All You Want to Know About Cockatiels as Pets!

The Cockatiel

A well-known secret of every cockatiel owner is that these birds are just as companionable as dogs or cats, and have unique personalities that can be read by their expressive faces. My first experience with a cockatiel was when I was a young teenager, starting out down my neighborhood street for a walk. I was astonished to hear a unique bird call-- like a parrot, or a tropical bird, I thought-- so I followed my ears to a pigeon-sized gray bird who was pecking at gravel in the gutter. He ran towards me when I came closer. I knew he had to be someone's pet bird, as his orange blush and yellow crest set him apart from every other wild bird I knew of, and his eagerness to see me showed me that he was tame. His face was bright and intelligent. He looked me in the eye and tipped his head to figure me out.

I carried him home and put him under a large salad spinner with some seeds and apples, then led a crusade of neighborhood kids to ring doorbells and inquire until we could find the owner. Different people gave us different clues, but we were eventually led to people who knew other people who had birds, and finally we ended up at the home of the owner of "Kiwi," the name of their lost cockatiel. They were thrilled to be reunited with their chipper little bird, and they rewarded me with a twenty dollar bill and an armful of TY Beanie Babies. Kiwi was a cute little bird, and I loved how openly and winningly he interacted with his owners. Maybe, someday, I would get my own little Kiwi to have and to hold, I thought.

Cockatiels as Pets

Several years later, a friend called me and asked if I'd be interested in "adopting" two cockatiels her neighbor owned, but couldn't keep because of increasing commitments at work. I was happy to take them and instantly loved the little fluff balls for their expressive faces and expressive voices.

I have really enjoyed having these cockatiels as pets in our home! They are very observant about what is happening around them, and in our busy household, there is much for them to comment on, with soft little "oh!" sounds when somebody opens a door or sneezes. Everybody loves a pet that's cuddly, and these cockatiels are no exception! They bow their heads for a neck rub, and if they're trusting and contented, even let us wrap our hands around them and "snuggle" them. They even purr, in their own way. As the thick mane of feathers around their necks are rubbed, they make gentle simpering sounds showing they are enjoying the attention.

Cockatiels are one of the most dandruffy pet birds there are, and you'll often see a puff of dandruff after they preen. Some people are allergic to the dandruff, so consider finding out if that will be a problem before you commit to owning a cockatiel.