| INTRODUCTION TO COCKATIELS COPYRIGHT © 1999 LINDA S. RUBIN Originally published in June 1999 BIRD TIMES Magazine & http://www.cockatielsplusparrots.com "All Rights Reserved" |
"If we were suddenly denied the pleasure of all our birds
except one, we would unhesitatingly choose a cockatiel to be
that one pet." This quotation, from the widely read book
Parrots and Related Birds by Henry Bates and Robert
Busenbark, epitomizes the feelings of cockatiel enthusiasts
who have experienced the unique joy of owning a tame
cockatiel. In addition to its delightful, loving personality, a
cockatiel is relatively easy to tame and makes an excellent
family pet and devoted companion bird. They are also easy to
breed and come in a myriad of color mutations guaranteed to
fit most price budgets.
The cockatiel, Nymphicus hollandicus, is a small parrot. As the
sole member of its genus, it rightfully belongs to the cockatoo
family known as Cacatuidae, sharing many of the
characteristics of its larger relatives. Like other cockatoos, the
cockatiel has a retractable crest which it raises up and down
in response to alarm, excitement and other emotions. Owners
can learn to understand their bird's emotional state in part, by
observing the position of its crest.
Just like cockatoos, cockatiels generate a "powder-down"
which is responsible for the white powder that gives unbathed
birds a "dusty" feel. While regular bathing is highly
recommended, owners should use only plain, clean water. It is
important not to administer any additives to the bath water or
shower spray, because foreign substances could interfere
with the natural powder-down that protects the cockatiel's
plumage.
Cockatiels generally don't defend themselves well and can be
at the mercy of dogs and cats. Even small children can
unintentionally harm a cockatiel and should be taught how to
properly hold the bird and gently stroke its crest.
While cockatiels make excellent family pets, select one
person, initially, to be in charge of training. This will help the
new bird to become familiar with the trainer and develop trust
more quickly. Once the bird settles in and is responding to
training, it can gradually be introduced to other members of
the household.
Obtain a young bird. Cockatiels are fully weaned and
independent of their parents by 8 to 10 weeks of age. This is
the perfect age to tame a bird and teach it to eat a well-
balanced diet.
Older birds are more difficult to train and require more work
and patience. It is also more difficult to convert an older bird to
a healthier diet, if it has not learned to eat nutritious foods. If
you must have an older bird, be certain that you will have time
to work with the bird on a daily basis. Training must be done
consistently. Nothing is more heartbreaking than to see a bird
condemned to sit in a cage because it has not been properly
trained by its owner.
If you do not have the time to train your new bird, it is best to
purchase a hand-fed baby. Hand-fed babies are taken from
the nest at 2 to 3 weeks of age and fed a formula several
times a day, by hand, until the chick is weaned. This is the
best method to produce tame birds. The act of gently handling
the chicks during feeding causes the birds to become tame.
They lose their fear of human hands and associate them with
food.
One exception to purchasing an older cockatiel is acquiring a
bird which is already tame, or was hand-fed as a baby.
However, some hand-fed birds, if ignored for long periods of
time, can revert to a more wild demeanor. It is important older
that birds demonstrate their tameness by stepping up on a
person's hand, to show they have not become "hand shy."
Although formerly tame birds can be retrained -- especially if
they show interest in people -- it will take time and
patience on the part of the owner to work with a shy bird.
While hand-fed cockatiels are generally confident and willing
to step up on a friendly hand or finger, new owners should
realize it takes time to nurture a growing relationship between
you and your new bird. As you begin to get to know each
other, over time, a bond of trust will develop. Your bird will
soon learn to fly to you, sit on your shoulder, and show
interest in being part of your daily activities.
Today, cockatiels are bred in great numbers and many pet
shops specializing in birds offer young, hand-fed babies,
purchased directly from bird farms and local breeders.
However, even if a bird is advertised as "hand-fed," it doesn't
guarantee it will be entirely tame and trusting.
Some large breeders hand-feed birds in mass production;
feeding chicks as quickly as possible without spending
adequate time to gently handle each bird. Other breeders
choose to raise a limited number of birds and spend more
time handling chicks during feeding, to produce tame, trusting
babies. They usually feed by spoon or syringe, imitating the
parent bird's natural "chug-a-lug" head-bobbing movements,
which are more satisfying to the chick. Such breeders pride
themselves and base their reputations on raising very tame,
hand-fed babies.
Another advantage many breeders choose is to band their
babies with closed, seamless leg bands placed around the
chick's foot. Leg bands offer permanent proof of identification
and usually include the breeder's code if the bands are
registered with a national specialty organization.
The Cockatiel Foundation (CF) sells closed, coded bands to
its members. A band includes a personally assigned band
code with one or more numbers and letters, the society's
initials, the number chick, and the current year stamped on
each band. For example, CF-3R-77-99 would stand for the
organization's name, Cockatiel Foundation, the breeder's
code 1R, the identification number of the chick #77, and the
year the chick was bred, 2007.
