# Adopting A Cockatiel



## Kryptmonster (Jan 20, 2016)

So hello  i just wanted to start out by saying hi everyone and i am glad that i found this forum  im going to introduce myself a bit. I am 18 and i have 2 bird currently. Both are parakeets. One is a green and yellow named polly who is a male and is 8 years old or so :green budgie: I also have a new budgie who i named Poseidon and he is a small blue male who is about 5-7 months old :cobalt: I am planning on possibly adopting another bird very soon however 
I either want to buy a cockatiel from a pet store but i would rather adopt my grandmas cockatiel that she has. She just had cancer surgery and even though they think they got it all out she still has to do chemo and radiation therapy. 
Her cockatiel is an old male who isn't in the right conditions anyways and it'll be harder on him when my grandma can barley do anything so i was thinking about possibly taking him in and retraining him again. He's mean and grumpy but when he was young he use to be sweet and sit on your hand and let you pet him threw the bars. He even use to shower with his old owner. But now he has been cage bound for years. And i feel sorry for him because he is always covered and he always hisses at EVERYONE!! He has a decent size cage but if i got him i would obviously plan on getting a bigger one somehow. HE had one wooden dowel perch and one mirror in his whole cage with no toys.... i know he shouldn't have the mirror anyway but he really should have it since that's all they have given him. I really want him so i could help him. He doesn't seem like a lost cause and even if he was i could still help him
I was just wondering if you guys could help me with a few questions because if i take him in i really want to reintroduce him to human contact and maybe help him not be so mean and eventually a loving pet again.
So my questions are:
1. Can you re introduce a bird like him to human contact? i have no clue how old he is but i know he's at least 8 years old because that's how long my grandma has had him. Idk how long my great aunts son had him before that.
2. I know all he eats is just pure, cheap seed. But i know he liked it when i bought him some orange flavored seed. That being said do you think i could wean him onto some fruity flavored pellets very slowly?? i don't care if he's picky about the color or flavor because if i can make him eat the pellets then i can wean him from that to one where they are all natural and he can't pick and chose between flavors. I think he isn't that picky so it should be kinda easy. Also, if i did this, even if he has eaten seeds almost all his life, could this improve his number of years he has left??
3. Would i be able to introduce him to other people like my boyfriend if i could get him to like me in the first place?
4. Would he be able to be trained at all since he's so old and lost all human contact for years? i want to believe that i can reteach him to be a love able pet again but i just don't know. I have the love and patience to do it but has anyone dealt with this before?
5. Would i be able to shower with him if i got him to trust me? i would get a shower perch and he use to shower with his old owner so maybe?
6. Would i be able to reintroduce him other birds? like my two parakeets? he is a healthy bird for the most parts that i know of and im sure he would love to have some friends. He knows one of my parakeets because when we go on vacation that's were my older bird goes and stays.
7. Would i be able to introduce him to toys?? i know cockateils love to shred and chew stuff up so would he be able to be introduced to toys again after no having ANY for so long? and how should i go about do it? plus they would all be homemade toys so i could make them anyway he would like.
So yeah as you can see i have a lot to work with if i get him. I have a lot to introduce him too but the first thing i need to do is get him toys and change his diet. I will eventually try and feed him fresh food too but for now he needs to be switched from seeds. I need to help him and make him happy again so all you guys could do to help me would be very much appreciated!! thank you


----------



## Kryptmonster (Jan 20, 2016)

Please anyone... I really need help and I am at a loss.... I was hopping someone on this forum could help me since its a forum about cockatiel....


----------



## RowdyTiel (Jan 24, 2013)

> 1. Can you re introduce a bird like him to human contact? i have no clue how old he is but i know he's at least 8 years old because that's how long my grandma has had him. Idk how long my great aunts son had him before that.


Yes, it is possible. One of my males was 7 years old and had never been handled or taken out of the cage before I adopted him. He got to where he would step up and would perfectly content to hang out on your shoulder or just hang out with you.




