# Are Cockatiels Right For Me?



## Animals&Art (Oct 2, 2013)

I recently fell in LOVE with cockatiels! My cousins have 2 budgies, which got me hooked on birds. I have done minor research about cockatiels, but want to know LOTS more before I get a cockatiel. 

1.) How many cockatiels? I will be able (and want!) to spend lots of time with them, AT LEAST a couple hours a day. Most likely more.

2.) Noise. My biggest concern. I won't mind it, but my mom might.  Plus, we have a 3 year old and a 1 year old who take naps. Will the birds wake them up? (They are fairly heavy sleepers). I know females are quieter, (I also know it will depend on the individual.) If I get a female, will I still be able to teach it to talk/whistle. If I teach it to talk/whistle, will it do it non-stop?

3.) Are cockatiels kid-friendly? (Again, young kids.) 

4.) Really isn't to much of a concern, but how much time a day will they take?

5.) How much money a month/year to keep them?

THANKS! Feel free to post tips/advice that I didn't ask about.ied:


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

1. Number depends on you...how many can you handle?

2. Most females do not talk/whistle songs...though there are some that do its very rare. Males can talk/whistle but not all will. Mine are usually noisy in the mornings and evenings, not usually during the day time.

3. Cockatiels are not usually recommended for children under the age of seven, small kids move fast and this can scare a tiel because predators move fast. That's not to say it can't work but there would be an adjustment period and I would never leave the child alone with the tiel.

4. Cockatiels require at least one hour a day of your attention. But they like more!!!

5. Don't really know about the money I've spent. There will be a big initial cost because you'll have to have a cage and food and toys and the initial vet visit. I would guess maybe $400 to begin with including the tiel. I spend $25 a month on seeds and millet, I buy pellets every three months or so for $15. Everything else is up to you!

Welcome to the forum!


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## Tisena (Sep 28, 2013)

I'm a new owner myself and this is definitely one of the best places to start, I ended up here from the budgie equivalent, when I got my cockatiel, Sam

I've done quite a bit of research, and I am glad you are researching before buying your cockatiel
and not rushing into it lightly
I give Sam as many hours as I can spare  He loves being out of the cage
Make sure the cage is big enough for your bird to play and have fun in when you can't have it out
I think females can learn some whistles but I am not sure about talk
I have also read that males are less bite-y than females
Keep them away from any animals you have, especially predatory
I only bought Sam because I knew he'd be in a social environment and Bluebell talks to him
The breeder I bought him from, says 1 cockatiel is the best way to start,
but two cockatiels is nice for them to have company
I have also read that mirrors can cause mental issues (don't quote me on that but I read it on a cockatiel site, haven't seen it on others though but I'm steering clear anyway)
I also read they are very afraid of the dark so I cover all but one side of Sam's cage at night so he's warm but he has enough light so he doesn't panic
Moneywise it depends, on any veterinary care needed, what food you give them, from what I have read pellets are desirable, I am currently looking for a reliable source to get them myself
You're going to need bird safe cage disinfectant, some nice perches(research branches that are non-toxic) 
While I researched I wrote down all of what I found out and put it in a binder so that the family can read it
I did alot of my research on talk cockatiels and http://www.cockatielcottage.net
And when I research I do it over different sites and books to make sure what information I get is correct and if one site says something is bad I am steering clear just in case

You're going to need a lot of patience!!


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## TexTiel (Mar 17, 2013)

I have a male, Sammy. He's quiet. He sings in the morning and makes chirping sounds periodically. He has a flight cage purchased from Amazon for $149. Shop around for cages. They can get very pricy. Apart from the initial cage set up, he doesn't cost much to keep. A buy food every couple of months. He loves bells so I buy him toys with bells on them. I've never been able to tame him. But he will eat millet from my fingers so that is as much interaction as we have. I sing and whistle songs for him though and he has learned some of them. All in all I say that tiels make wonderful companions and are easy to keep.


