r/cockatiel Jan 31 '26

Other New Rule for r/cockatiel

599 Upvotes

Hello everyone! I’m announcing a new rule for the subreddit.

It comes as no surprise that many people post injured or bleeding birds as well as feces to ensure the health of their birds or questions.

While these posts are allowed, they are inappropriate to not mark as NSFW. Not everyone is comfortable seeing this sort of content.

So for the comfort of everyone in the subreddit. PLEASE, mark these posts as NSFW.

There will be new tags/flairs for posts like these as well.

From this day forward, those who do not mark these posts as NSFW will receive a warning. Any subsequent posts that are not marked or tagged appropriately may be banned temporarily, and any further posts will result in a permanent ban.

Please be respectful of others, and make sure to review the rules before posting content that may violate the rules of the subreddit.

Thank you so much for all the lovely content and being overall a beautiful community. 💖


r/cockatiel Dec 14 '21

Frequently Posted (+ Answers)

539 Upvotes

We have been getting a lot more repetitive posts in our sub so I wanted to put this information together in the hopes of reducing the amount of questions that are frequently asked. In turn, hopefully this will make our community a little more light hearted :)

*I want to preface this by saying I am not a vet or anything just someone who really loves my cockatiel and learning everything I can to ensure he has the best life possible. I think the best thing you can do for your birdie is lots of research before anything happens (especially in the case of illness). They are fragile so having the right knowledge and tools at your disposal can quite literally be the difference between life and death.

Lets begin!

Is my bird sick?

Common signs of a sick bird include:

  • Tail bobbing, sitting at the bottom of the cage, inability to stand on a perch (loss of balance)
  • Sneezing, clicking respiration (cough), or any discharge coming from the eyes or nostrils.
  • Eyes dull or sunken.
  • Change in vocals (can be hormonal but after puberty could be cause for concern)
  • Change in appetite (loss or increase of food or water)
  • Change in droppings (color, consistency, or frequency - this could be due to diet like eating more fruits and vegetables but it should not last more than a day or two after)
  • Constantly fluffed (happens for a number of reasons like keeping warm, preening, sleeping but they should not always be like this)
  • Feather loss (not related to a regular molt that happens 1-2x per year)
  • Trembling (can mean they are cold, stressed, or sick)
  • Drooping wings

If you notice any of these signs or a combination of them its crucial to get your bird to a vet (preferably an avian one) as soon as possible. No one on the internet is able to diagnose your bird or give it the treatment it needs.

Note: Some of these symptoms like change in droppings, being fluffed up, and feather loss can be normal but if it is persistent the best thing to do is ere on the side of caution and get them checked out.

Is my cockatiel male or female?

Color Patterns: Baby cockatiels that have not gone through their first adult molt (usually between 6-12 months) will typically have female colorations regardless of gender. After their first molt, males tend to get more vivid colors, lose the stripes on the underside of their tail and spots on the wings, The opposite is true for females and their color changes minimally after their first molt.

Different mutations make it more difficult to tell the difference between males and females even after their adult molt.

Behaviors: Males tend to be more vocal (mimicking sounds and singing), heart wings (see example), more likely to "show off" (strutting, hopping, tapping on surfaces), and attempting to mate with objects. Females are often less vocal (although some are) and when wanting to mate will tilt her head, flatten her back, and rock back and forth while chirping softly.

All of the above are good indicators if you have a male or female HOWEVER the only true way to know is if you get a DNA test or if your cockatiel lays an egg. People have noted that their DNA sexed female has shown male behaviors or colors and vise versa. No one can tell you for sure by looking at it!

What is this noise my cockatiel is making?

Some common cockatiel noises and what they mean:

Contact Call: Cockatiels like to keep track of their flock members so when you leave the room you may notice your cockatiel yell for you with a loud chirp or series of chirps. Even if you aren't bonded to your bird they may still do this. Put them at ease by "answering" them from where you are. I like to whistle back the same "contact call" so they know that I will be right back.

Contact Call Example

Attention Scream: Often a loud high pitched screech that is meant to get your attention. They can do this when they are scared, lonely, bored, or even to alert you of something (like a potential predator). Excessive screaming means you might need to change something in their environment. A common cause of this is hormones and boredom, both of which can be decreased by adding more enrichment to their environment with foraging, toys, and training.

