Adding a pet bird to your family is an important decision that should not be made “spur of the moment. You must plan ahead and purchase supplies needed before purchasing your cockatiel. I also strongly suggest you visit yahoogroups.com and join one of the many email discussion groups just about these fascinating birds. The initial supplies needed are discussed below.

Selecting a Cage

The cage will be your bird's home. It is important that the cage be of sufficient size to allow your bird to get some exercise. Cockatiels are intelligent birds. Some even become escape artists. Therefore, I suggest you purchase a small lock to keep the cage door closed when you are not able to supervise the bird. The minimum size I've heard suggested for a cockatiel is 24-30 inches long by 24 inches tall by 18 inches deep. It needs several perches of varying sizes. You will want to remove the perches that come with the cage and replace these with natural branches in different sizes if possible. Otherwise, buy perches of different diameters so your bird's feet will be exercised and won't develop problems from always using the same size perch.

Be sure the wire bars in the cage of no more than 3/4 inch apart. I prefer using 1/2 inch just to be sure my birds don't accidentally get their heads stuck between the bars. Some cages have a wire grate over the bottom tray. It is entirely up to you to decide if you want this feature. Always be sure to have a plastic tray in the cage bottom to catch seed, bird droppings, and anything they drop. This feature makes it easier to clean your cage.

Buy a practical cage that will facilitate taking care of your bird and keeping its environment sanitary and safe. There are many cages available today. Some advertised as cockatiel cages have bars too far apart for my liking. I've had breeders tell me that there should be more horizontal bars than vertical bars because cockatiels love climbing. My own birds use a cage with fewer horizontal bars and have no difficulty.

I also recommend a large flight cage for the bird to spend time in near its human companions. My birds seem to enjoy having smaller sleeping cages that let them sleep in a bedroom, away from street noise. This has eliminated most of the night frights experienced by my birds due to shadows and noise at night.

Where to Purchase Cages

Personally, I believe area pet stores are the worst place to select a cage. Their cages are priced two to three times higher than you will pay online today. I personally recommend shopping at Birds Comfort.com. His cages are the lowest priced that I've found anywhere--local pet store or online. Tell him, I sent you!

Jupiter got his cage first. Liberty spent so much time in it that I bought him one too. I searched my home town first, and was unable to beat this store's prices. I love the cage because of the pull out grate and plastic tray to catch the bird poop and general mess. It's very easy to clean off using just paper towels and water. It is very obvious to me that my birds enjoy these large cages because they voluntarily go to their cages to play during the day.

Purchasing supplies/toys

Cockatiels are inquisitive birds. They try everything. It is important to buy them toys made for medium sized birds. Jubilee was playing with an old toy from a pet budgerigar (parakeet). She got a tiny wire loop over her bottom beak and let out a squawk. It was a good thing I was sitting right buy her or she could have been severely injured. That toy and others like it have been banned from our bird toy box.

Many household items will be investigated by your cockatiel. My birds like walking around my living room floor pulling pieces off my daily newspaper. If I am trying to read a book with them on my shoulder, the edges of the book's pages get punched. If you give your bird something to play with, make sure it is not treated wood, or leather with toxic dyes in it. Always use bird-safe objects.

One excellent source of bird toys are the baby toys found in dollar stores. These have to be non-toxic so babies can chew on them. With the exception of teething toys or pacifiers, I've found them to be very safe. The birds like things that make a noise when they move.

Don't buy food for your bird until you have actually decided on the bird and asked what food it is already conditioned to eating. Cockatiels don't take well to having their diets suddenly changed. Therefore, waiting will save you money.

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