# New with cockatiel, really need advices (Health, food, etc.)



## BRI (Dec 12, 2017)

Hello, I’ve a new Cockatiel since last Tuesday, we’ve make huge improvements since then, he let’s me touch him and he loves perching into my shoulder and chew onto my hair.

Since I've read so many posts and information towards some subjects... different answers came and it has confused me to no end.

It seems to be a he and he is 2 months old. 



The thing is:



1.- He keeps making an static like sound all the time I’m with him, he comes closer do my face and rubs his beak to me or makes a nodding notion with his head (I’ve read it is cause he might be asking for food and even if I give him food and he is eating it he keeps doing the sound or he stops eating he goes to my face and keeps doing it. He eats alone and I make sure he eats his seed mixture, veggies and some fruits and he can eat for hours so I’m not sure that’s it...) I’m concerned this could be for a sickness, or he just is being spoiled, he also makes it when I pet him and sometimes it turns into chirps. He also makes it when I’m going to take him out of his cage or when I come into the room. This leads to the next, I've read people that leaves food ALL the day, and others that say to leave it only for an hour, remove it and then wait till the night. I normally feed him veggies in the morning with some fruits (which he doesn't seem to like) along with a spray of his mixture of seeds (like a spoon or so) and leave it all day only to remove it at night. I would like to have timings to feed him but this constant sound has been making me more nervous about him not eating. He leaves some food but mostly are seed shells and the bigger seeds he just leave them untouched, while he loves to eat all his broccoli and spinach (which I only put a tiny piece of spinach and a bit more of broccoli).
I can update video tomorrow if needed but he mostly is like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqJ1uJC64n4 

So... as I mentioned I’ve seen people that feed their ‘tiels at mornings, remove the food and then again at night, is it the best? Specially for baby cockatiels or it should be food 24/7. 

2.- He has some food on his feathers and on his beak... but I’m afraid it might be too cold for him to take a bath since he is too young and might catch a cold, should I wait (Not sure if it could affect his health), or just try to bath him. 

3.- His breeder actually just clipped one wing... and when he tries to fly he automatically collapses with a wall, he has done it like 4 times and I try to lure him with millet (since he loves it) so he stops trying to fly around and damage himself. I’m afraid to do it by myself and injure him and I have no harness to take him out just yet and his transport cage really REALLY stress him out to the point of snapping and hard. I’m not sure if I should wait for the other wing to grow or plainly be very careful, follow step by step and try it myself. 

4.- He LOVES, when I’m lying down, to come and cuddle under my nose (I suppose he enjoys my breathing or something like that cause he always does that) *but I’m not sure if that’s good at all*, he also tries to peck my teeth but as soon as he tries I automatically shut my mouth close since I've read it has some damaging bacteria and I want to avoid it... but he manages to catch me out of guard sometimes... any advice?

5.- I want to buy an harness and start taking him out, should that go slowly, I mean, since he loves to be on my shoulder I think he would enjoy going out to the park and get some fresh air and some sun but I’m afraid he might creep out of a dog passes by or cars, should I start by taking him to the garden and gradually go outside? Or can he actually catch some sickness for his age? (Since the shipping lates so much I might have it like on 3 months, so he will have like 5-6 months).

6.- And lastly is it normal for a bird to suddenly turn very grumpy? I came home last night and I had forgotten to clean his water so when I put my hand in his cage to remove the water he actually tried to snap at me.

EXTRA:

This thread have a bit of food and nutrition area as well... so I'm a bit unsure of leaving those points for other thread but it also has an effect on his health so I think this will be okay, if it's wrong I can edit the thread to erase those points.

Also, I'm very sorry if I had some grammar mistakes, English is not my native language!

Thanks to everyone!


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## frozengirl (Nov 26, 2016)

Hi there! Your tiel is a beauty.

First off , let me say your tiel is very young and should have plenty of food at all times.
Birds metabolize their food very quickly which is why they poop a lot and NEED food 24/7. No pet parrot should ever be without food for longer then an hour, especially a baby. I don't even do this to my five month tiel. They need all the nutrition they can get ,
While young, just like baby humans. 
One spoonful of seeds is NOT enough. Give it three large spoons + millet spray + 2 spoons of pellets.