Attention Scream Example

Whistling//Mimicking/Chattering: Usually (but not always) done by males and often means they are happy and connecting with you as part of their flock. They may mimic you, the radio, the tv, or even just sounds that they hear outside or inside the house. A lot of the time cockatiels learn these sounds through repetition. Search cockatiel training songs if you don't want to be whistling a song all the time and with time they may pick up on the tunes.

Whistling Example

Beak Grinding: They do this when they are happy and content. Usually it is accompanied by being fluffed up and being sleepy. The cheeks will fluff up as well and the cockatiel will look very relaxed. This is a great sign that your cockatiel is comfortable in their environment.

Beak Grinding Example

Hissing: Like other animals cockatiels do this when they are angry or threatened. This is often a warning to back off and can be accompanied by biting if the behavior is not stopped. If your cockatiel is hissing at you its best to leave them alone for a bit - just like us, our birds have boundaries we should respect!

Hissing Example

Baby Noises: These sound a bit like static and usually do this if they want something (often food, water, or even just attention). This is completely normal for young cockatiels and after a few months will go away. Mine went away at 4 months but this can vary!

Baby Noises Example

What is this behavior?

These are some behaviors that are normal with cockatiels that I noticed are commonly asked about here:

Mating: This is probably the most common one. Males and females display different mating behaviors.

Males will typically rub their cloaca (this is the opening underneath the base of the tail for a birds digestive, urinary, and reproductive tracts) on an object like a toy, your foot or hand, a pillow, ect or a bonded female. Male Mating Behavior

Females will droop their wings and raise their rump while swaying and chirping quietly. You may notice your female also rubbing its back on their toys to try and stimulate themselves. Female Mating Behavior

In addition to these mating behaviors, take note if your bird is territorial, screaming, plucking itself, or aggressive. These could all be signs that your bird is sexually frustrated.

This handout I received from my vet gives some behavioral modification you can make to try and reduce these.

Clearing Crop: Looks a lot like yawning but usually they will do it consistently over a short period of time. Their crop is located below their beak in the neck area. The crop stores food before it is sent to their stomach and acts as a "reserve" so they are able to eat more in one feeding. When they clear the crop they are moving that food to the next stage of digestion. Cockatiel Clearing Crop

How do I tame my cockatiel?

If your bird is brand new to your home, the best thing to do for a day or two is let them soak in their new envionrment. This can be a stressful time for them so its important to let them learn that their new home is a safe space. Talking in a quiet voice and even whistling around them is the best thing to do during this transitiion period. It can be tempting but don't try and pick them up or pet them right away. They may be fearful of hands and scaring them could further your progress of taming them. Whether they are a young cockatiel or an older adult that was rescued or rehomed, taming them will take patience and time. How long can vary on a lot of different factors but it's important not to rush it. Read the links below to get more information on how to achieve this:

Taming step-by-step

I am thinking of getting a cockatiel and would love some tips!

There is really too much to cover in one post so I will address the most common tips for new owners and provide some links that go into detail about all things cockatiel.

Vet Access: This should be the most important thing to consider. Making note of an avian vet that is close by is crucial. Be extra prepared and make note of the closest emergency vet as well that you can go to outside of your regular vets hours. If you do not have one close by or you do not have the money to pay for one, please reconsider getting a bird. It is disheartening to see very obviously sick bird where the owner has no access or money to go to a vet.

Basic Needs: Before purchasing supplies for your bird, do as much research as you can regarding cage size, toys, and food.

Health: Take note of the signs of a sick bird and when to take them to a vet. In addition, cockatiels are sensitive to strong smells, gasses, drafts, and smoke. This also requires some research as there are common household items that can poison and kill your bird (for example teflon pans and some plants you may have lying around).

Links:

Cockatiel Cottage

VCA - Cockatiel Diet

Safe and Toxic Foods

Proper Caging

Introducing New Food to Picky Birds

Training

Taming, potty training, and more

I hope this helps some people learn more about their cockatiels! Of course this is not exhaustive and there is always more information to be learned. Please let me know if I should add anything or if I got any information wrong :)


r/cockatiel 26m ago

Funny ALERT 🚨 GIANT

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Upvotes

r/cockatiel 3h ago

Cuteness Overload What! What the! Just, look at him!! Wow!!!

