Cockatiels for sale

Cockatiels, Nymphicus hollandicus, are a small species of birds that are a member of the parrot family. They are known also by the following name Quarrion, Cockatoo-Parrot, Crested Parrot, and Weero. Cockatiels are found only on the Australian Continent mostly on the northern half of the continent. They live in lightly timbered areas like farmlands, parks, and outskirts of towns. Cockatiels like to perch in the open like on power lines, dead trees, or branches without leaves. They can be found in small to large flocks that are noisy while in flight but can be completely quiet while feeding on the ground. Their diet in the wild is seeds, grains, nuts, fruits, vegetable greenery, and small ground-dwelling insects.

Cockatiels will be old enough to breed at about the age of 1 year. Males and females are different looking, sexually dimorphic. The males will have a yellow face and a bright orange ear patch. The females will have a gray head and a duller orange ear patch. Cockatiels will mate for life and stay with their mate throughout the year. They will bred in the spring when food supplies are increased. They will nest in holes in trees and lay a clutch size of 4 to 7 eggs. The incubation of the eggs is 17 to 23 days and the female will incubate in the evening and night while the male will take the morning through afternoon shift. The chicks will leave the nest by 5 weeks old but will still be cared for by their parents for another month. Cockatiels will live 10-14 years in the wild.

Pet Cockatiel Care

Cockatiels do make great pets. They are very social in the wild and will seek out their owner for attention. Cockatiels are very good at mimicking sounds like whistling. Some can mimic speech. Cockatiels can be loud at times. They are very readily trainable with the patients and time of the trainer. With all the captive breeding, there is many colors available to purchase then only the wild gray color. You can find them in cinnamons, pearls, pieds, albinos, lutinos, and more in the pet trade. In captivity, a cockatiel can live 15-20 years. In the wild cockatiels eat seeds, grains, and whatever fruit or vegetable greenery they can find. The caging size that is best for a cockatiel is the largest that you can afford and have space for as it is with any pet that you may own. The minimal size cage that you can purchase for a cockatiel to be comfortable in is one that measures 24” long by 24” tall and 18” wide. This gives enough room for them to open their wings and move around a bit. The bar spacing needs to be no larger than ¾”. If larger, the bird can injure itself by trying to get out. 2-3 perches of variable diameter of no smaller than ¾” needs to be provided in the cage. The different perching diameter is for the health of their feet to prevent sores on the bottom of their feet.

Toys are essential for any parrot. Naturally in the wild will spend many hours foraging for their food. Play and chewing with toys will help them focus their energy on playing than with behavior issues like feather plucking. When purchasing toys, look over the toy and make sure that there is no risk of your bird getting a foot or beak stuck on any part of the toy or that there are no parts that can get tangled around your bird. Also, you want to purchase a toy that is made for cockatiel sized birds.

The diet of a cockatiel in captivity is easy to maintain with all the complete commercial diets available at pet stores. The best diet is a base of pellets with fresh fruits and greens. Some fruits and greens can be toxic to your bird so do your research before feeding any fruits and greens. Also add a small amount of seed each day or use as a treat. Cockatiels can become obese and their food intake should be watched to prevent it. Always make sure clean fresh water is provided at all times for your pet cockatiel.