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## BirdCrazyJill (Apr 23, 2013)

1. I would start with one, preferably a hand tame young female. 

2. Females do tend to be quieter, males do whistle more and can say some words, but once they catch a tune they like to share their talents ALL DAY  The flock call would definitely be something to get used to, it could possibly wake up the kiddos, but once the bird is used to their new home (after a few months) it's not so bad. They are definitely not a silent bird though.

3. I would recommend only you and the adults in your house handle the bird, including sticking fingers in the cage when the bird is closed in. You don't want the kids to torment the bird with their fingers, and you don't want it to become frightened of hands. It should be a "look but don't touch" situation for safety's sake

4. Cockatiels enjoy company, and especially if you bond with them when they are young. They will appreciate all of the time you can give to them  I would recommend at least an hour or two a day. I leave the radio on for my birds when I go to work.

5. After your initial cost of the bird and set up, it's really fairly inexpensive to keep a cockatiel. With one bird you will probably spend $10-20 a month on food and possibly a new toy here and there. Check the classifieds for used cages in good shape! 

Good luck in your search  Cockatiels are wonderful birds and they do live for 15-25 years on average, so just remember this is a long commitment. I'm not sure how old you are or where you're at in school, but think about what your plans are for after high school (if you haven't graduated yet) and if you are staying home or moving. Who is going to take care of your bird? Are you going to be able to part with the bird for school after being attached? Or can you bring it with you? Just some things to think about


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## Mezza (Feb 19, 2013)

I agree - start with one to see how you go. Yes, you will fall in love with it. 

The others have pretty much covered it.

Its really important to do an initial vet check (avian vet if possible). Just make sure that you are prepared to take them to the vet if they fall ill. This cost depends on the problem.

Overall once you are set up it is relatively cheap. In saying that Skiddles turned out to be an expensive start due to her being unwell. But don't let that discourage you as Skiddles I think was an exception. 

The more time you spend with them the better - they love the company. 

Good luck!


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## Animals&Art (Oct 2, 2013)

Thank you EVERYBODY for your quick reply! It would be nice to be able to teach it to talk, but if it's getting a non-talking, quieter female, rather then a talking loud male, then I don't really care! I had already assumed that the young ones wouldn't handle them. I already found a cage for 70 that I thought about getting - 20"x16"x29". Big enough? She'll be out for at least and hour a day. What things should I look for in purchasing a cockatiel? Making sure it's healthy and all.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

The 16" part is too small, the minimum requirements for a tiel are 18x18x18. So the measurements all need to be that or bigger. Have you looked on ebay? That's where several of us have found good cages for good prices. http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=3434 This sticky explains what to look for when purchasing a tiel. You can also read through our sticky library and get lots of info there!


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

First of all, welcome to the forum! 

Could you post a photo of the cage you're thinking of purchasing, or link it here? The minimum size for a cockatiel is 18x18x18, but they really do better in a bigger cage. And, if you decide to get a second cockatiel, having a big cage is a bonus because you don't need to buy another cage (but you will need a separate cage for quarantine).

Just thought I'd add as well -- a couple of the DNA sexed female 'tiels on this forum actually wolf-whistle.


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## ollieandme (Mar 25, 2013)

also, if you're wanting a cockatiel who might one day be reliable around kids, i'd go for a handraised one. they're a lot more socialised from a young age that way  especially ones which were handraised by kids or in a family!


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## eduardo (Jan 27, 2012)

If you are planning to have her out of cage for only an hour or two a day, you should get a bigger cage. I think females are very quiet, but if your tiel bonds to you, be aware that she will flock call for you. It could get noisy.
Personally, I don't think that cockatiels are independent birds. They can be very needy.


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## scootergirl762 (Aug 27, 2013)

Welcome! Sounds like you are off to a great start. This forum is full of information and helpful people, so you picked the right place to ask questions. I second getting a handtamed bird - you'll be off to a great start with a bird that's used to peoples hands etc.