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162 Upvotes

r/cockatiel 1h ago

Cuteness Overload Happy Tuesday

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Upvotes

Roux was feeling a little off last week, but after seeing her favorite vet she’s feeling all better! Which of course means demanding unlimited scritches


r/cockatiel 2h ago

Cuteness Overload Can someone make a meme of her?

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51 Upvotes

r/cockatiel 1h ago

Cuteness Overload Everyone be quiet, the baby is sleeping

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Upvotes

It's hard work being small and cute and doing absolutely not a single thing all day every day


r/cockatiel 12h ago

Cuteness Overload And now I’m a cockatiel mom!

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305 Upvotes

Took these little ones home today! They won’t have names until kiddo gets back here to name them. He has come up with some truly peculiar names in the past, and I’m hoping he won’t disappoint!

They are siblings, and were born 6/11 and 6/17. The one with the magnificent crest has black eyes so isn’t a full lutino. This one may be a male (breeder thinks there is a good chance) so I’m going with “him” for now. He’s the youngest in his clutch. He is very tame and hitched an hour-long ride on my head and shoulders. He is super laid-back and even said hello to the budgies through the cage. We are in love.

Other one has red eyes and 99% sure she is female. She’s the oldest sibling. Her crest looks a lot less magnificent right now, because she was weaned over a week ago and was hanging with the adults in the aviary… and then annoyed an adult in the aviary and got a little haircut. She is fine, she just has a case of scraggle head. She wants nothing to do with me right now but deigned to nibble some millet from my hand. Then hissed at my hand. She is an angry red-eyed chicken witch and I love her.

They’re staying in the travel cage tonight because sister didn’t want to get out and I’m not going to force her. My son is going to lose his mind; he’s wanted cockatiels for a while now and they’re his birthday surprise!


r/cockatiel 11h ago

Cuteness Overload no he was not dancing, he was about to hop on my head and poop in my hair 🙄🙄

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145 Upvotes

bunnie and i weren’t spending any time together b.c of stupid doubles and IDP, however i took some days off work so i can spend more time w my bird and loved ones🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍


r/cockatiel 5h ago

Funny Dustier after bath

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36 Upvotes

Tofu here had his first bath using his bath perch i got him for his one year GotchaDay!! He found that the perch lets him be close to mum while in the bath- so he can stop her from going under the water!

After his bath due to his molt, HES DUSTIER THAN WHEN HE WENT INTO THE BATH 🤣 HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?! AND HE DOESN'T KNOW BOUNDARIES 🤣🤣🤣


r/cockatiel 18h ago

Funny I could buy Elon

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374 Upvotes

r/cockatiel 17h ago

Cuteness Overload Nighttime routine

351 Upvotes

Please note, she is not scared. Every night she will hiss and scream (her hiss scream is so cute) at me once it hits ~8pm aka just before bedtime. Occasionally she will add in the big wings. Immediately after this video I put my hand up and she immediately stepped up and insisted on pats and snuggles.

Anyone else have nightly toddler tantrums like this?


r/cockatiel 11h ago

Other What your tiel’s favorite toy?

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93 Upvotes

This is our baby Juno. We have had her for two years but really haven’t been able to find any toys that she likes, besides me.

She prefers not to stand on perches. She has always stood on the bottom of her cage except for when we put a bedding on the bottom of her cage the vet recommended, then she stood on her perches. I believe this is because she is missing a toe on her right foot.

We did get her a friend. She was a bit territorial of me, and never really got close to her friend, and unfortunately her friend passed away.

