Cockatiels

[ZOEgirl377]

Does anyone have a cockatiel? (Or two, maybe?) If so, have you noticed their constant squawking?! LOL! Anyways, I have two Cockatiels named Belle and Rose, though it should be Sqwawk and Clatter. But in any case, they're alright birds.

 

[IvoryRain]

When I was growing up we had a cockateil that was best friends with our cat.

I have a picture of Willie Nelson and Smokey Robinson in the pet photo section.

 

[Durelen]

I grew up with cockatiels among other funky birds. I had a hen that lived for 15 years that was a close pet. They are good pets and great for breeding if you have the room.

Two things you can do. When you cover their cage with a blanket they will often take a nap. My house birds were covered every night and revealed in the morning after I was ready for the screeching (mainly by the males).

Best advice is to get one of those aquariums for birds. Actually those are great for cockatiel since they like to play on jungle gyms. The aquariums are fairly enclosed and dull the noise pretty well. If you get a big enough one you can toss in some parakeets and watch the feathers fly lol.

 

[coastie]

I've had one for 11 years now. I often threaten to bake him into a shepherds pie. OF rhte first 5 years he was a great pet. He was sweet and whistled and sang.

Then he turned into an evil little monster. He hisses and bites and squaks relentlessly. COvering him doesn't usually work, but it does sometimes.

One thing that I've found works is turning on the tv... especially cartoons. He's not very sohpisticated.

 

[Durelen]

Oh yeah sure, once they are fully awake and already screaming their head off there is no chance of quieting them with a blanket. You really should not do that often anyways. If you have a safe spot to hang it’s cage outside in the day time as you can keep guard from cats, your bird will appreciate that a lot.

Your bird may be lonely, Costie. When one of a pair dies I often had problems with the other. I’ve heard of males dropping dead from loneliness. Hens seem to do well alone if you spend some time with them though. They are social birds and get along with most other social birds. Males are better looking but much harder to keep happy.

 

[Key Of David]

I've had one for 11 years now. I often threaten to bake him into a shepherds pie. OF rhte first 5 years he was a great pet. He was sweet and whistled and sang.

Then he turned into an evil little monster. He hisses and bites and squaks relentlessly. COvering him doesn't usually work, but it does sometimes.

One thing that I've found works is turning on the tv... especially cartoons. He's not very sohpisticated.

That is the first time I have ever heard someone say anything negative about a cockatiel. Maybe he's just getting old?

I love birds and I had a cockatiel for a couple years and I know that birds are always going to sing in the morning. They are rejoicing because the sun is coming up. I've always liked this but maybe that's just me.

You can teach cockatiels to whistle and some of them to talk. Mine used to whistle the Andy Griffith song and that "sexy" whistle. Once a lady was walking by the window of my apartment and my bird saw her and whistled that......I was SO embarrassed. I just know she thought it was me.

Anyway..if you only had one I could tell you what to do about the constant squawking, but since you have two that kinda is a different ballgame.

 

[Key Of David]

Another thing I wanted to say is that I agree with the previous post. I spent at least a couple hours a day with mine, and he was pretty quiet. If I began to skip this and put him off....I heard it, trust me. He had to be close I don't care if it was just sitting on my shoulder while I watched tv or whatever....they need companionship.

 

[coastie]

I only have one... he's just old and crotchedy.

He used to whistle a lot. His favorite was "we wish you a merry christmas" it was great because it was christmas all year long. Then it turned into a combination of that and "daisy daisy" now it's the first note of each song followed by a series of squaks.

 

[Durelen]

Oh and keep them out of a breeze if you put them outside. They can get sick fast in a cool breeze. Don't put them outside if they are sick. If you hang them in a cage outside make sure the cage is made for hanging. You can always pick up a cheap hanging cage if your in doors cage is not a hanging cage. Bugs and cats may get to them if you just sit the cage on a table outside. They like warm weather so if it's snowing don't put them out.

 

[Kathy]

Hi..My Daughter had a Cockatiel for about 12 yrs..A great little bird. The only time that we ever heard him squawk was when my younger Daughter would teese him through the cage and everytime he would see her he would squawk his head off. lol sad to say,he passed 2 yrs ago on Easter Sunday.We all miss him.

 

[Dawn Marie]

I've had 3... my favourite was Guido, a nice yellow female one. The others were... evil. The male always pulled the female's head feathers out...