# How to find a breeder and what to expect from the bird?



## snowwhite (Feb 26, 2012)

Hi! We are looking to get our first cockatiel! (We have had parakeets) I'm having a difficult time finding a tame one. We went to a breeder, the birds looked good but were very scared and not tame at all.

We have been to Petco. The bird looked healthy but was not tame at all either.

We also answered an ad on Craigs List. The bird was listed as "friendly" but it kept trying to bite us and its owner the whole time. (Not using its beak as stepping aid but biting). The owner was really surprised. I guess the bird didn't want to leave her!

Any suggestions? It sounds like many here got tame birds. How do I find a breeder? I don't want one shipped. Thanks!


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Have you tried ebayclassifieds.com? I have found several breeders on there. To be honest, the bird doesn't have to be tame to start with. Taming is a great process to go through! Let the bird pick you, you'll know when you've found the right one.


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## snowwhite (Feb 26, 2012)

Hi, thanks! I'm sure we could tame one, we did it with 2 parakeets. However, we were hoping to have a tame one this time.

As far as the birds picking us, they are running the other way! The breeder we saw today had 16 really pretty babies. They all went to far side of the cage from where we were. They also freaked out when we walked by them.


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## snowwhite (Feb 26, 2012)

Thanks, I'll check out the ebayclassifieds too!


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

If you are getting negative reactions from all the cockatiels you have looked at then maybe the bird is picking up something negative from you. I know when I was selling my tame babies if they acted scared and distrustful of someone I would not sell to them. Birds have instincts and likes/dislikes on people too.


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## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

My first bird was from a pet shop but I found the breeder of my second bird through this forum actually

I see you are in Texas, a member on here is in Austin and breeds cockatiels I know she hand feeds hers, http://www.dreamcatchersaviary.com/index.html. Im not sure if you are close to her or not but thought Id mention it.


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## RexiesMuM (Sep 7, 2011)

I would not buy any birds from petco , Every bird ive seen at any petco stores is not healthy and usually sick . Also petcos tiels are not handfed or tame they are parent raised and pulled when they are ready to be shipped to their stores. I would search craigslist , ebay classifieds , http://www.oodle.com/local , also http://www.birdsnow.com/ . GL in finding a tiel hopefully you will have better luck searching on these and other sites


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## snowwhite (Feb 26, 2012)

srtiels said:


> If you are getting negative reactions from all the cockatiels you have looked at then maybe the bird is picking up something negative from you. I know when I was selling my tame babies if they acted scared and distrustful of someone I would not sell to them. Birds have instincts and likes/dislikes on people too.


I'm not sure what negative vibe they are getting? I love animals and have had pets my whole life. My kids love animals too. We Have always been quiet and respectful when looking at the birds.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Were your children with you? Tiels don't really like children because they move too fast and scare them.


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## snowwhite (Feb 26, 2012)

xoxsarahxox said:


> My first bird was from a pet shop but I found the breeder of my second bird through this forum actually
> 
> I see you are in Texas, a member on here is in Austin and breeds cockatiels I know she hand feeds hers, http://www.dreamcatchersaviary.com/index.html. Im not sure if you are close to her or not but thought Id mention it.


Thanks! I'm going to email her!


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## snowwhite (Feb 26, 2012)

RexiesMuM said:


> I would not buy any birds from petco , Every bird ive seen at any petco stores is not healthy and usually sick . Also petcos tiels are not handfed or tame they are parent raised and pulled when they are ready to be shipped to their stores. I would search craigslist , ebay classifieds , http://www.oodle.com/local , also http://www.birdsnow.com/ . GL in finding a tiel hopefully you will have better luck searching on these and other sites


I have not looked at www.birdsnow.com. I'll check it out, thanks!


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## snowwhite (Feb 26, 2012)

roxy culver said:


> Were your children with you? Tiels don't really like children because they move too fast and scare them.


They were with me, but they were super quiet and really calm. At the breeders they didn't say one word except to whisper to me. They didn't run in or skip etc like kids do.


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## Sparrow (Feb 25, 2012)

I'm no expert with cockatiels, but I breed other species..... I've found that birds tend to be skiddish around people when they've been raised by only one person.....

When I'm breeding I get everyone to handle the babies, I get my mum and sister round and other friends to handle them as they are growing up..... They don't get used to one person then, become super tame and are more confident around strangers......

When I have people coming round to buy them, mine fly over and greet them ..... Good luck in finding one......


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

> I've found that birds tend to be skiddish around people when they've been raised by only one person.....


This could very well be the reason. My babies are tame but they rarely see anyone but me, and are shy around new people. There's also the flock mentality - if one bird runs away the others are likely to follow it. 

Just because a baby is tame and handfed, it doesn't mean that the bird will instantly be friendly with every person who approaches. There are some birds like that, especially if they have been exposed to a lot of people in their short lives. But most handfed babies need a few weeks to warm up to a new owner and get used to a new home. Holding food in your hand for them to eat helps speed up the process.


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## eduardo (Jan 27, 2012)

I agree with the last post - mine were hand fed and all, but it took them at least a few days to warm up to us. Hand fed and tame doesn't mean that the bird will instantly be very friendly. Mine certainly tried to hiss a few times in the begining. Now they are velcroed to me, lol.
Bottom line, don't be discouraged - if the baby looks healthy and good, go for it. Tiels are so sweet, I cannot imagine not being able to tame a baby tiel.


