# Advise for a first timer!



## jellybean (Mar 20, 2011)

Hi everyone, I was on the board in the summer when we rescued two neglected cockatiels and you helped me so much. Obviously a breeding pair so we made sure to give them 12-14 hours of darkness each day. About a week ago we noticed them mating just before we would cover them each night. Ugh we watched them closely and saw them mating more often. It seemed to coinside with when we turned the heater on in the house. Sounds silly i know! Anyway we put up a nesting box on Friday and that same night the male was up on the perch chewing the hole. Yesterday he got in and hasnt come out. She is popping in and out. When i look in the hole i see him slowly rocking from side to side, whats that about?After reading more ive realised that we have put in the wrong bedding, we put in torn paper towels and some white store bought bedding. Should i change it all? I feel like i shouldnt disturb him but am dying to peek and change the bedding? Advise?
When referring to soft foods are you talking about veggies and fruits, of which they get plenty. I think i read somewhere to give baby cereal, can someone elaborate on that please.


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## devilangel09 (Feb 5, 2008)

When he rocks side to side he's just being defensive and trying to scare you away tho it looks so cute. Use aspen wood shavings as that's the correct nesting material and is best for them. Also it's mainly veggies they prefer the cereal stuff is probably emp which you can buy from a pet shop and give it to them dry or add water. Also you can give them hard boiled eggs


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## jellybean (Mar 20, 2011)

Thanks. Ill skip the cereal i think. Ive been giving them bolied brown rice and lots of sprouts which should help. I did offer them scrabbled eggs but they didnt touch them.
Should i remove all the bedding and replace it? I feel bad cos hes arranged it all and flattened it. Just peeped in and no eggs, im off to get aspen.
Also i have put a bowl of water at the bottom of the cage, she wont go near it. Should i mist her every day? Many thanks


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## devilangel09 (Feb 5, 2008)

They might feeling better trying boiled egg rather than scrambled. And yes change the bedding he will soon rearrange it again so no worries. 


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## devilangel09 (Feb 5, 2008)

Mist them in the morning just don't directly spray them. Unless you can try a tiel bath that goes into the door 


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## jellybean (Mar 20, 2011)

I was just on a website called Cockatielcottage and it said specifically not to use Aspen or any kind of shavings because the dust irrates their eyes and is bad for their respiratory system. They said to use paper towels.
Im confused now and dont know what to do?


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

You can rinse the aspen shavings and then put them in the sun to dry. That should get rid of the dust.

Paper towels are probably fine while you wait.


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## Dreamcatchers (Apr 17, 2011)

Just as a note, I have used the Carefresh Natural Bedding that you can get at Petco for some of my birds. It comes in a block like the shavings. I was forced to use it after an incident where I couldn't find any good shavings for over a week. It works fine, and it has allowed me to keep better track of healthy poops from the chicks because I can see their duty better. I do have to change it a little more frequently once the chicks are hatched but it is really inexpensive. Just be sure that it is the natural white stuff, no coloring. It is made from wood pulp and tested free of chemicals.


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## DyArianna (Aug 7, 2011)

Not to confuse anyone any further..  (I've gotten good at that lately) But I actually use rolled oats for bedding in the nest box. I don't recall where I found out about it, but I do know that it was from a Breeder's experience. The only issue with it .. is that there can be a lot of dust at first. So before I add some to the nest box, I put it in a bowl and let it air out for a few hours, mixing it up occasionally. I like it because it is really easy to do spot cleaning in the nest box. The waste clumps up in it, almost like litter. Plus, it is also not harmful to the birds if ingested.


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

kiln dried pine and aspen are fine, just be sure to get a dust free kind. carefresh is risky..

paper towels do not offer much support for the eggs nor will they keep the heat and humidity proper. You will have more eggs die in the shell. carefresh can absorb moisture from the eggs and if the birds ingest it they can choke. 2-3 inches of pine or aspen will give the eggs enough coushion, keep the eggs warm and at the right humidity level and when the chicks hatch it will give them enough grip to prevent splay leg.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I'm not a fan of Kaytee in general but their wood shavings are nice and clean, pretty much dust-free, and I recommend it highly. I bought another brand once and it was so full of dust that I took it back to the store.


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## Dreamcatchers (Apr 17, 2011)

DallyTsuka - That's interesting to know. I personally have not experienced unusually high moisture loss from using the carefresh, but then, my birds who are on eggs all have bath water available all day. I have not experienced DIS babies and have been using it for over a year now. I haven't noticed any preference in any of my birds to want to eat the carefresh. I will have to keep an eye out and see if perhaps I missed it. My biggest like about the carefresh is the ability to see the babies' poops better to be sure no one is having any issues. If I do notice the birds trying to eat the carefresh or I begin to see unexplained DIS however, you can be sure I will swap it out.


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## jellybean (Mar 20, 2011)

If you put done 2-3 inches of aspen then how does the indentation in the nestbox help? I mean you cover it right?


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Yes you cover it...really I'm not sure what the indention is for as my birds always make their own indention anyways but I think its a general spot that's already formed for them in case they just wanna make their indention there.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

The indentation helps to keep all the eggs close together. If the eggs are at the bottom of a bowl, they won't go rolling away when a parent bird moves around on top of them.


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## jellybean (Mar 20, 2011)

Well after listening to you all, I took their bedding out and replaced it with Alpen. Now they wont go near the nestbox 
What happened? They are still mating like crazy, no eggs yet. What should i do? I think they worked so hard on arranging it and i changed everything up, i feel so bad Advise?


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

It probably won't take very long for them to get used to the new bedding and start going in the nestbox again. When they do they'll discover that the new bedding is MUCH nicer than the old, which will help motivate them to lay eggs.


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