# 4 babies



## Debbie05 (Feb 9, 2010)

I am fairly new to talk cockatiel but have been on talk budgie for a few years. Just thought I'd post about my 4 babies . Last one hatched Sunday. I finely got a good look at them this mornig. The parents are doing a great job and don't like me looking in. This morning they where off the nest for a few minutes and I got a good look. I'm so excited.


What does everyone think of handfeeding or parent raised? Just curious what everone thinks is better. I have handfed budgies but only if I have to. I have been told that with cockatiels if you want them very friendly they must be handfed. What do you all think? ty


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I like co-parenting myself - that's leaving the chicks with the parents most of the time but taking them out once or twice a day to handfeed. You get the benefits of both hand feeding and parent feeding that way.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I intended on letting the parents doing the feeding only because the chicks are noramlly stronger and have better immunity because they get it from the parents. But you don't have to hand feed them for them to be friendly you can hold them all you want once they get bigger and get them used to people.


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## Debbie05 (Feb 9, 2010)

That what I do with the budgies. I handle them right away and take them out for longer and longer times. They are just as friendly as the handfed babies. just wasn't sure about the cockatiels. This is my fist time. I notice today she has come out of the nestbox. When sould I clean the nestbox? They are not big fresh food eaters and I have been giving them lots of pellets. I try everyday with fresh foods but they don't touch them. This pair is new to me.

Well I decided to handfeed after all. So I pulled the oldest 2 out first and then today I will pull the younger 2. The oldest 2 are doing well. Gaining weight and are getting easier to feed. They are just so cute. Still feeding every 4 hours or so. When Should I start giving them other foods? Also what should I introduce first?

Oh I also made my own brooder with a heating pad and towel. I put them in a tupperware container and covered them. I put in thermometer to make sure it the right temp. I will move them to a cage when they get bigger.


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## Debbie05 (Feb 9, 2010)

*Cockatiel babies pictures*

Here is a couple of pictures of my babies.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

The babies look great and have grown! It looks like the last pix one is old enought to start nibbling on millet is you put some in the container/brooder. They would still have to be handfed, but you can have some small dishes of sseed, pellets, and some millet for them to try and nibble on.


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## Debbie05 (Feb 9, 2010)

I put in some millet, seeds and pellets. When should I give them any fresh foods? Also what fresh foods are good to start first. Thanks for the help.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

You can clip some leafy greens to the inside of the cage near the food bowls. They will start with nibbling little holes in it and shreddding them. Once you start seeing them eat on their own a little then it is the best time to introduce several new foods to try. The millet and seed helps them to learn how to bite and crack the seed. And once they learn this they are more apt to experiment with tasting other foods. Pellets can be frustrating to them because when they bite down on them they just fly apart...so they see them as toys or something to play with at first.


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

They are too cute  Their feet look huge


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## Debbie05 (Feb 9, 2010)

lol They do look huge. There not that big. Must be the picture lol.


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## Debbie05 (Feb 9, 2010)

Here is some new pictures of my babies taken today. they are getting so cute and making cute noises.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

They look Great! It looks like you have 2 WF cinnamon pearl pieds, 1 WF ciinamon pied, and 1 WF cinnamon


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## Debbie05 (Feb 9, 2010)

*New Pictures of my babies*


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## Debbie05 (Feb 9, 2010)

*baby*


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## tielmom (Aug 4, 2010)

Adorable...congrats on your babies...they look great.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

They are so cute!!!


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## Debbie05 (Feb 9, 2010)

Thanks. They are so cute and I have had fun handfeeding them. I am down to 1 feeding a day and the oldest doesn't take much. They are all eating well. I can't believe how friendly they are. I love the way they all jump to the front of the cage when I walk in the room. 

How can I tell the sex of the white faced cinnamon pearl pieds? Do the females have the stripes on the tail?


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

As young as they are, all of them will have the bars. An immature male tiel looks like a mature female tiel. To tell, you'd have to either watch their behavior to see if they display male behavior or have them DNA sexed. Unless you're willing to wait the 6 months or so to see if the pearling disappears. Then you would most definitely have a male.


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