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## Carrie88 (Sep 20, 2013)

1. I have 1. I love him but I dont think I could cope with more. Obviously many people do though so get 1 and see you you feel.

2. My Zazu is a male. He's noisy in the mornings but only when I take his cover off. He knows that when his cover off to not make noise, which is great cos it means I get my lie ins on my days off work. My old cockatiel Charlie was very VERY noisy. And she chirped and chirped till I let her out. Then I read that you should wait till they're quieter otherwise they'll associate loud chirping with coming out and become demanding. With Zazu I learnt to let him chirp till he was quiet and then let him out. Charlie seemed to have picked up a bad habit of chirping till she was let out. Zazu sings if you're happy and you know it and says what you doing and whose a pretty boy. Not that noisy though and yes now he's learnt it he does it a lot, but it really really doesnt bother me. I dont really register the noise anymore. I can still watch tv and not even register Zazu chirping. I dont think they're loud enough to wake up a child.

3. My boyfriend parents had cockatiels when he was younger but he was horrible and used to run his fingers up and down the cages. But he was a horrible child by the sounds of it lol. My friends have kids and come round but they run around and Zazu craps himself so I usually put him in the cage until they're gone. I'm scared they'll accidently stand on him or something. But hopefully I will have kids in the future and I will be teaching them to look but not touch and I will never leave my child alone with Zazu.

4. When I'm off work Zazu is out of his cage from 10am till about 8pm with me. When my boyfriend and I are in work he comes out as soon as I get home. When I first let him out he bothers with me for about half an hour to an hour but then after that he'll go do his own thing. Right now he's sat on a dining chair chirping to the birds outside haha.

5. Just echoing what everyone else has said. The initial set up can be expensive I guess. I got a second hand cockatiel cage someone was selling off fb so it was dead cheap. Toys arent that much really. Food, Zazu eats veg when we eat veg, we just cook some for him. And if we have pasta/rice when we have some he has a bit. And his cockatiel seed mix is like £3 a month.

I got Zazu from a breeder reccomended to me. Zazu was in an aviary but he was only 13 weeks so a baby. He was very, very easy to tame. He's amazing. I would so reccomend a cockatiel, they're like little people. They've got such amazing little personalities! They are like children though, you have to watch them all the time lol and when they're quiet they're usually doing something they're not supposed too lol. Let us know what you decide to do


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## Animals&Art (Oct 2, 2013)

Thanks guys! So, Carrie88, you say Zazu is out from 10am to 8pm. Does he poo everywhere? If he doesn't, my tiel would only be in the cage at night!


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## Carrie88 (Sep 20, 2013)

Animals&Art said:


> Thanks guys! So, Carrie88, you say Zazu is out from 10am to 8pm. Does he poo everywhere? If he doesn't, my tiel would only be in the cage at night!


I'm not gonna lie, yeah he poos where he wants lol. BUT he does go the same places pretty much everyday. So he either goes on the dining room chairs, sits on the coffee table, sits on the arm of the sofa or sits on top of the tv.

I'm quite a tidy person though and I vacuum everyday and I wipe down my dining room chairs and coffee table everyday so it doesnt really bother me. One of the reasons though I think I could only have 1 cockatiel lol.

I'm off today and he's been out for about 4 hours now. I've wiped a fair few poos up already but it takes like a second


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

Poop can be managed easily, where s/he sits the most, you can put down old sheets, or newspaper. I try to clean up when they poop with unscented baby wipes.


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## Animals&Art (Oct 2, 2013)

I've also heard of people making/buying cockatiel diapers - being the crafty person I am, I could probably make one. What do you guys think about doing this?


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Cockatiel diapers are totally up to you. I dont think we have any members that uses them. To be honest if you cant handle bird poop you might want to reconsider getting a bird. Poop comes with the territory. Some do use flight suits which might work better...