Pellets, seed mix, and a millet spray stick should be in his cage, along with a water dish, easily accessible. 
Even when you add vegetables, make sure the seeds and pellets are in the cage until you are certain he is eating the vegetables. 

1. I would start weighing him immediately, as these sounds can mean he has reverted back to needing formula . It could also mean he wants your attention, but hearing how little seeds you fed him, I am abit worried he is very hungry. Did he only start making these noises? Or since Tuesday? I would also ask the breeder what his weight was when you got him, how long was he weaned, what was he weaned onto, and if he should be back on formula. 
Most breeders make a birdy grain and vegetable mash to feed their baby birds, warm it up a little before feeding, it reminds them of formula and gives them some comfort while being very nutritious. You could also feed some from your finger tips . I still feed this to my birds every morning, but I just don't mash it anymore  It is safe to leave it in the cage for 3-4 hours.
Here is my recipe if your breeder didn't do this:
==================
Cooked Mash/Chop Recipe

The monthly chop I cook then store into zip bags and freeze and unthaw 1 portion in the fridge at night for the next day. I reheat it for 10 seconds in the microwave. Be wary of hot spots. 

Everything cooked: (boiled) 

Cooked quinoa , buckwheat (1 cup each - 15 minutes cooking then let drain before mixing )
Green beans
Cooked sweet potato
Kale
Carrot 
Brocolli
Cauliflower
Corn
Peas
boy choy 

Sprinkle sesame seeds on top for a couple of weeks.

*You can use frozen veges and cook them for 5 minutes too. Be wary of Lima beans or certain beans in frozen packaging, they need to be soaked and cooked for a long time. Green beans are safe and cook fast.
*You don't need to have all of the listed vegetables, just remember variety is better.

==

2. Just wet a facecloth or paper towel with some warm water and gently wipe it off if possible. After your baby becomes more comfortable you can definitely give him a bath or gentle spray. I waited a week before giving my new tiel a bath.

3. I would wait before bringing him anywhere, unless it's to the vet or breeder to be fed again. If you have to put him in his travel cage, cover it with a towel or small blanket, so it's dim, birds are more calm in the dark during travel. If your tiel is trying to fly a lot it might be really scared. Try moving slower with your new baby. It needs about a week to adjust to its new home. If your tiel is more comfortable, it will fly for the sake of learning to fly, and birds will fly into walls at first. They have to practice to learn. As long as it's not a loud thud and they seem ok afterwards it should be fine. They don't usually gain enough speed when first learning to seriously hurt themselves, but if it's a hard hit you will want to check him for injuries. Breeder made it hard for this baby to learn to fly by clipping so soon, so you might have to be patient with this.

4. Don't let him cuddle under your nose, try your neck, or chin or hands 

5. You will need a bond with your tiel , hand taming, socialization and introduction to new things before taking him outside in public. I would start with small visits outside in a cage for 10 minutes, 2 sides covered. Then gradually increase time . Then distance. I wouldn't start this til you hand your tiel for two weeks and is more comfortable around you.

6. It's normal for a cockatiel to be grumpy when they are tired. Mine is  they forget about it in the morning, and I try my best not to bother her at night so I don't get scars ( haha just kidding ).


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

First, welcome to the forum! And what a cute baby!! Now to the questions!!

1. That's a baby sound. Baby tiels make it when they're hungry and feeding. Hand fed babies learn that they get attention when they make that sound so they make it to get your attention. He will eventually grow out of it. Leave the food in all day. Taking it out isn't normal for them as tiels are foragers and eat throughout the day.

2. What is the temp in your house? As long as it's not freezing he should be OK for a light shower but there's no guarantee that the food will wash off. He may need to molt those feathers out for that.

3. I'd try to get his other wing clipped, otherwise he's going to keep falling and crashing until the one grows back in. And that could be a year from now. A pet store could do it for you or you could it. I've always done my own and it was never an issue but it is easier if someone holds him for you while you clip.

4. The breathing is fine, just keep your mouth closed. I'm not gonna lie, my husband's dad has a tiel that they called the dentist and she loved to pick at teeth. She's 13 or 14 now and still trucking along. But it really isn't good to risk it.

