Normal Grey Cockatiel birds

Behavior/Health Concerns:  Cockatiels will sometimes hiss and sway as a way to intimidate someone they see as an intruder. Cockatiels often swing down beneath their perch to spread their wings for exercise, and they are also known for performing stretching exercises. In the wild, these birds are ground foragers. As pets, cockatiels pick up seed and other food that has dropped to the bottom of their cage. To keep cockatiels from eating their droppings, it is recommended that there be a grate at the bottom of their cage. Common medical concerns for cockatiels include upper respiratory and fatty liver diseases. Keeping your cockatiel on low-calorie, balanced diet will minimize the chances contracting fatty liver disease. Giardiosis, an intestinal parasite is another common medical condition in these birds. The fungal disease aspergillosis usually affects a cockatiel’s sinuses, lungs or air sacs. Cockatiels like to shred or chew the paper lining at the bottom of their cage, however, males and females do this for different reasons. Female cockatiels shred paper during certain seasons for hormonal purposes, preparing her nest site. Males chew on paper to entertain themselves and to satisfy their chewing urge. Cockatiels will “flirt” with each other. Females spread their wings while hanging upside down to get noticed and male cockatiels strut around singing a special melody while standing upright with their wings held out to the side. The male will move up to and away from the female until she signals approval by going into a crouching position on the perch, elevating her tail feathers. Female cockatiels commonly become chronic egg-layers if they are fed a seed and fruit diet because the fat in seeds encourages egg laying and the limited diet is deficient in vitamins and minerals. Egg binding is an emergency female reproductive disorder in which the bird cannot pass the egg out of her oviduct and vent blocking her excretory system.