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## Animals&Art (Oct 2, 2013)

It's not that I can't handle poop - I have chickens. I am convinced chickens poop more then any creature on earth. I am just thinking about ways that my tiel can be out for long periods of time and still have everyone in the family happy.


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## eduardo (Jan 27, 2012)

Actually, a lot of people have a fear of cockatiel poop. The truth is, it is not bad at all. It does not smell, and is not as runny as some wild birds' poo that you see outside. It has consistency of toothpaste and is typically easily picked up with a tissue. Poop is the last thing that bothers me.


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## Animals&Art (Oct 2, 2013)

That was my next question - what their poo was like. Also, when they are out, what do they like to do? fly? play? just sit on your shoulder?


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## eduardo (Jan 27, 2012)

It depends on the cockatiel. My female is content just to hang out with me, sit on my shoulder and enjoy the scritches. My male, on the other hand, is always into some kind of mischief, chewing stuff, destroying, and looking for attention in general, LOL. As far as energy level, cockatiels are not highly energetic birds in my opinion. They are laid back and will often sit and watch TV with you for a long time. Definitely not hyper like budgies.


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## Animals&Art (Oct 2, 2013)

Ok, Thanks! I think I have one last question - say I have nothing to do one day and I want to have my tiel out all day, just playing/bonding/relaxing with it - should it be in it's cage for at least some time, to make sure it is eating? Will not being in the cage at all stress it out? Will it fly back to the cage if it wants some alone time? Are tiels one person birds?

Ok that was more then one...


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## ollieandme (Mar 25, 2013)

the poops easy! so quick to clean up 
you can put food outside the cage during the day if you're worried they need to eat. when it's still a baby it might not go back to it's cage, but as it gets older it'll independant and go back if it wants 
they're not notorious one person birds. a few are but most are happy round several people, though they may have favourites


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## Animals&Art (Oct 2, 2013)

Thank you very much!!!


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

When mine are out of their cages I always have food and water available in the room just in case they don't want to go back into their cage to fuel up.


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## Mezza (Feb 19, 2013)

roxy culver said:


> Cockatiel diapers are totally up to you. I dont think we have any members that uses them. To be honest if you cant handle bird poop you might want to reconsider getting a bird. Poop comes with the territory. Some do use flight suits which might work better...
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


I agree totally. 

Personally, I don't believe diapers for birds are right. After all they are pooping machines. And like the others said it only takes a minute to clean it up.


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## Mezza (Feb 19, 2013)

I find with Skiddles if she is out all day - I just leave her cage open and she comes and goes from her food and naps as she please. But when i first had her I use to either put her in for a feed or put food out for her as she wasn't a flyer. Now that she flies she just owns the house...oh and me! LOL!


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## moonchild (Jul 29, 2012)

As far as the poop goes, with one or two it's easy enough to manage. Just lay down newspaper, towels, sheets, plastic carpet runner, or whatever else you want underneath where they tend to hang out most. I have a designated room for my birds where the only furniture is their cage, their (very large) tree and my small desk. With as many as I have, it does get messy fast, but I manage it with towels and newspaper. They definitely get into trouble sometimes, chewing whatever I leave lying around, and for a while they were sitting on top of the curtain rod and chewing the paint off the wall.  I had to block off access to that spot with a rather ugly but effective solution. Oh, life with birds! lol.

As far as what they like to do when out...it varies depending on the bird. Mine love to hang out on their tree and on the cage top playing and chewing. Or just sitting and preening. Several of them like to be on/near me a lot and demand head scratches. They also like to wander around on the floor and forage for spilled seed.

They fly back to their cage when they're hungry. I have lots of perches on the outside of their cage so they can get in and out easily, plus there are also food bowls on top.


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## moonchild (Jul 29, 2012)

Also, if you only get one tiel prepare for the possibility of a VERY clingy little bird. Mine are more independent because they have a flock. It can be a little overwhelming having a bird that cries constantly when it can't see you, or always wants to be glued to your shoulder. Not all single tiels will be like this, but many will.