5. I'd take it slow. Starting in the garden is the best place to start. 

6. Tiels can be grumpy at night when it's time for bed. I know I am!! Perfectly normal.


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## BRI (Dec 12, 2017)

frozengirl said:


> Hi there! Your tiel is a beauty.
> 
> First off , let me say your tiel is very young and should have plenty of food at all times.
> Birds metabolize their food very quickly which is why they poop a lot and NEED food 24/7. No pet parrot should ever be without food for longer then an hour, especially a baby. I don't even do this to my five month tiel. They need all the nutrition they can get ,
> ...


Thank you both a lot for helping me out!

Well it indeed has worrying me this sound, I will put the video to how he makes it, even while eating. I am now leaving him seeds 24/7 and bigger quantities, for now I haven't bought pellets... I read if I mixed veggies with his seed mixture it would work, Do I really need them? 
But he indeed has been eating broccoli (he loves it), and few spinach along with his seeds... He started making them when he got used to me, like 4-5 days after I got him and it got worse and worse. Actually he doesn't even finish his veggies (except of the broccoli) and his seeds. I decided to leave the millet stick inside since he LOVES it... but for now since I've read too much is also bad.

What got me confused is, if he seems to be eating... shouldn't he stop to make that sound? (Maybe it's not enough?) As you can see in the following video even while eating he does it, it is really awkward.

I've spent hours and hours with him and indeed he didn't ate that much... but does that mean I should be with him even larger part of the day so I can feed him? I cannot be on the room all the day since I've got work and when I come home I want to take him out to play or something ('cause I rather him to be outside than stuck in his cage all day) and he makes that sound so I have to be stuck to feed him all the time even outside the cage?

Extra: Even when I'm feeding him by hand he stops eating and starts making the sound while bobbing his head, it is concerning.
He really REALLY loves millet, maybe it can work better than the formula? 

----------------

The temp of the house can get to 32º F or less at nights and mornings but the rest of the day it can get to 76º F, So I think I should stick to the warm towel, right?

I will wait longer to get him out, I agree it's too soon. About him being adjusted, he seems quite comfortable, he calls me when I get to the room (well less this last 2 days which he made it less frequent) this worries me too.

Other thing I noticed is that he has one foot (where his metal band is) is warmer than the other and he limped for a second before being normal once again, is this normal as well?

LINKS:

https://youtu.be/O7GZe-IfxP8
https://youtu.be/pXoLwZLvwuA


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## BRI (Dec 12, 2017)

roxy culver said:


> First, welcome to the forum! And what a cute baby!! Now to the questions!!
> 
> 1. That's a baby sound. Baby tiels make it when they're hungry and feeding. Hand fed babies learn that they get attention when they make that sound so they make it to get your attention. He will eventually grow out of it. Leave the food in all day. Taking it out isn't normal for them as tiels are foragers and eat throughout the day.
> 
> ...


Sorry, still not used to use forums, I think I just replied to only one person instead of both... @[email protected], the answer is up! Sorry again! And thanks too! (as I mentioned up lol)


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## frozengirl (Nov 26, 2016)

Roxy gave some great advice 

I personally like pellets because they have calcium, vitaminD3 and things that are hard for a captive bird to get, along with any other vitamins the bird may be missing. I feed my birds pellets, veges, and seeds.

I would leave a millet stick in the cage for a week or two, just til your baby gets used to the new home and you know his weight is ok. 

Some tiels make that noise for attention, and eventually grow out of it . 

Give him lots of love and he will be a very happy 

4-6 hours spent near you each day would be great. He doesn't have to be out of the cage all the time, but he really is looking for comfort right now it seems .

I honestly would make some warm mash and feed it to him from my fingertips, I bet he would love that


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Veggies are an integral part of the diet, so keep offering them!! It sounds like you're off to a good start. 

The sound is normal. Babies make it WHILE eating. He doesn't need formula, he's just using that sound to get your attention. Tiels learn cause and affect. He makes that sound, someone comes to him, simple as that. Start encouraging him when he makes other sounds, like whistles that you like, and the baby sound will fade.

Not sure on the feet thing. He could've rested on one foot longer than the other and it may have been tired. I'd keep an eye on it, but if you haven't yet, it wouldn't hurt to go to the vet for a well bird checkup, to get a baseline for everything for him.


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