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Conference 7.286::pet_birds

Title:Captive Breeding for Conservation--and FUN!
Notice:INTROS 6.X / FOR SALE 13.X / Buying a Bird 900.*
Moderator:VIDEO::PULSIFER
Created:Mon Oct 10 1988
Last Modified:Tue Jun 03 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:942
Total number of notes:6016

92.0. "New Cockatiel Owner" by SALEM::PAGLIARULO_G () Sun Jan 08 1989 22:21

Hello Everyone,

	Since we bought my daughter a cockatiel for her birthday I've been 
reading this file in preparation for his (supposition at this point) homecoming.
Oliver is still at the breeder being hand fed.  As soon as he is down to two 
feedings a day we get to take him home and hand feed him ourselves.

	I haven't been involved with a bird since I had a parakeet from 
Woolworth's when I was 10 years old.  After perusing this file it seems that I 
did a lot wrong - sandpaper on the bottom of the cage, sandpaper perches, 
exclusive Hartz Mountain seed diet etc. etc.  

	So that this bird lives a long and healthy life are there any pointers 
you can give me pertaining to Cockatiels?  What's the best diet?  The cage we 
have was purchased used from someone that had a parrot that is no longer 
around.  It's 19X19X24, is in very good shape and was only $50.  The former 
tenant died of pneumonia.  We soaked the cage in bleach for several hours and 
washed it very well.  Are there any other precautions we should take?  Aside 
from seed and water cups are there any other things we should have in the cage?
Are there any particular toys cockatiels like?  How about a good book on 
training a bird?

	As you can see I'm a complete novice at this but since our visits to 
the breeder I've become really excited about birds.  I never realized they 
could be so interesting and interactive pets.  I've already asked the breeder a
lot of these questions but it seems wothwhile to take advantage of all the 
knowledge here.

Thanks,

George
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
92.1new budgie ownerGIAENG::PULSIFERDoug Pulsifer 296-3332Mon Jan 09 1989 11:2028
    Hi, Your starting out right with a hand raised bird. I had two budgies,
    Tweety and Rita ,that I put a lot of time into training. After months
    they will eat from my hand and allow minimal handling. But my new hand
    raised baby, Buddie, can't wait to get out of the cage and be with us.
    He especially like to helps with the jigsaw puzzles, although he is much
    better at taking the puzzle apart and turning the peices upsidedown. 
                               
    I tried different methods of training Rita and Tweety and had some
    success, but with Buddie there really isn't anything to it. He knows
    how to fly, and now I am have him fly short distances so he
    can land without hurting himself. If he is any indication of the
    way hand raised birds behave, you don't need to train them just keep
    handling and enjoying them.
                               
                               
    I am still hand feeding him two times a day, but he is starting
    to eat seeds from my hand now. He also picks at his millett trees
    during the day.                                            
                                                               
    There are a multitude of toys out there to choose from. I reccomend
    that you do not get him a mirror if you want to keep him as a real
    pet as he may like the mirror better than people. You also want
    to make sure that there is nothing he can get his toes stuck in,
    such as small links in chain, as he could rip his toenails.
                                            
    		Doug
    
    
92.2No one can own just one!CSC32::K_WORKMANHand picked by Juan ValdezMon Jan 09 1989 22:4549
    Congradulations!
    
    Now for my first piece of advise ...
    
    They multiply!  I'm not talking about the lay an egg multiply, I'm
    talking about the "I just have to have one more!".  Once you buy
    one, you gotta watch it... you will want to buy another and another
    and another and so on..... (I'm sure your daughter will for sure!)
    
    Your breeder sounds like a great place to get some good advice.
    Personally I like Topper's Cockatiel seed.  I feed it to my Quakers
    and Conures.  Make sure that you use a vitamin supplement in the
    food (fruite and veggies), not the water.  Nekton and Super Preen 
    are good ones to name a few.  The water thing has really lost 
    popularity because of studies showing that the vitamin content is 
    gone in a matter of hours and because of the base the vitamins 
    come in; the residue will  grow bacteria rapidly in the water. 
        
    Your cage seems to be a good size for a cockatiel.   My feeling is 
    the bigger the better.  Soaking the cage in bleach  for that long 
    has surely left the cage free of any bacteria or fungus.  
    
    I have found that with fruits and veggies, every bird is different.
    You will need to keep trying different types until you find what
    your bird will eat.  Broccoli and sweat potatoes are an excellent
    source of vitamins and minerals for birds.  Chili Peppers are also
    good.  I have some birds that love the pepers and others that won't
    touch them.  Corn seems to be the big winner, I haven't met a bird
    yet that wouldn't eat corn. They can get fat on the stuff though
    so feed in moderation.  There are several good receipes for veggie
    food that your daughter might enjoy preparing for her new baby under
    the feeding topic. 
    
    If your bird will be alone during the day, then toys in the cage
    will be important.  He will need something to keep him busy until
    you guys can come home and play.
    
    Well I hope I didn't leave anything out, but I'm sure I did.  There
    are bunches of good books on bird care.  One that I have that is
    real good is called Bird Owner's HOME HEALTH AND CARE Handbook written
    by Gary A. Gallerstein, D.V.M.  It covers all the important stuff.
    It even has a section in the back on taming and training.
    
    I hope others in this file can add more.  Welcome to Pet_birds and
    I know you will enjoy your bird so much, you will want ANOTHER!	
    
    Karen from Colorado.