top of page
What you need to know when you are buying a parrot
After the first close acquaintance with Cockatiel parrots, I am ready to talk about what pitfalls
I came across when choosing and buying feathered pets. Here are the main signs for choosing
a bird: a healthy bird is always vigorous and active, has an even plumage and a clear look.
I have not met excellent shops, which have specialists in different types of animals, birds and fish.
In most cases, sellers are not much different from consultants in clothing stores.
The goal is one - to sell as soon as possible.
A certain disadvantage is that the birds that are sold through stores are deprived of the possibility of flying. Parrots can stay in a cage for several months and wait for their finest hour. They are less sociable, and more difficult to make contact.
Most people involved in breeding parrots love their birds and take care of healthy offspring.
However, there are those who breed birds only for profit and sell weak and sometimes sick birds.
Do not take chicks younger than 40-45 days by then the immune system is developed and the
baby can better handle the stress.
They should grow up and get stronger. Chicks need a certain temperature and care.
Being together with other chicks, they can also warm each other.
Our chicks are not afraid of people: the first month of their life, after leaving the nest, they spent in close contact with humans. They make a good contact, sit on the finger, and are accustomed to the characteristic sounds of the apartment: loud music, vacuum cleaner, hairdryer, etc.
The ability to fly freely all day and breathe fresh air on the balcony keeps the chicks in great
physical shape. They spend the night in a cage and understand when it's time to sleep and do not brawl in confinement. In the morning, if there are curtains in the room, they will calmly let you
sleep until 9-10AM.
You can order a DNA test for gender determination if it's important for you.
Microchip
The presence of a microchip does not mean anything at all, except for the
fact that it was you who purchased the bird that was chipped with this microchip.
Please note:
1. NEVER feed more than 10-12 cc per feeding. Over-feeding can also contribute to health issues while hand-feeding such as an over-stretched crop, slow crop and/or crop stasis.
2. Cool/cold formula can contribute to slower crop movement and other crop issues.
Check the temperature (about 105 degrees) and then feed.
The baby will constantly cry which leads to the temptation to feed it more.
3. To keep the formula warm I will place the cup into a pan of warm water to help maintain the mixed formulas temperature. The excess formula leads to the temptation to later reheat and reuse it which could potentially lead to crop problems. Never save, reheat and reuse formula. Always mix fresh formula for each feeding. Allow the crop to empty one time a day.
From night to morning.
4. Keep track of the weight of your baby. Always weigh the bird when it is empty.
Weighing is also your diagnostic tool to make sure things are fine. Sometimes a baby may appear
fine, but start dropping weight rapidly. If so, this is a sign of a problem.
5. At the fledgling age you may notice the baby has lost a few grams.
This is normal, especially if you've noticed that they are flapping their wings and trying to fly.
Once they've taken their first flight, they should start gaining back the lost weight.
6. Some words of caution. Never let a baby fly with a full crop. Allow them to fly before you
hand-feed them. If they fly with a full crop and crash land this can cause aspiration if they hit their crop.
When this happens the food is forced back up the neck,
and if inhaled results in aspiration or respiratory problems.
7. When hand-feeding, a good measure against possible aspiration is to have a firm grip of baby's
head, and to always feed the formula into the RIGHT side of the mouth.
AGE (Days)
1 - 5 Days
5 - 7 Days
8 - 14 Days
15 - 24 Days
25 - 30 Days
31 - 44 Days
Every 2 Hours
1 - 2 CC
1 - 2 Days 35-36.5C 95-98. F
FEEDING
Feeding Dose
TEMPERATURE REGIME
Every 3 Hours
2 - 3 CC
3 - 7 Days 35C 95.5F
Every 4 Hours
4 - 6 CC
8 - 14 Days 33C 91.4F
Every 5 Hours
7 - 10 CC
15 - 24 Days 31C 87.8F
3 Times Per Day
10 - 12 CC
25 - 30 Days 25-30C 77-86F
2 Times Per Day
10 - 12 CC
After 31 days 24-22C 75.2-71.6F
8. A tip for future clutches... I found that if I handled the babies a few times a day for nestbox checks, it helps to tame them down. I would assist feeding the youngest in the nest if needed,
and also offer older babies a taste so they are used to a syringe or something touching their head and mouth. By the time they were pulled, they were calmer and would not struggle/resist feeding.
9. When they are down to 2 feedings a day, I will move them into a cage. I've learned that the babies are more apt to try new foods once a feeding is skipped. Once I see the babies nibbling and eating more on their own, I will start decreasing the morning feeding down 1 cc per day.
Once down to 0, they are down to 1 feeding a day (at night).
10. I wait a day or so and then start decreasing the nighttime feeding by 1cc a day.
When I get down to it reduced to 2-3 cc many times, they are starting to refuse the formula.
If they still want the formula, hold it at 2-3 cc for a week or so, feeling their crop to make sure t
hey also have food in the crop from trying to eat on their own.
11. MPORTANT: At their normal bedtime I feel the base of the crop to make sure I can feel the f
ood in it. I've learned that cockatiels will pack their crop prior to sleeping so that their food
(for energy) would digest during the night. This is also why they have larger droppings first thing
in the morning. The crop contents will feel like a beanbag, and range in size from a grape to a walnut.
I check nightly for a few weeks before I can consider them fully weaned. If a baby refuses feedings and is not packing its crop with food prior to bedtime, monitor the weight to make sure it's not losing weight. At this age the baby should maintain weight during weaning.
12. I've noticed on the internet that it appears the growing trend of advice is that a baby should be weaned at 6-8 weeks of age. Not so, ideally weaning age should be around 10-12 weeks of age.
By then the immune system is developed and the baby can better handle the stress.
Once I start seeing the baby/babies nibble on millet seed, I will decrease the middle feeding
by 1cc per day, down to 0 cc. At 0 cc, I will then skip the middle feeding.
It is less confusing or traumatic to the baby.
bottom of page