Cockatoo care

• Many avian veterinarians suggest that parrots should be fed a pelleted diet, supplemented by fresh food and a small quantity of seeds as snacks.

• They should have fresh, clean water at all times.

• Their cages should be lined with papers that are replaced regularly.

• Parrots enjoy regular time outside of their cages interacting with owners, and as they are intelligent, they need plenty of toys to keep them busy. A good rule of thumb is, "A busy bird is a happy bird!"

• When you bring home your first parrot, be sure to find an avian veterinarian -- one who specialises in birds -- to bring your new friend to. It is important to schedule a well-bird exam to ensure that your cockatoo in good health.

• Any future birds you bring home should spend approximately 45 days in quarantine from the bird(s) already in your home. This is to prevent the spread of disease.

• Do not cage incompatible types of birds together. For example Cockatiels are so docile that they can easily be hurt by other, more aggressive birds -- even smaller ones, like budgerigars and parrotlets.

• Many veterinarians recommend that prospective bird-owners seek out a breeder, for breeders' birds are likely to be healthy (as they are not "factory-farmed") and friendly (as they are typically hand-fed and well-socialized).

An avian veterinarian is a veterinarian who has undertaken additional training to treat birds. ... Genera A parrot is any of the many birds belonging to the family Psittacidae. ... A well-bird exam is a check-up for birds which are assumed to be healthy. ... Quarantine, a medical term (from Italian: quaranta giorni, forty days) is the act of keeping people or animals separated for a period of time before, for instance, allowing them to enter another country. ... Binomial name Nymphicus hollandicus ( Kerr, 1792) The Cockatiel, Nymphicus hollandicus, is a smallish, rather atypical cockatoo with a distinctive pointed yellow crest. ... Binomial name Melopsittacus undulatus (Shaw, 1805) The Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) or Budgie, is a small parrot (they are often called parakeets but parakeet refers to many small parrots with long flat tails) originating in Australia, where it occurs throughout the drier parts of the continent. ... This article concerns Breeder, an occupation in agriculture, animal husbandry, or animal fancy. ...

Some warnings

• Never give a pet parrot chocolate, caffeinated beverages, alcohol, avocado, or rhubarb.

• Avoid using PFTEs (often referred to by the brand name of Teflon) around all pet birds. When PFTEs/ Teflons get very hot, they emit particulates into the air. Birds are more sensitive to particulates than humans are, and they can die suddenly when exposed to PFTE. PFTEs are found in cookware, hair dryers, irons, printers, and more -- check all labels before using electric products near your birds.

• Also avoid using candles, air fresheners, etc. near birds. Their respiratory systems are much more susceptible to pollutants than those of most mammals.

• Although cockatiels are capable of reproducing by the time they are a year old, they should be prevented from doing so until they are at least two years old. This is especially important for female cockatiels: Laying eggs requires much calcium, and when a hen lays eggs at too young an age, the egg-laying can interfere with the calcium required by her bones.

• Birds that lay eggs frequently -- especially cockatiels -- are extremely prone to a dangerous condition known as oviduct prolapse.

Chocolate comes in dark, light, and white varieties with cocoa contributing the brown coloration. ... Caffeine molecular structure Caffeine, also known as trimethylxanthine, coffeine, theine, mateine, guaranine, and methyltheobromine, is an alkaloid found naturally in such foods as coffee beans, tea, kola nuts, Yerba mate, guarana, and (in small amounts) cacao beans. ... In general usage, alcohol (from Arabic al-khwl الكحول, or al-ghawl الغول) refers almost always to ethanol, also known as grain alcohol, and often to any beverage that contains ethanol (see alcoholic beverage). ... Binomial name Persea americana Mill. ... Rhubarb is a perennial plant that grows from thick, short rhizomes, comprising the genus Rheum. ... Teflon is the brand name of a polymer compound discovered by Roy J. Plunkett (1910-1994) of DuPont in 1938 and introduced as a commercial product in 1946. ... Teflon is the brand name of a polymer compound discovered by Roy J. Plunkett (1910-1994) of DuPont in 1938 and introduced as a commercial product in 1946. ... Binomial name Nymphicus hollandicus ( Kerr, 1792) The Cockatiel, Nymphicus hollandicus, is a smallish, rather atypical cockatoo with a distinctive pointed yellow crest. ... Binomial name Nymphicus hollandicus ( Kerr, 1792) The Cockatiel, Nymphicus hollandicus, is a smallish, rather atypical cockatoo with a distinctive pointed yellow crest. ... In oviparous animals (those that lay eggs), the passage from the ovaries to the outside of the body is known as the oviduct. ... Prolapse literally means To fall out of place. ...

External links

• Tiel Talk, a Cockatiel bulletin board for tiel owners

• The Association of Avian Veterinarians' guide to Basic Pet Bird Care

• The American Board of Veterinarian Practictioners' List of Certified Avian Vets

• The Association of Avian Veterinarians' Vet Lookup

• Vetafarm Australia's list of Australian Avian Vets