Cockateil basics.

[Meghanxx4]

ok well im getting a cockateil in about month or so or maybe earlier and i was just wondering what the minimum cage demensions or should be. are the dimesnsions on this site about right?:http://www.birdieboutique.com/cockatiel.html

it says 20"x20" with 1/2" or 5/8" bar spacing is that about right? and also whats better to get like i know with budgies its better to get a male since they usually ahve anicer perosnality is that the same with cockateils?

and also if i were to get 2 cockateils(im still deciding whether to get 1 or 2) then what would be the best combination .. 2 males, 2 females ,male and female... i dont really want to them to breed yet as i dont really know much about them to breed them. if i gto 2 i would be planning to put them in the same cage.

Also do they have the same health symptons as a budgie?....and also do they eat the same fruits and veggies and stuff (i know they ahve different seed) but ya.

and yes any advice or suggestions feel free to share them.

thanks for your help. :D

[zarrion101]

If I was you I would get a male one, they say they are more intelligent in some cases. :) Bea maybe able to tell you more since she is very experienced with cockatiels as she has Cookie. ;)

I have a cockatiel named Nero (male) and he's wonderful. Just have a great think and yes cockatiels have various personalities.

Mine is a screecher and has a mirror obsession. :D

[Meghanxx4]

Also do cockateils get along with budgies? im planning on getting a few budgies around the same times aswell. I probably wont put the budgies in the same cage as the cockateil but like do they get along like when ther out?

[zarrion101]

Well let me put this way....

They can and then they can't :p It's best to put the budgies in with the cockatiel when they are babies. But as you said you will probably put them in seperate cages, then yes and if they don't you can always take them out of their cages at different times. :)

[Bea]

Definitely don't house budgies and tiels together, the poor tiel will get bullied. :P They can get along outside of the cage though, under strict supervision that is. With the cage, get the largest you can. Mine is 30" long, 18" deep and 36" high, it's a good size for one. I'd go for 1/2" bar spacing too because it's safer. Females are known to be more snuggly and quite, males are the dorky ones, playful, flirty, but they can apparently be vile during their hormonal stages.I'm not to sure what would be the best combo as Cookie is my first tiel and so i've never had multiple tiels.

[Meghanxx4]

yea i was planning on getting 2 cages, putting the budgies one cage and the cockateil in the other. I think ill start off with one cockateil for now. i was thinking of getting a male cockateil im not fully decided on that yet though.

Im going cage shopping soon since he cages i have are only good for one budgie. i was thinking of getting a 2midwest cages. The link to the site is here: http://www.midwesthomes4pets.com/ProductPages/BirdCages.asp (i was planning on getting the top one)
except im not sure if the bar spacings are right. because some of the bar spacings is 1/4" i dunno if its too small or too big.

I think im going to get or atleast look at some petstores this weekend and look at the cages,toys,etc.

once again thanks for all your help everyone. :D

[Bea]

First cage is excellent, bar spacing is perfect, 1/2". The 4 1/4" part is the distance between the horizontal bars.

[Meghanxx4]

ok cool im starting to plan out what im going to get now.

Im having second thaughts on getting it next month im still deciding whether to get the birds with this month or in january... in january ill have more money from xmas and b-day but i dunno. Ive already ffound breeders for budgies and cockateils.

[Bea]

When the time is right a perfect baby tiel will show it's face and you wont be able to resist. :P

[Meghanxx4]

yes your are right.
How do you tell if a cockateil is a male or female?.. is the same as budgies or is it like sumthing to do with the wings or feathers...?

[Bea]

With young tiels you really can't tell for sure. Males are more vocal but that doesn't start till they're a bit older. Depending on the mutation but some you can't tell the sex just by looking at them. The surest way is dna sexing.

[Meghanxx4]

ohh ok thanks. ill look on the internet aswell. Just to get some more information and such.

[zarrion101]

The woman in the pet store said you can tell if it's a male or female by it's cheeks. My Nero has really rosy orange cheeks. ;)

[Bea]

Not with babies or lots of mutations. :P

[zarrion101]

Not with babies or lots of mutations. :P

It seems all birds are hard to to tell when they are small. :)

[Meghanxx4]

yea but like the grey ones i dont think have those rosy cheek things so you cant really tell.. and im probably most likely going to geta grey since i dont reallty care what colour i get i mean it would be nice to get a 'fancy' one butb i dont really care and the only adds ive seen wher grey ones. Infact i saw an add in the buyselll for baby grey hand tamed cockateils for $80 im tempted to get one but i dont have a cage big enough for a cockateil yet so i geuss im gunna have to wiat . there alwaysbadd for cockateils anyway.

[zarrion101]

Have a look at mine in the thread: "Nero Chirping/Singing" and he's slightly grey unless someone can tell me the proper mutation name. :o

[Meghanxx4]

i know but like some cockatiels there completely grey... infact i think beas cockatiel is completely grey almost...i might be wrong.

[my budgie billy]

i just need to post this if you dont want to get bitten DONT get a tiel!the will bite you at one point or another and it ****ing hurts!lol.

[redgirl]

All birds will bite at some time but I would be scared of a tiel too.xx

[my budgie billy]

sally bit me about 30mins ago and it drew blood!!lol it didnt sting that much.

[zarrion101]

If you're scared put on a good pair of gardening gloves. You won't feel it so much and it's likely to reduce the about the tiel will bite you why because at some point he might understand that biting is not effecting you. Show no pain to the tiel.

My dad went to smooth my tiel's belly and Nero warned him off by a gentle tap.

[Meghanxx4]

im not scared of birds biting me. Besides if they do bite they probably have a good reason to anyway. although i must say im scared a large parrot bitng me, like macaws, cockatoos, etc. they can break your fingers with there beak.

[redgirl]

im not scared of birds biting me. Besides if they do bite they probably have a good reason to anyway. although i must say im scared a large parrot bitng me, like macaws, cockatoos, etc. they can break your fingers with there beak.
I am scared full stop but we have to continue otherwise they will feel superior to us xx

[Meghanxx4]

yea us humans have to be the boss! lol that sounded funny. or else they will sense our nervious-ness and take advantage of us.