Staring at Birds - Cockatiels

Definitive proof that cockatiels WILL eat fresh foods:

Eric's little messy face after his breakfast of carrots, broccoli, apple, celery, cauliflower, and sprouts.

Remember - Birds are suspicious little creatures.  Repetition is they key to getting them onto a healthy, assorted diet.  After seeing the food item enough times they WILL try it. . . after they figure out you're not trying to poison them.

Bird Thought - What I feed

I feed a quality seed base with pellets free fed to some pairs.  Pellets are my "vitamin supplement".  Some pairs don't get pellets (or get limited amounts of pellets) as pellets have been linked to health problems in some birds such a eclectus and mutation parrotlets.

I also feed the following "mash" every day.  In addition to the "mash", seed, and pellets I feed as treats and enrichment whatever interesting thing happens to be at the store at the time - grapes, cantaloupes, strawberries, cactus pads, etc.  Try your ethnic food store for some REALLY interesting fresh produce.

This "mash" is what I feed my birds.  If you only have one or a few pet birds, this is probably too time consuming and a hassle to deal with.  With only a few birds it would work better for you to integrate the bird diet into your routine:  Integrate him into YOUR lifestyle

Small Birds:
(Finches, Bourke Parakeets, Cockatiels, Parrotlets, White-Winged Parakeets)

 

Broccoli

 

Carrots

 

Apples

  

Cook Mix - Raw

 

Cook Mix - After Cooking

  

Cook Mix

 

Sprouts

How to sprout: Sprouting

 

Sprouts

  

Complete and ready to feed.

Large Birds:
(African Greys, Eclectus, Rosellas, Conures, Indian Ringnecks) 

 

Broccoli - Coarse Chopped

  

Carrots - Coarse Chopped

  

Apples - Coarse Chopped

 

Cooked Mix

  

Cooked Mix

  

Fruit Cocktail - No Sugar Added

**This is occasionally used.  The eclectus like it. 

 

Sprouts

How to Sprout: Sprouting

  

Sprouts

 

Complete and Ready to Feed

Bird Tip - Join Me!

Learn more about birds.  Join me in taking this course:

Fundamentals of Aviculture   Level II, Intermediate Aviculture

Fundamentals of Aviculture is written for: pet bird owners, bird breeders, veterinarians and their staff, zoo employees, bird-related commercial establishments and everyone associated with birds. The course provides a foundation for the emerging science of aviculture. The Fundamentals of Aviculture, Level 1, must be completed before enrollment in Level 2. The Level 2 course, Intermediate Aviculture, is presented in 15 chapters covering conservation, avian genetics, color mutations, nesting, courtship, incubation, hand-rearing, basic microbiology, disease, emergency care, enrichment and much more.

Visit the Fundamentals of Aviculture for more information.

Status of the Organization: The American Federation of Aviculture, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit Corporation, established in 1974. Supporters: Development of Fundamentals of Aviculture is made possible by a grant from Pet Care Trust, and by funding and other support from the Schubot Exotic Bird Health Center, and the College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M University.

Enroll today to take Intermediate Aviculture at the introductory rate of $75.

©2011 American Federation of Aviculture, Inc.  All rights reserved.

Bird Tip - Think Long Term

So, you're here.  If you don't already have a bird, you're researching possibilities.  THINK LONG TERM.  Like your life for at least the next 25 years.

When I bought my house in 2006, height of the mortgage loan shenanigans, I went in to the financing office with specifics - X amount for X number of years with X amount for the monthly payment.  The craziest I was willing to get was an adjustable rate mortgage.  The loan office tried to talk me into a loan that was for an amount greater than what I asked for.  I told him I couldn't afford the payments.  He told me he'd put me into a negative amortization loan.  I told him no way, that's a foolish loan.  I stuck to my guns and didn't get greedy.  I got laid off in 2009.  I still have my house because I thought LONG TERM.

What's the similarity to getting a bird?  Well, for those of you in your teens and early adulthood think about what you're going to do with that bird when you go to college, date, get a job, move, get married, rent in an apartment, have children, move, change jobs, etc.  Do you want to spontaneously spend the night at your boyfriend or girlfriend's house?  Ain't happenin'.  Spontaneous hedonistic weekends in Vegas?  Ain't happenin'. Oh - and oversees adventures other than short vacations are straight out.  You have a LONG TERM commitment to this animal that probably can't go with you.