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## eduardo (Jan 27, 2012)

moonchild said:


> Also, if you only get one tiel prepare for the possibility of a VERY clingy little bird. Mine are more independent because they have a flock. It can be a little overwhelming having a bird that cries constantly when it can't see you, or always wants to be glued to your shoulder. Not all single tiels will be like this, but many will.


I agree. Many people get cockatiels because they are known to be quiet and laid back birds. And then they are surprised and wonder what happened their bird because it won't stop screaming. Cockatiels can be very needy, they are not as independent as some other species such as parrotlets or budgies.


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## Sebastior (Jul 29, 2013)

i've got a rescued female, she's about 6 months (i think she's female, she's just recently started moulting, so we'll see, but i'm guessing it's a female 'cause of her behaviour as well)

And i'd say start with 1, i've only had budgies before, so this is my first and it's kind of a handful sometimes, i don't think i could handle 2 atm, but that's just me.
She can be VERY loud, especially when she's looking out the crack of the blinds. She can also be quite loud in the morning, but it seems like it's just to wake me up so i can open the cage for her.

I'd say it's fairly inexpensive, the cage was about $50 and i got 3 perches with it.
Buy the little bigger perches that are for cockatiels, and if you want, sandpaper that you put on one of the perches to keep their talons from growing too long. I highly recommend it, Baby loves tearing it off though, but that's fine.
Have the cage set up the way you want it to before you get the tiel in, so you don't have to change a bunch of stuff before she can go out.

The main cost is gonna be the bird and cage. Other than that, it's not very pricy at all.


They're great pets! I was planning on getting a new budgie a while after mine flew away, but i saw a tiel (they seem to put down the animals if they haven't sold them after a certain amount of time) that i fell in love with and i went home and researched cockatiels, went back the next day and got my tiel and read up some more while she was settling in.
I tried to get her tame for like a month in the cage, then i let her out after asking on here if it was okay, they said yeah. 3 days later, she randomly put her head on my fingers, so i started giving her some tickle tickles and she's been cuddly ever since! Lovely little bird, so funny, and so cuddly!
Good luck with your tiel if you decide to get one!


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## mareeder (Jul 31, 2013)

Re: the noise. I am a new 'Tiel owner and was a bit concerned about the noise, too. We live in a three flat full of people we know and respect and did not want our new pet to disturb them. Also, being a full time dad of two, I have a lot of noise in my house as it is, and I really so need a few minutes of quiet time here and there, and was worried that our tiel might rob me of ANY peace and quiet.

It turns out that I absolutely love our Tiel's (Pip) sounds. He is only 5 months and has two songs down pat, and I find his chirps and whistles to be an utter delight. Also, he has long periods where he is very quiet, so the sounds are not constant. The screeches are rare and tolerable.

Based on the experiences with my new 'Tiel, I would say that noise should not be a deterrent for you in choosing a tiel for a pet!


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## Animals&Art (Oct 2, 2013)

mareeder said:


> Re: the noise. I am a new 'Tiel owner and was a bit concerned about the noise, too. We live in a three flat full of people we know and respect and did not want our new pet to disturb them. Also, being a full time dad of two, I have a lot of noise in my house as it is, and I really so need a few minutes of quiet time here and there, and was worried that our tiel might rob me of ANY peace and quiet.
> 
> It turns out that I absolutely love our Tiel's (Pip) sounds. He is only 5 months and has two songs down pat, and I find his chirps and whistles to be an utter delight. Also, he has long periods where he is very quiet, so the sounds are not constant. The screeches are rare and tolerable.
> 
> Based on the experiences with my new 'Tiel, I would say that noise should not be a deterrent for you in choosing a tiel for a pet!