The breeder's code is kept on file with the Membership/Band
Coordinator who can trace the code back to the breeder. The
breeder would then be able to inform the purchaser about the
bird's background, according to records kept. This is an
excellent safety back up should the bird ever escape, or
change hands to a new owner.
Closed banding also offers proof of pedigree. Professional
breeders and exhibitors typically breed one pair of cockatiels
to a cage, to be certain that the birds they produce belong to
the parent pair. The birds are usually banded between 10 and
14 days of age with a closed, seamless leg band carrying the
breeder's code described above, which provides lifetime
identification. Larger babies may be banded even earlier.
After the age of 2 to 3 weeks, it is close to impossible to slip a
seamless band onto a bird's leg since the foot has grown
beyond banding size. If a cockatiel is exhibited at a show, the
breeder lists the bird's band number on the entry form,
because only closed-banded birds are eligible to receive
points towards their championships for the top 10 placements
at cockatiel shows.
If the breeder wishes to sell the bird, a pedigree card will
include a place for the breeder to list the bird's band code.
Many hobby breeders who keep records of their birds often
offer birth certificates which include the bird's band code,
color variety, date of birth, gender, family tree, and other
pertinent information. CF will soon offer its members the
opportunity to purchase pedigree records and birth
certificates. Qualifying exhibitors may also earn their
champion and grand champion certificates.
Closed-banded birds are definitely the way to go to assure
your bird will carry permanent identification, throughout its life,
should you ever need to prove it's yours.
except one, we would unhesitatingly choose a cockatiel to be
that one pet." This quotation, from the widely read book
Parrots and Related Birds by Henry Bates and Robert
Busenbark, epitomizes the feelings of cockatiel enthusiasts
who have experienced the unique joy of owning a tame
cockatiel. In addition to its delightful, loving personality, a
cockatiel is relatively easy to tame and makes an excellent
family pet and devoted companion bird. They are also easy to
breed and come in a myriad of color mutations guaranteed to
fit most price budgets.
The cockatiel, Nymphicus hollandicus, is a small parrot. As the
sole member of its genus, it rightfully belongs to the cockatoo
family known as Cacatuidae, sharing many of the
characteristics of its larger relatives. Like other cockatoos, the
cockatiel has a retractable crest which it raises up and down
in response to alarm, excitement and other emotions. Owners
can learn to understand their bird's emotional state in part, by
observing the position of its crest.
Just like cockatoos, cockatiels generate a "powder-down"
which is responsible for the white powder that gives unbathed
birds a "dusty" feel. While regular bathing is highly
recommended, owners should use only plain, clean water. It is
important not to administer any additives to the bath water or
shower spray, because foreign substances could interfere
with the natural powder-down that protects the cockatiel's
plumage.
Cockatiels generally don't defend themselves well and can be
at the mercy of dogs and cats. Even small children can
unintentionally harm a cockatiel and should be taught how to
properly hold the bird and gently stroke its crest.
While cockatiels make excellent family pets, select one
person, initially, to be in charge of training. This will help the
new bird to become familiar with the trainer and develop trust
more quickly. Once the bird settles in and is responding to
training, it can gradually be introduced to other members of
the household.
Obtain a young bird. Cockatiels are fully weaned and
independent of their parents by 8 to 10 weeks of age. This is
the perfect age to tame a bird and teach it to eat a well-
balanced diet.
Older birds are more difficult to train and require more work
and patience. It is also more difficult to convert an older bird to
a healthier diet, if it has not learned to eat nutritious foods. If
you must have an older bird, be certain that you will have time
to work with the bird on a daily basis. Training must be done
consistently. Nothing is more heartbreaking than to see a bird
condemned to sit in a cage because it has not been properly
trained by its owner.
If you do not have the time to train your new bird, it is best to
purchase a hand-fed baby. Hand-fed babies are taken from
the nest at 2 to 3 weeks of age and fed a formula several
times a day, by hand, until the chick is weaned. This is the
best method to produce tame birds. The act of gently handling
the chicks during feeding causes the birds to become tame.
They lose their fear of human hands and associate them with
food.
One exception to purchasing an older cockatiel is acquiring a
bird which is already tame, or was hand-fed as a baby.
However, some hand-fed birds, if ignored for long periods of
time, can revert to a more wild demeanor. It is important older
that birds demonstrate their tameness by stepping up on a
person's hand, to show they have not become "hand shy."
Although formerly tame birds can be retrained -- especially if
they show interest in people -- it will take time and
patience on the part of the owner to work with a shy bird.
While hand-fed cockatiels are generally confident and willing
to step up on a friendly hand or finger, new owners should
realize it takes time to nurture a growing relationship between
you and your new bird. As you begin to get to know each
other, over time, a bond of trust will develop. Your bird will
soon learn to fly to you, sit on your shoulder, and show
interest in being part of your daily activities.
Today, cockatiels are bred in great numbers and many pet
shops specializing in birds offer young, hand-fed babies,
purchased directly from bird farms and local breeders.
