Almost Everything You Need To Know About Getting a Pet Cockatiel

Vinegar cleaning mixture ratio: 1 part distilled white vinegar to 2 parts water with a squeeze of fresh lemon. Many people use rope perches for their bird and they enjoy them. I don't use them simply because it's one more thing to worry about. Some people wrap these perches in vet tape to avoid loose fibers from happening. But when you do that you want to make sure they do not chew up and eat the vet tape. I also know there are people out there who use Happy Huts. It is my opinion, along with many others, that they are not 100% safe. Birds can also get their nails caught in the fabric and be injured, along with what I mentioned in the video about ingestion & crop impaction. My personal opinion is, if it has a possibility to harm or kill my bird, I do not use it. I just want to make people who are looking for info about getting a bird aware of the possible dangers. In the end it is also your decision. Other Important Info: Teflon/nonstick pans containing PFTE & PFOA can release dangerous fumes that can kill birds. Using the clean oven setting on an oven can also kill birds. You should not burn scented candles, incense, or use air freshener (this includes the plug-ins ones) when you have a pet bird. Birds have incredibly sensitive and delicate respiratory systems so that's why these things are an issue. Is everyone in the home OK with giving up these things? It's also not recommended to smoke or vape in the home near your birds. I highly recommend adopting because there are many, many cockatiels out there who are neglected or need a home. Personally, I have adopted 3 of my pets. If you do choose to buy a cockatiel, they range anywhere between $100 to $200 depending on who you buy from, and your specific area. Male or Female: With some of the color mutations of cockatiels you can tell if they are male or female based on appearance. HOWEVER, juvenile/young cockatiels all tend to look like females! Pied cockatiels can generally not be visually sexed even after their first molt. A DNA test is the only way to be absolutely sure of the sex before their first molt. Cockatiels have their first molt between 9 and 12 months of age. Some breeders or bird stores will do a DNA test for you or refer you to a vet that can. Color mutations: Cockatiels come in many variations. Some of the common mutations are normal grey, lutino, albino, pied, pearl, pearl-pied, cinnamon, and the list goes on! I recommend if you can meet the bird that you choose the one that you have a connection with, although that's not always possible. (With Archie for example, I picked him based on a picture) If dust is a concern, you can get an air purifier to assist with that. But if someone in the home has serious asthma, I would not recommend a cockatiel, African grey, or cockatoo due to their feather dander. I would recommend a "New World" or rainforest parrot such as a quaker parrot, caique, Indian ring neck, or amazon. These birds secrete oil for water proofing themselves instead of so much dust. If you have questions, please leave them in the comments below and I will try to answer them as best I can!