Cockatiel Photo's

Our Beautiful Budgies and Cockatiel Photo's

"Bernie the Cockatiel "

My daughters very first cockatiel

These are just some of the beautiful photo's showing the stages of a birds life - from hatching time to leaving the nest-
To becoming the most loving, unforgettable,  little friend for life.

Bubba and Bobbie enter the world.

This is a Photo of 2 cockatiels being raised in a fish tank with lights over it to keep them at a constant temperature. The eldest is 6 days old and the youngest is 4 days old. Their names are Bubba and Bobbie. You will see a full grown picture of Bubbie as you continue to look through the photo's.
Bobbie sadly died of Sour Crop at 4 weeks of age. This was my first attempt at handrearing.

Bubba and Bobby being hand fed

Bubba and Bobbie after a feed

"Bubba" now that she is 1 year old and going to be a mummy in a few days.

The new babies have arrived!!!!!

 

Some useful information on Hand-rearing a Cockatiel Baby.

In my experience ,usually from about 3 weeks of age,  is a safe time to take a cockatiel baby away from the nest to hand-rear. My experience was out of necessity as the mother had abandoned bubba and bobby at the age of 4 days old and refused to feed even after giving them a supplementary feed and then being put back into the nesting box. They were kept in a fishtank with a constant heated light over them and fed every two hours even throught the night.

Cockatiels do not need to be kept over a heated light from about 3 weeks of  age except if living in cooler areas. I live in Queensland, so usually a nesting box attached to a cage is plenty . Any younger and definitely a constant heat would need to be used.

I used Avian Science handrearing mixture to raise mine on, made into a creamy liquid consistancy and then increase the feed to water ratio as they age. Always keep the consistancy on the liquid side rather than too thick though. Using a syringe and holding it above their beak and slightly to the side start feeding. They make a kind of  constant beeping noise to be fed. They will bob up and down while being fed which can be absolutely amusing.

They need to be fed from 3 - 4 weeks of age every 4 hours between say 6am till last feed at 6.00pm. From 4 weeks of age to 5 weeks put a little seed on the floor of the cage as they usually start to investigate outside of the nesting box . Drop feeds back to 3 times a day and then slowly up until 6-8 weeks start to wean them completely.

The information I have given you is through my own experience only , my daughter and I have hand-reared about 15 to date this way.

The reference book we now call the "bible for cockatiels"  is full of very helpful information and gives ages and feeding quantities to help you out. It is called " The Cockatiel Handbook". by Matthew M.Vriends.