Keep in mind this LONG TERM commitment while you're raising this bird, too.  I can tell you from experience that your significant other is not going to be thrilled with your darling FID attacking them.  And if your bird attacks the human baby. . . FUGETABOUTIT.  Are you going to blame the other parent when he/she kills your bird?  Are you really going to keep that bird and go to divorce court?  I don't think the judge is going to look favorably upon you that you let your damn bird attack your child.

Parents - Does your kid want a bird?  I do not object to kids having pet birds.  I think it could potentially lead to a lifelong love and respect for birds.  However, are you, the parent, willing to keep and care for that bird when your child flies the coop and doesn't want Paulie fly with them?  Last week I met a guy who was telling me he has a cockatiel.  He got it for his daughter when she was 12 years old.  He has it now as the daughter left it home when she grew up and went about her business - the bird's 20 years old, the daughter's 32.  He asked me when the bird's going to die.  I told him it might live to be 30.  He was not happy that he might have to be taking care of that bird for another 10 years.

For those of you getting long in the tooth like me, think about what you're going to do with this bird when it outlives you.  What about when you retire, do you want to travel? 

It's doable!  I did it!  But THINK about it first!
Bird Tip - Integrate him into YOUR Lifestyle

Also, choose well my Padawan!
Bird Tip: Handfed does NOT = tame and handleable

Reported Longevity of some birds:
Zebra Finch 17 years
Canary 20 years
Budgerigar 18 years
Agapornis sp. (lovebirds) 12 years
Neophema 10 years
Cockatiel 32 years
Rainbow Lorikeet 15 years
Rosella 15 years
Eclectus Parrot 20 years
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo 40 years
African Grey Parrot 50 years
Pionus parrot 15 years
Amazon parrot 80 years
Macaw 50 years
Conure 25 years

Bird Thought - There are no human pellets. . . Why?

Think about it - There's been a lot more research done in the department of human nutrition than avian nutrition; but there's no human pellet out there.

And fer real? An amazon parrot from South America has the same dietary requirements as a cockatoo from Australia as an African grey from Africa?  If not, why the same pellet for all of them?

Don't get me wrong, I feed pellets; but I view pellets as more of a vitamin pill than a complete diet.

I think it's lazy to feed only pellets; just like it's lazy to feed just bird seed.
Feeding Your Bird for Health
Diet
Why Food is Better than Pellets
Thoughts on Diet
Parrotlets and Pellets

Bird Tip - Sprouting Revisited

For the truly HARD CORE seed junkie you can sprout spray millet:

 

Entire spray millet

 

Cover with water.  Soak about 8 hours or overnight.

Entire spray millet is a little tricky to get thoroughly soaked.  

Push the top ones to the bottom about 4 hours into the soaking session.

After soaking, pour through sieve and rinse thoroughly. Set sieve on top of sprouting container to drain.  Make sure the sieve holes are small enough so the millet seeds don't fall through. 

Rinse at least twice a day.  I leave this next to the kitchen sink so when I pass by 

I give it a rinse. Smell it after each rinse.  It should smell fresh and "earthy", never moldy.  Discard if moldy or smells yucky.

Sprouts are ready to serve when it grows "hair" (make sure it's not mold!).

Depending on the temperature, the sprouts will be ready in 24 - 36 hours. 

I don't know how long the sprouts will keep.  If I do spray millet, I just make enough for what gets consumed in 1 day. So if you want to feed over consecutive days, you'll need to have several going at a time made a day apart.

Bird Tip - **WARNING! X-RATED**

Don't sexually stimulate or encourage your bird to behave sexually!!!
It can cause screaming, biting, territoriality, aggression, and in the females egg binding - PROBLEMS!

Female Sexual Behaviors:

• Don't pet her in sexy ways - one long stroke from the top of her head to the end of her tail.  It feels like you're trying to mate with her.  She may start crouching for you to make it easier for you to "do it".
• Don't let her get territorial or obsessed over dark little cubbie type areas like kleenex boxes, happy huts.  Just don't give them any nesty type things in their cages.  
• Don't let her back up onto you, trying to rub her vent on you.

Just because they feel hormonal, they don't HAVE to lay eggs.  I have had many female pet parrots - African Grey (6 years), jenday conure (12 years), goffin cockatoo (16+ years) - and they didn't lay eggs because I discouraged hormonal and nesty behaviors.

