockatiel
A friend of mine just had 2 cockatiel eggs hatch and wants to give the babies to me when they’re ready. We’re not sure how long they need to stay with there parents. Any suggestions on when they are ready?
When they are weaned–usually a few weeks, up to 6 or 7.
When hand feeding, a baby should be weaned at 8 – 10 weeks; I assume it is the same with parent-raised birds as well.
My Green Cheek Conure was parent-raised and, IMO, parent-raised birds are better than handfed. Again IMO, handfed birds tend to be more needy of humans and parent raised birds are more independent and sure of themselves.
Silver2sea
Are these going to be parent raised birds? If so you should begin handling them after about 2 weeks and keep handling them so they become tame and used to humans.After about
4 weeks you can put some food in the nest box for them to try and pick on. Cooked rice, corn ,carrots, etc cut into little pieces so they can try them.You can also put in some pellets made for finches ( Zupreem puts out a good 1 ) as the pieces are really small and easy for them to try.It all depends on the bird, some wean faster than others.Good Luck.
Probably after you stop hand feeding it and it eats out of a bowl.
are you going to handfeed them? If so you should take them when they are about 2 weeks old. If you wait until they are 3 weeks they will be unrulely and will have already established themselves as birds. If your friend is going to hand feed them then you waited until they are eating normal seeds.
It’s better to take the chicks out as soon as they’re born to start hand feeding it yourself so that they become tame. Parent raised birds are very aggressive and hard to tame.
When the parents stop feeding them, and they are eating seed on their own. However, you may want to research and learn how to hand raise the babies. This is a tricky thing though for they can easily aspirate(when food or water gets in the lungs) and die. Hand feeding can start at about two weeks. If you choose to let the parents feed them (which i recommend unless you really know what you are doing) I would have as much interaction with the babies a possible. Not so much hands on at this young age. Wait till they start to get some feathers, then maybe handle them some. I think you will have better luck with this. Good Luck. Next best thing would be to get a book or google a lot!
Ps. Yeah watch out for the parents, they may become aggressive if you try to touch the babies. It may not happen, but sometimes it does.
once they come out of the box and start eating on their own, they can be given away. Happy birdy raising!