> 2. I know all he eats is just pure, cheap seed. But i know he liked it when i bought him some orange flavored seed. That being said do you think i could wean him onto some fruity flavored pellets very slowly?? i don't care if he's picky about the color or flavor because if i can make him eat the pellets then i can wean him from that to one where they are all natural and he can't pick and chose between flavors. I think he isn't that picky so it should be kinda easy. Also, if i did this, even if he has eaten seeds almost all his life, could this improve his number of years he has left??


While an all-seed diet isn't good for cockatiels, neither is an all-pellet diet. Seeds shouldn't be removed completely from his diet. The ZuPreem fruitblend pellets are usually very easy to wean birds onto.
As for increasing his number of years, I cannot answer that. 




> 3. Would i be able to introduce him to other people like my boyfriend if i could get him to like me in the first place?


Yes, it's very possible. It depends on the bird.




> 4. Would he be able to be trained at all since he's so old and lost all human contact for years? i want to believe that i can reteach him to be a love able pet again but i just don't know. I have the love and patience to do it but has anyone dealt with this before?


Refer to answer #1.




> 5. Would i be able to shower with him if i got him to trust me? i would get a shower perch and he use to shower with his old owner so maybe?


Again, possibly. It really, really just depends on the individual bird and not rushing his taming.





> 6. Would i be able to reintroduce him other birds? like my two parakeets? he is a healthy bird for the most parts that i know of and im sure he would love to have some friends. He knows one of my parakeets because when we go on vacation that's were my older bird goes and stays.


If he has already interacted well with your budgie, it's likely you could introduce him without too much stress. Make sure the budgies do not harass him and he always has the option of leaving the situation if he feels uncomfortable.





> 7. Would i be able to introduce him to toys?? i know cockateils love to shred and chew stuff up so would he be able to be introduced to toys again after no having ANY for so long? and how should i go about do it? plus they would all be homemade toys so i could make them anyway he would like.


Depends on the bird. Some birds, similar to TamaMoo's sweet Joey, are very wary of new toys or new things in their cage. Make sure you don't add too much too fast and frighten him. Other birds, like Missy, really could care less what you put in her cage in the way of toys etc.

- - - -
Make sure you change his diet gradually. Going to a new home, new environment, new..everything, can be very stressful for many birds. A completely new diet plus everything else could be too much all at once, initially. 
Give him time to settle in and get used to his surroundings before you start trying to tame him or make any changes.

Don't forget to quarantine him from your other birds for at least 30 days before introducing them!  Feed and water your budgies before going to feed/water etc the new boy. Also make sure to wash your hands before handling your budgies, if you've handled or looked after the new guy.



> Always remember to quarantine any new bird for a minimum of 30 days in a separate cage and a separate room to any existing birds. This is VITAL to prevent the spread of disease in your flock. No matter where you bought your bird from, please do not take the risk - ALWAYS quarantine!


http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=162


----------



## ParrotletsRock (Oct 8, 2013)

Rowdy tiel has given you great info, I agree that this bird may be able to learn to trust and love, but even if not, wouldn't you want to give him a better life on his terms? Even if he never becomes cuddly and friendly he will still benefit from having a better diet and some social stimulation from you and your birds.


----------



## Kryptmonster (Jan 20, 2016)

Thank you so much  i wasn't thinking about giving him an all pellet diet though. I probably worded that terribly. I'm sorry but i would make it mostly pellet, part seed and try and introduce him to possibly eating fresh fruit and veggies. I'm hoping that he will learn to accept new food. Also i think it's funny that you suggested the zupreem fruity pellets because that was the exact on i was thinking about trying to start him out on cause i thought it would be the easiest to make him interested in. I really love this bird but he is a grumpy old man. I just found out for all i know he could be like between 12-17 years old!!!!! oh well i will still love him all the same if my mom will let me take him. I really would like to have him and give him a better life. He deserves it. :grey tiel::grey tiel:


----------



## Kryptmonster (Jan 20, 2016)

I do have one more question about the food situation though. Since i was planning on feeding him zupreem fruity pellets, i was wondering if to wean him on it would it be better to feed him the parakeet one or the cockatiel one? I'm just wondering because i know some people even feed the parakeet ones to their conures and stuff because the smaller size. I was just wondering because he is so old which one do you think he might like better? The smaller ones might remind him of the small millet seed that comes in his seed mix. I just want whats best for him. I think he might be under weight because he seems really thin for a bird and i was hoping to fatten him up if i can get him. I know i will have to up his seed mix first and make sure it's a more expensive kind instead of some cheap, crappy stuff but then after i get him use to it i want to wean him onto pellets to make him have a more balanced diet with seed as a treat every few days or so. Then eventually i want to maybe get him to eat fresh veggies and fruit too if he still has enough time left. I'm not sure how old he is but i know if i can give him a better quality of life, he will be much better for whatever amount of time he has left. I know i can love him like he deserves even if i can never hold him but im pretty confident that i help him like to be held again. He does seem old and grumpy but i think he can be taught to be lovey again. like i said he use to love to be petted, right behind his crest. So Anyways since i got off topic, please help me with the food situation please, it would be very much appriciated  :grey tiel::grey tiel:


----------



## Dislian (Sep 5, 2015)

I recommend you the smallest size, because it's easier for their beaks. I've smashed pellets with a mortar but that's hard work haha

Sure you will give him a better life


----------



## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

I've had better luck with smaller pellets because they look more like seeds. But individual birds vary, so you may need to experiment. It's great that you want to do this for him!


----------



## ParrotletsRock (Oct 8, 2013)

I would try the finch one... They are quite small, about the size individual millet seeds... My tiels eat the parakeet size fight now, but there is a lot of waste... I notice when they steal the finch size from my budgies, they mouth the tiny pellet a bit then swallow the whole thing with no mess. They also have been cleaning out the budgie dishes while leaving the bigger pellets in their own dishes untouched, which tells me they actually prefer the tiny ones.


----------



## Kryptmonster (Jan 20, 2016)

Okay thank you all of you  i found out i do get him for sure now. i just have to make room for him  but i will try him out with the parakeet size first to see how he likes it and if he doesn't like it too much i will go smaller and see what happens but if he doesn't like that either i will try to go bigger and idk maybe mix the sizes if those don't work to give him some variety??? idk how he works very well yet besides what i have seen of him visiting my grandma and when i was growing up. he doesn't seem picky so im hoping that i can make it work lol. he might be hooked the second he tastes the fruity taste of the pellets but idk yet. I know he likes orange flavoring on his seed so im just going to go off of that.


----------



## tielbob (Mar 25, 2013)

Welcome 

I'm glad you're getting him - he will have a better life with the attention you will give him and your grandma is probably happy that he will be in your good care. This is a good thing for people and bird alike!

I find that smaller sized food is more practical - I like to give Percy Nutriberries (the regular cockatiel type) but they have to be crushed or he tosses them around the cage. As it is he's very effective in throwing out food - he perches at an angle to the food dish and scoops it out sideways onto the cage papers below, looking for just that one delicious nibble of food that's at the bottom 

I'm sure you will enjoy your tiel - just give him lots of time because change can be slow so don't be disappointed if it seems to take long for him to get used to you.

And, of course, my best to your grandmother and hoping for a full recovery


----------



## Kryptmonster (Jan 20, 2016)

Thank you so much!!! i hope for a whole recovery too. She is so happy that i get to take him from her and i am happy to be getting him. I love him and he has potential to be such a good bird. Even if he never accepts me and just sits in his cage all the time i will be fine with that because he will have a better life than what he has now. He will have permanent friends, he will have a better diet, he will get payed attention to and if he wants to squawk he will be welcome to without getting covered up. I know he is old but he will have a good life here.


----------