They're not like mammals - we can't stop our bodies having a menses. Their bodies don't have to produce eggs if the conditions aren't right.  Egg production can kill your bird!  Google "egg binding" to learn about it.  

Male Sexual Behaviors:

• Rubbing his vent area on you in a back and forth motion.  I've heard they can complete the act and leave you a little puddle.  EWWWWW!!  You wouldn't let your dog hump your leg would you?

Male and Female Sexual Behaviors:

• Regurgitating for you or trying to feed you.  You might think it's sweet or cute.  Think VOMIT!
• Possessiveness of one person.  It's not cute that your bird sits on your shoulder lunging at other people. It's territoriality and "claiming" you.  If the bird can't bite the other person, he/she might take a bite out of your face.  Stop the behavior immediately!  Take the bird off your shoulder and firmly, not loudly, tell your bird "no"!

To Discourage Sexual Behaviors:

• Stop any sexy petting  (head and neck scritches only)
• Immediately stop any sexy behavior from the bird
• Redirect any sexy behavior from the bird (he/she tries to crouch, rub, regurgitate you need to change whatever it is you two are doing that causes these behaviors)
• Move the cage to another location in the house
• Move the toys and stuff in the cage around
• Decrease the number of lighting hours
• Remove any boxes, happy huts, or other dark cozy areas

**Sun/Jenday Conures - They really enjoy sleeping in happy huts, tents, cubby holes.  I don't  like these things because they're sexually stimulating.  They get aggressive, bitey, territorial.  For conures what I've always done is hang a towel in an upper corner and they go behind it to sleep.

I've never had any territoriality or aggression with the towel set up. I discovered this method by accident. My first jenday would put herself to bed behind the curtain that was near her cage, so I hung a towel in a corner for her in her cage. She'd wrap herself up in it like a burrito.

Just make sure the towel doesn't have loose weaving so no bathroom type towels. Cloth napkins with the tight weave work. 

 

An old shirt works, too.

Ducky was already asleep behind it, 

but came out to yell at me for disturbing his beauty sleep.

Bird Thought - My bird won't eat a variety of foods! Really?

Ok, so you say you give your bird all sorts of good table foods and your bird just won't eat anything other than bird seed.  Really?  This is actually something I didn't think about until I was speaking with someone yesterday.  The lady told me the same thing - Can't get the lovebird to eat anything other than bird seed.  Then she described what the lovebird does with the apples, oranges, broccoli, other foods she gives the bird.  She said the bird just destroys all the food and throws it on the ground.

**BING, BING, BING** A dim light bulb flickered in my little pea brain.  Her bird most likely is eating all those good foods; she's just not familiar with how a bird eats.

Think about it.  Give your dog a treat - woof, it's gone, not even a crumb left.  Give your bunny a piece of carrot - nom, nom, nom carrot all gone.  Now go watch some birds in an orchard.  They destroy and waste a ton of fruit all over the ground while they're feeding.

When feeding your bird, think about it this way - If you had a personal fridge and pantry supplier that replenished you every single day with unlimited pizza, a bag of chip, soda, beer, apples, bananas, broccoli, quinoa, salad; what would you eat?  I love pizza.  I'd eat the pizza, chips and soda.  I might take a bite of apple.  I'd probably never get around to the quinoa-ever.  Next day I get the same items, I'll probably do the same thing.

Now, if my personal food shopper started giving me daily a slice of pizza, maybe chips maybe not, fruit smoothies, salad and quinoa; I'd still be hungry after my pizza slice.  I'd have the fruit smoothie and eat the salad and quinoa even though those might not be my favorite things.  Next day I get a pizza slice, banana, whole grain pasta salad, and water.    I'd probably eat everything again.

Hopefully you understand my analogy - Don't starve your bird, but don't keep that seed bowl filled 24/7!  Portion any seed you feed and keep giving them the variety they need.  If they're destroying the good foods and making a mess, that's a good thing.  The true "seed junkies" I've seen don't even touch the other food items.

Read also: Thoughts on Diet and Diet

Bird Tip-Integrate Him Into YOUR Lifestyle

Ok, so I've read the articles about minimum cage size, enrichment, feeding, training, etc.  Google it - I'm not going into detail here.  I don't know about you, but after 20+ years living with parrots, I still can't get around to doing everything that's recommended out there.  Or maybe you have family members who aren't as thrilled as you are at decorating every room in the house to look like the inside of a bird cage.