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## snowwhite (Feb 26, 2012)

Thank for all the helpful posts! I think this man was the only one they were around. And yes, one ran to the side of the cage and then all of them did it. 

It is really helpful to know several of you had birds that were not friendly to you right away. I'm wondering if we were expecting too much? I think ideally a breeder would have several people around the babies (as mentioned above). But this man, it was just him and his wife. He's been really kind in a follow up email.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

Haha...I got Luna from a woman whose cockatiels had an "accidental" clutch (I actually think she encouraged them). He was parent-raised, had minimal handling, and bit the fire out of me the first day I got him home. I tamed him within 2 days and he is now the most cuddly bird I know...it's to the point I'll put my finger for him to step onto and he'll just throw his head down and beg for scritches instead. Bottom line is that regardless of how friendly the bird seems to you at first glance, if they seem to have a good interactive personality they can really turn out to be a great bird.


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## JennyLynn (Feb 13, 2012)

I guess I am lucky , I bought my Danny from Petco, the Birds were beautiful and look very healthy compared to many other places I visited. I guess different locations are run differently, had him tame in less than 2 weeks. Depends on the breeder they use to supply them.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I have babies and the only people that are socializing with them are me and my hubby...we don't have anyone else that lives with us that can come in and play with the babies (not many people like birds the way we do) so our babies might not like people right off the bat but they'll warm up eventually.


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## dokseus (Feb 7, 2012)

I've had Missy for two weeks as well. When I got her she wasn't even tame at all! The breeder claimed they were hand reared but he ended up being in the hospital two weeks before I came so they lost their tameness(not sure if thats what you would say, LOL) since no one was really handling the birds.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

A really good way to speed up the bonding process with a handfed baby is to hold some food in your hand for it to eat. Millet spray is excellent for this purpose but any kind of food that the baby recognizes will work. They already associate human hands with food so it feels very natural to them to eat from your hand, and it quickly teaches them to trust you.


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## snowwhite (Feb 26, 2012)

Good suggestion! Thank you!


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## jellybean (Mar 20, 2011)

Are you in Austin? If so the Gallery of Pets off Duval had some babies, some not yet weaned so you would have to wait. I was there last week getting millet, the babies were very friendly. Good luck !!


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

The babies there are absolutely gorgeous! I just saw them yesterday! The majority of them are supposed to be ready in 2 weeks and then 2 whiteface babies are going to be ready in 4.


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## JessieBlanket (Feb 20, 2012)

I got Kuno from a local petstore. I had my eye on him for about 2 weeks and they would let me come in and handle him until he was weaned. So, when it was time to go home, he flew to my shoulder and was ready! I know I got lucky.


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## snowwhite (Feb 26, 2012)

jellybean said:


> Are you in Austin? If so the Gallery of Pets off Duval had some babies, some not yet weaned so you would have to wait. I was there last week getting millet, the babies were very friendly. Good luck !!


I would drive there in a second! Thanks for telling me! Sounds like something we can do this Sat! I think I'll call them. Maybe we can pick one out and then come back and pick it up when it is ready?


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## snowwhite (Feb 26, 2012)

bjknight93 said:


> The babies there are absolutely gorgeous! I just saw them yesterday! The majority of them are supposed to be ready in 2 weeks and then 2 whiteface babies are going to be ready in 4.


Thanks, this is really encouraging news!


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

If gender matters to you, the employees usually know the sex but I believe they were all easily sexed by wing spots when I checked them all (but I don't think this isn't a common way to determine gender so they probably would look at you like you're crazy if you mentioned it). I have some pictures and videos I can upload for you if I get on my desktop before you visit them. I have mainly videos though and I will tell you they _are_ quite annoying since they are all babies and are constantly begging for food.


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## jellybean (Mar 20, 2011)

Oh how exciting !! There was a little grey and white, a couple of whitefaces and i believe cinnamon? They just stepped up on our fingers, yes they were still begging, cute as can be. Keep us posted.
Bjknight do you remember how many babies they had? I know that some were older than others, im wracking my brain trying to think what colours they were lol. The staff there are really super nice (and they have lovely millet sprays by the way!)


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

They had about 10 babies. 
3 normal greys
2 whitefaces (these are the younger of them all)
1 lutino pearl
1 cinnamon
1 cinnamon pearl
1 whiteface cinnamon pearl
1 cinnamon pied

All the babies were about 8 weeks except for the 2 whitefaces (they were 6 weeks). They're down to 2 feedings a day so they are close to weaning.  I think all the babies were split to pied.

The adult birds in the smaller tank are not for sale. I think they're the baby makers. The nice looking white one in there is one of their babies but the daddy bird is too attached so they won't sell it.


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## jellybean (Mar 20, 2011)

bjknight, Gosh you have a great memory !! I do remember a little grey one bobbing its head off !! Thats quite a selection, hope that you find one, good luck and keep us posted!!


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

I had a video on my phone of the whole crew..I'm not THAT obsessed!  

They were all very well mannered so I hope you find a good one. A few of them just crawled up my arm when I was trying to get a different one. So those are probably nice cuddly ones...or they just wanted food. Lol


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## snowwhite (Feb 26, 2012)

So sweet! I'm hoping we can go check them out, thank you!


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