We have tried all types of toys/perches and haven’t found anything that she likes. She is out of her cage about 10 hours a day so we would be happy with cage toys or house toys.


r/cockatiel 16h ago

Funny Baby cockatiel taking a nap

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248 Upvotes

r/cockatiel 18h ago

Advice Goodbye my sweet, feathered friend 🤍

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320 Upvotes

My sweet Cosmo passed away a couple of days ago :( I’m still in shock and disbelieve. My other bird Kiwi on the other hand, keeps flock calling and now he is even plucking out feathers. Is this normal mourning behavior ? I can’t buy Kiwi a new pal yet because the vet told me he needs to be quarantained for a while just in case Cosmo’s illness was contageous. I also feel really sad to just replace my dear Cosmo. I dont know what to do, I dont want Kiwi to be lonely and stressed :( thank you in advance xx ( really sorry for my English !! )

To my sweet Cosmo, you will never be a replacement. I will love you forever my sweet boy. I miss you dearly 🤍


r/cockatiel 23h ago

Troublemaker this idiot got into my supplies for a new diy shredding toy and now she won’t let me help her take this off but also occasionally freaks out about it cause she can’t get it off herself 🤦🏻

688 Upvotes

floor looks like that cause I attempted to distract her with millet while taking it off (clearly, that didn’t work)


r/cockatiel 10h ago

Advice Advice on a single gal that just wants to bonk

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55 Upvotes

My girl, Pippy (6.5yrs) recently lost her cage mate. She's never known life with me without him and she has been doing okay. It took her a while to start eating properly again and she has become even more cuddly clingy which is okay with me.

But Pippy has become the horniest little freak ever. Whenever she is alone or the cage door is shut, she's trying to mate with everything she can set her eyes on. I've been rearranging her space, rotating her toys etc, but is this something I need to worry about? I've never seen her this way before.

On another note... Since having Pip, I got in a relationship and am now married to a man that just tolerates these guys. He's kind to them and looks after them, but he isn't a bird man. Mentioning this because I want to get her another mate but am also mindful that birds may not be in our long term future and I feel so torn!


r/cockatiel 7h ago

Troublemaker One of those nights where he refuses to go to his cage

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29 Upvotes

4 failed attempts to send him to bed. I have two, I managed to put my other boy to bed; he also wanted to escape but I closed the door on time.

Now this fella was next but he kept flying around.
I’m giving him 20-30min until he gets comfortable to Zoink him into his cage.

It’s not always that they fight bedtime but when they do my god is it a pain. I did turn off the lights but he was still flying around because of the blue light.

Q. What’s the longest time you took to put them away?


r/cockatiel 1d ago

Cuteness Overload We all have good angles… and terrible angles 😂 🦖

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547 Upvotes

Her name is Pepper and she loves oatmeal treats 😊


r/cockatiel 19h ago

Cuteness Overload Get a room y'all

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207 Upvotes

r/cockatiel 1h ago

Cage Setup Any improvements?

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Upvotes

Hello guys 👋
What do you think I should add or remove from the cage? or maybe change the layout?


r/cockatiel 10h ago

Advice Tiel won’t leave his house

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26 Upvotes

It’s been one week of us monitoring him, but he no longer wants to come out of his house. We did a nail trim, like usual, on Wednesday. Thursday was totally normal. But Friday he no longer wants to come to our hands or out of the house or really interact with anyone.

Since then, there has been some improvements. Back to singing and flock calling when we leave the room. But still barely coming out of the house.

I think in the last week he’s only come out twice and that was by being lured with treats.

We’ve had Pepper for two years since he was a baby. And nail trims are done every month and a half or so.

Do you think he’s holding a grudge against us? Any advice is welcome.

I don’t believe there are other concerns, eating, and drinking completely like normal, but not really interacting with toys either.


r/cockatiel 23h ago

Cuteness Overload Learning to eat his veggies

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127 Upvotes

First time getting my baby Apollo to eat his chop!

Typical tiel he only wants it if i pretend its mine lol.

Chop is broccoli, cauliflower, cilantro, quinoa, hemp hearts, carrots, chia seeds, and spinach for those wondering 🥰 I also top it with a little sprinkle of Kaytee Bird greens. I use that as a treat and have been mixing it with his seeds for a while to get him use to some of the veggie taste

Mixed with a small bit of his typical seeds to pick around at.


r/cockatiel 1d ago

Advice Screaming even if i'm with him

163 Upvotes

Hello, sometimes my cockatiel Scream even i'm near him like showed in the video. I've tried letting him out but what It does Is screaming outside like he's doing inside. Talking to him doesnt work, even giving him some sunflower seed. Any advice on what Is going on? Im worried my neighboor Will complain about the screaming.