However, even if a bird is advertised as "hand-fed," it doesn't
guarantee it will be entirely tame and trusting.
Some large breeders hand-feed birds in mass production;
feeding chicks as quickly as possible without spending
adequate time to gently handle each bird. Other breeders
choose to raise a limited number of birds and spend more
time handling chicks during feeding, to produce tame, trusting
babies. They usually feed by spoon or syringe, imitating the
parent bird's natural "chug-a-lug" head-bobbing movements,
which are more satisfying to the chick. Such breeders pride
themselves and base their reputations on raising very tame,
hand-fed babies.
Another advantage many breeders choose is to band their
babies with closed, seamless leg bands placed around the
chick's foot. Leg bands offer permanent proof of identification
and usually include the breeder's code if the bands are
registered with a national specialty organization.
The Cockatiel Foundation (CF) sells closed, coded bands to
its members. A band includes a personally assigned band
code with one or more numbers and letters, the society's
initials, the number chick, and the current year stamped on
each band. For example, CF-3R-77-99 would stand for the
organization's name, Cockatiel Foundation, the breeder's
code 1R, the identification number of the chick #77, and the
year the chick was bred, 2007.
The breeder's code is kept on file with the Membership/Band
Coordinator who can trace the code back to the breeder. The
breeder would then be able to inform the purchaser about the
bird's background, according to records kept. This is an
excellent safety back up should the bird ever escape, or
change hands to a new owner.
Closed banding also offers proof of pedigree. Professional
breeders and exhibitors typically breed one pair of cockatiels
to a cage, to be certain that the birds they produce belong to
the parent pair. The birds are usually banded between 10 and
14 days of age with a closed, seamless leg band carrying the
breeder's code described above, which provides lifetime
identification. Larger babies may be banded even earlier.
After the age of 2 to 3 weeks, it is close to impossible to slip a
seamless band onto a bird's leg since the foot has grown
beyond banding size. If a cockatiel is exhibited at a show, the
breeder lists the bird's band number on the entry form,
because only closed-banded birds are eligible to receive
points towards their championships for the top 10 placements
at cockatiel shows.
If the breeder wishes to sell the bird, a pedigree card will
include a place for the breeder to list the bird's band code.
Many hobby breeders who keep records of their birds often
offer birth certificates which include the bird's band code,
color variety, date of birth, gender, family tree, and other
pertinent information. CF will soon offer its members the
opportunity to purchase pedigree records and birth
certificates. Qualifying exhibitors may also earn their
champion and grand champion certificates.
Closed-banded birds are definitely the way to go to assure
your bird will carry permanent identification, throughout its life,
should you ever need to prove it's yours.
| "Providing Resources to the Cockatiel Community" CF The Cockatiel Foundation, founded in June 2007, began out of a growing need in the avicultural community to address all areas of cockatiel culture. The Foundation offers its members programs for pet owners, breeders and exhibitors, in addition to services never before addressed in the cockatiel community. CF is establishing a Cockatiel Adoption & Placement Program necessary for the placement and rehoming of cockatiels to new, permanent "forever" homes. CF address the needs of our Youth Members in the CF Youth & Education Program developed for tomorrows' next generation of cockatiel aviculturists. Additional special interest programs include: Companion Care Nutrition Avian Medicine Hobby Breeding Professional Breeding Color Mutations Genetics Exhibition and more ... The Cockatiel Foundation serves all cockatiel owners needs - from breeders, exhibitors, and pet companion bird owners - to cockatiel adoption, placement and youth education for tomorrows cockatiel afficianados. Please read our Membership benefits and peruse the website. When you join as a CF Member, you will have access to the Members' Only Area. COME JOIN US! |
Copyright 2007 Cockatiel Foundation, Inc.
Linda S. Rubin is an aviculturist, lecturer and avian educator of 30
years, with an international byline in avicultural magazines around the
world and author of several books at www.CockatielsPlusParrots.com.
She is the cockatiel expert columnist for Bird Talk’s website,
BirdChannel.com, she serves on the board of directors of the American
Federation of Aviculture, Inc. and is the founding president of the
Cockatiel Foundation, Inc. Linda is a certified panel judge for the
Cockatiel Foundation, and the Society of Parrot Breeders & Exhibitors,
judging shows throughout the US, Puerto Rico and Canada since 1984.
years, with an international byline in avicultural magazines around the
world and author of several books at www.CockatielsPlusParrots.com.
She is the cockatiel expert columnist for Bird Talk’s website,
BirdChannel.com, she serves on the board of directors of the American
Federation of Aviculture, Inc. and is the founding president of the
Cockatiel Foundation, Inc. Linda is a certified panel judge for the
Cockatiel Foundation, and the Society of Parrot Breeders & Exhibitors,
judging shows throughout the US, Puerto Rico and Canada since 1984.
C. 2007 Jane Gillespie
C. 2007 Jane Gillespie
C. 2007 Jane Gillespie
C. 2007 Jane Gillespie
C. 2007 Sandra Trottier
Founded June 3, 2007
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