Especially to those of you out there with your first bird or just a couple of birds - Don't kill yourself!  The more you can integrate bird care and feeding to fit your lifestyle, the more likely you'll actually KEEP your bird.  We've all seen those rehoming ads - "No time for my bird Buddy".   No time, or it's just more hassle than it's worth?

- Trash cans can serve at temporary perches in rooms you don't/can't put a play stand.  When I do dishes there's usually a bird sitting on the trashcan next to me.  For those of you thinking "How disgusting! How unsanitary!"  I have to ask you - what the heck are you putting in your trashcan?  Don't you empty it regularly?  And don't you ever wash your trashcan?

- Improve your eating habits so you can share food with your bird.  Forget that bag of Flubber Thigh Potato Chips and get those whole wheat crackers.  Try quinoa instead of mashed potatos.  Go check out the bulk bin at your local health food store for dried fruit, low sugar whole grain cereals, nuts, etc.  (I'm not a healthy organic kinda gal, but I can even do this.)

- Your bird needs time out each and every day.  I read somewhere a minimum of two hours a day.  I don't feel that's enough out of cage time.  This doesn't necessarily mean it needs to have your undivided attention at all times.  Guess what!  It's doable even if you work full time!  Here's my apprx. scheduled when I was working full time:

* 6 AM - let the birds out to play on their stands or on top of their cage and stretch.  One bird gets to be with me while I get ready for work (I'd rotate each bird throughout the week).
* 6:30 - Make and have breakfast (I'm big on eggs-do something healthy.).  Make enough for the birds to have some, but don't feed them yet.
* 7:00 - Everyone back in their cages with fresh food and water and whatever was for breakfast for the day.  They get used to going into their cages w/out fussing since it's yummy breakfast time.  I leave for work-they didn't even notice I was leaving since they're too busy pigging out.  If you're running late a handful of sugar free/low sugar cereal or uncooked oatmeal is quick and easy.  I usually didn't even have to physically put the birds away, they knew it was time and would go back in by themselves and wait for food.
* 5:30 PM - back home, let everyone out to play on their stands/cages and stretch.  One bird gets to be with me while I get out of work clothes. (Again I'd rotate them throughout the week).
* 6PM - Bird that's with me goes back to his cage or play stand.  All birds playing by themselves while I make dinner - of course with enough for them to have some.
* 7PM - Dinner.  Dinner of our people food to all the birds either on their play stands or in their cage (leaving the cage door open - it's their room, not prison.)
* After Dinner until bedtime - All birds still out.  Some are having cuddle time, some are just goofing around, causing trouble.
* Bedtime - All birds back in their cages.  Last check that there's clean water and some seed in their bowls in case they wake up earlier than I do and want to munch.

So you see, even working full time, my birds were out every day at least a full four hours.  I had an African Grey, two cockatoos, a conure and a couple of cockatiels at the time - not necessarily birds that are considered low maintenance.  My birds didn't pluck themselves, or scream excessively, or develop other neurotic behaviors.

I started keeping birds in my late teens and have kept them through going to school, working full time, getting married, having a baby, moving, etc.  It's doable.  They're resilient.

Bird Tip - Frugal Fun

I'm frugal, not cheap. . . Um, no.  I'm cheap. I rarely buy expensive bird toys anymore.  Recently I bought Ducky a $15 wood and rope bird toy I thought fer sure he would LOVE.  He doesn't love it or hate it.  He pretty much ignores it.  I don't know about you, but $15 down the drain annoys the snot outa me.

Your local 99 cent store is a treasure trove!  Hey!  For 99 cents, if Ducky doesn't play with something - WHATEVER!

What I picked up yesterday at the 99 cent store:

 

Great foot toy, or attached to something.

 

This was pretty cool.  Instead of a twist mechanism, it's a pull-down lever.

Ok - This is how frugal I am:  The box is going in my aviary for a finch nesting site.

 

These had little holes at the ends so they can be attached to something.

 

What became of the stuff:

 

The candy/toy vending machines are always best with variety.

There's seed, pellets, plastic beads, and other little toys in there.

The gumball machine's been hot gluegunned to a plastic container lid I had around.

All the other stuff's been left loose.

 

I'm not very craft or creative, but you can imagine the potential for decorating up this swing.