Thank you for telling me! I am thinkin' this tiel thing will work. :clap:


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## mareeder (Jul 31, 2013)

Make sure, however, that you do lots of research regarding night frights and the injuries that can occur in the middle of the night, for no apparent reason. Night frights are very real. We've only had Pip since August and we've already dealt with two of them. Scary and not fun.

:/


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## Animals&Art (Oct 2, 2013)

Ok, I will make sure too.


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## Animals&Art (Oct 2, 2013)

So. Concerning having only 1 and it being clingy. Since she will mostly likely flock call for me whenever she can't see me, (Right?) I had an idea. My cousins move their budgie cage into whatever room they are in.They homeschool, so they put it in the schoolroom/dining room when the are doing school and the playroom when the are done so the birds can see them and feel included. I homeschool to - it would be easy to do that too. I, of course, would have to do school before I can play with my tiel. If she is in the same room, will she be content, or will she want out? Will I have to train her to not cry for attention? (Which I am completely fine with.)


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## moonchild (Jul 29, 2012)

It's hard to answer all your questions because every tiel is different.  I never succeeded in training Juju not to flock call when he was my only tiel. It's instinctive behavior. Some people say answering the bird helps, but it didn't with him. Likewise, some do better with staying in the cage then others (without making a fuss). Mine hate being locked up, but they're also pretty spoiled.

A proper size cage for a tiel will not be all that easy to move around (and will cost more in the neighborhood of $100-150 than $50). If your tiel is out of the cage most of the time, you can get away with a smaller one, but if it's going to be expected to entertain itself in there for hours at a time it's really best to go with a flight cage. That way you can fit many toys and fun things to do in there. My flock go through toys fairly quickly, and love things they can shred and destroy. If you learn to make your own, costs can be kept way lower.


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## Animals&Art (Oct 2, 2013)

I was looking around for tiel cages, and found one at my local petco - I looked at the reviews on their website and amazon, and all the reviews say it is perfect. The quality is great, cleaning is easy, and they say it is really roomy and has plenty of space for toys and bird, specifically saying 1 cockatiel fits great in it. It's the one I mentioned before - 20x16x29.


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## scootergirl762 (Aug 27, 2013)

My cage is 17 x 22 it's this one...
http://www.petco.com/product/116082/HQ-Opening-Victorian-Top-with-Cart-Stand-Bird-Cage.aspx
I went with it because the top opens up and there is a landing platform - so while it's not a huge flight cage, I still feel my tiel has enough room to spread his wings because I have him out of it, if that makes sense. I think what I hear most is....get the biggest cage you can afford for the comfort of the bird and for those times you can't let him out. 
A lot of those reviews will say that a tiel fits great in it...but they aren't taking into account how much time your tiel spends in it and how much time you need to have them spend out of it if it's small.


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## moonchild (Jul 29, 2012)

Animals&Art said:


> I was looking around for tiel cages, and found one at my local petco - I looked at the reviews on their website and amazon, and all the reviews say it is perfect. The quality is great, cleaning is easy, and they say it is really roomy and has plenty of space for toys and bird, specifically saying 1 cockatiel fits great in it. It's the one I mentioned before - 20x16x29.


That's actually pretty small. The Petco designer white finch flight cage is slightly bigger (18" x 18" x 30") and that's the absolute smallest I'd go. But if a bird is going to be spending more than a couple of hours in the cage at a time, then bigger is better.

When I first got birds I started with minimum size cages. They looked big to me! But now, I'd never go back to them. Trust me when I say they really use all the space you give them. Unless they are rarely in the cage, I personally think even the minimum recommended here is way too small (18" x 18" x 18"). To me, that's the equivalent of a human living in something the size of their bathroom.

16" in any direction is too small because their wingspan is bigger than that. :\ Tiels have long tails. Big wings. There's barely any space to acommodate them, perches and toys in a minimum sized cage. Again, if they're out of the cage all day that's a different story.


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## Animals&Art (Oct 2, 2013)

Ok - I'll look for a bigger cage.


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