If you are seriously considering adding a cockatiel to your life, PLEASE be aware that they are not play things. They are 30 year commitments. Too many of these sweet birds end up in shelters and rescues. Please be committed to them 110%! Before you get one, here are some pros and cons of pet cockatiels!
Pros -relatively inexpensive (compared to other parrots) -can be very sweet and affectionate -can mimic, don't normally screech -lifespan is 15-30 years (I think of this as a pro) -small, only about 14" long and 100-150g -easy to find a responsible breeder or adopt one -they have a wide variety of colors and patterns to chose from -low maintenance for birds, medium maintenance for pets in general -they're intelligent, comic, friendly, and social -they make excellent first birds | Cons - can be EXTREMELY loud -can be a very long term commitment -birds are MESSY MESSY MESSY! expect to have to vacuum or sweep up seeds, shells, and feathers daily. Can also expect to get poop on the walls/floors -like any pet, they are living things that need regular, daily care -avian vets are expensive- when I brought in one of the tiels for an eye infection it ended up costing over $200! -need relatively large cages -can go through fairly expensive toys very quickly |
The second thing I'd like to address in this post is the concept of "children's birds" or getting a bird for your child.
1. Anything with a mouth can bite. While my babies are hand fed and very socialised, if a bird is in pain, cornered, or scared, it most likely will bite. While they won't take a finger off, they can easily break skin and traumatise a child.
2. Even the sweetest, gentlest, most animal-loving child can hurt these tiny, fragile birds. Birds have hollow bones that often require very painful, costly surgeries to fix if they are broken. A child might attempt to hug the bird or pet it, and accidentally break a rib, break its leg, dislocate its wing, ect.
3. Birds (especially cockatiels and cockatoos) produce something called "bird dust". This is essentially dander. It can cause allergies, trigger asthma attacks, and get EVERYWHERE!
4. Expect to be the actual caretaker of the bird. Regardless of the age of your child, 2 years old to 17 years old, presume that they will forget to feed it, not want to clean the cage, forget to give it water, ect. If YOU are not willing to make sure the bird is being properly cared for, or if you are not willing to care for the bird yourself, DO NOT GET A BIRD!
Now, I am not saying if you have kids don't get a bird. I am saying do not get it solely because your child says they want one. Do not leave young children alone with any bird, no matter how much you trust either of them. Accidents happen. ALWAYS supervise children handling birds. Explain, educated, and demonstrate to them how to properly handle and care for the bird. Remind them that they are fragile, and that they can and will bite if they are scared or in pain.
Don't get a bird for your child- get a bird for yourself!
1. Anything with a mouth can bite. While my babies are hand fed and very socialised, if a bird is in pain, cornered, or scared, it most likely will bite. While they won't take a finger off, they can easily break skin and traumatise a child.
2. Even the sweetest, gentlest, most animal-loving child can hurt these tiny, fragile birds. Birds have hollow bones that often require very painful, costly surgeries to fix if they are broken. A child might attempt to hug the bird or pet it, and accidentally break a rib, break its leg, dislocate its wing, ect.
3. Birds (especially cockatiels and cockatoos) produce something called "bird dust". This is essentially dander. It can cause allergies, trigger asthma attacks, and get EVERYWHERE!
4. Expect to be the actual caretaker of the bird. Regardless of the age of your child, 2 years old to 17 years old, presume that they will forget to feed it, not want to clean the cage, forget to give it water, ect. If YOU are not willing to make sure the bird is being properly cared for, or if you are not willing to care for the bird yourself, DO NOT GET A BIRD!
Now, I am not saying if you have kids don't get a bird. I am saying do not get it solely because your child says they want one. Do not leave young children alone with any bird, no matter how much you trust either of them. Accidents happen. ALWAYS supervise children handling birds. Explain, educated, and demonstrate to them how to properly handle and care for the bird. Remind them that they are fragile, and that they can and will bite if they are scared or in pain.
Don't get a bird for your child- get a bird for yourself!