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c. 2011 Robin Kulas
c, 2007 Sandra Trottier
BUYING A NEW BABY COCKATIEL
©2003 Linda S. Rubin

CF Genetics Consultant  & Panel Judge
All Photos and Articles “All Rights Reserved” by Author and Photographers
Written permission required for reprints.

First published in the October 2003 issue of BIRD TIMES magazine
The first consideration when purchasing a new cockatiel is its age. Young birds are preferable to adults,
because younger birds are easier to train. Handfed baby cockatiels make ideal companions, because
they are already tame and used to human handling. Given time and gentle handling, all that will remain
is the close bond that will develop between a growing cockatiel and its owner.



Although handfed cockatiel chicks make delightfully tame and affectionate companions, not all cockatiel
chicks need to be handfed in order to make wonderful pets. The key to obtaining an exceptional
companion cockatiel is to acquire a chick while it is still a youngster, whether handfed or parent-raised.



Yet, advertising a chick as handfed does not necessarily guarantee that it is tame.  Handfed chicks that
are mass-produced, but given little time, TLC, or that are treated roughly during handfeeding, may
become fearful of humans. Those that haven’t been handled for long periods of time since weaning may
also begin to lose their tameness.  Conversely, parent-fed chicks that are lovingly handled each day as
fledglings may become more gentle and unafraid of humans. It is worthwhile to inquire how the chick
was raised and how often it was handled before making assumptions about its tameness, based on
any label.


Some aviculturists prefer not to handfeed, but rather handle chicks in the nest each day. Daily handling,
when practiced faithfully, can be just as effective in producing tame cockatiels because it is the art of
handling, and not the act of feeding, which tames down birds.



The bottom line to keeping up with daily handling is consistency. Aviculturists may find this a challenge
when life becomes busy. The choice of handfeeding, instead, forces the necessity of handling all chicks,
because meals simply cannot be skipped.



Most aviculturists wait until chicks are approximately two and a half weeks old before removing the
chicks from their parents. One advantage to leaving chicks with their parents the first few weeks is that
chicks will benefit from parental feeds, which act to fortify the chicks’ immune systems and help fight
off disease. Chicks that are handfed by aviculturists from day one are essentially robbed of this
opportunity.



With few exceptions, a nine or ten week old baby cockatiel is fully weaned and ready to go to a new
home. Although many cockatiel chicks can wean closer to seven or eight weeks of age, some
aviculturists prefer to keep them an extra week or two to be certain.



Always purchase a weaned cockatiel! Purchasing an unweaned cockatiel chick could put the chick in
grave danger, especially if you are not informed or given weaning instructions.  An unweaned cockatiel
chick may not be able to recognize edible foods and as a result will lose weight and rapidly starve to
death. Part of responsible weaning practices includes taking over the parents’ role of teaching young
birds which foods to eat.



Reputable aviculturists will not sell unweaned cockatiel chicks, especially to novice owners. The formal
avicultural community generally regards selling unweaned chicks as an unethical practice, although
exceptions may be made to experienced handfeeders.



Fortunately, in addition to handfeeding formulas, some bird manufacturers are coming out with various
brands of weaning foods available through pet stores and distributors.  Signs of an unweaned chick
include continuous begging; loud, screaming episodes accompanied by head pumping; standing high or
stretching upward while crying; and attempts of pecking at “unseen” foods. Little food, if any, is eaten;
the water cup is untouched and fewer than normal droppings are found in the cage.  



A weaned cockatiel chick is fully feathered; it does not beg for food, eats well on its own, and has a full
crop (a bulge on the upper chest) at night.



Private aviculturists, who raise cockatiels for pets and show, often close band their birds with seamless,
aluminum, leg bands bearing the breeder’s individual band code. The breeder’s band code may be traced
through the Membership/Band Chair if the breeder belongs to a national organization such as the
Cockatiel Foundation, Inc. (www.CockatielFoundation.com).  



Many breeders also often a pedigree or birth certificate with the weaned bird, stating its ancestry, color
mutation, band code number, and other useful information. A cockatiel’s leg band is more than just
decorative jewelry or a means of learning its ancestry; it is a vital method of personal identification that
proves the origin and ownership of the bird. As federal and state laws change, a system of permanent
identifying is becoming more and more important and closed banding is one means available.
Alternately, unbanded birds may have a microchip injected under the skin by an avian veterinarian.



Whether handfed or parent-raised – be sure to purchase a cockatiel that is both young and fully
weaned - and you will enjoy a safe and rewarding relationship with your new companion.