My new cockatiel

Question
QUESTION: Yesterday, knowing my love of birds, my husband went to our local pet shop and surprised me with a hand fed cockatiel. He is so loving. We quickly warmed up to each other and he is quite happy to just cuddle up against me. Now here is the problem. I gave him a sunflower seed to chew on and he appears to be missing part of his lower beak. He has no tip and it makes a U shape around the top beak. It is totally unnoticable unless you were feeding him. It also looks kind of thin around the broken part. He is a little flakey on the top part of his beak, not alot of flaking, but enough to notice. I haven't had him long enough to see if he is eating ok yet. He did eat a piece of watermelon I gave him. Will he be able to drink and eat ok? Is this life threatening? Is there a supplement or a specific food I can give him to strengthen his poor little beak?

ANSWER: Brenda,

His beak sounds perfectly normal to me.  Cockatiels have u-shaped lower beaks, which often flake a bit.  You will also notice that they grind their beaks when they are contented.  

I think it is sweet how concerned you are for him, and I can see you are going to be a good "cockatiel Mom"!

Thanks for writing,

Cindy

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you Cindy. I looked everywhere on the internet trying to find an answer. I wasn't sure how much of his little beak was missing so I am very comforted by your answer and quick response. He definately does have a chip on the left side of his beak and he is eating a little. I assume it's normal for a new bird while they adjust. I don't think it's effecting the way he eats. However he is constantly "sqeaking" softly while he is held or cuddling next to my face. It sounds like my husband bought me a pet mouse! heehee! He is always "bobbing" his head at me all the while and I'm not sure what this means. My 4 year old daughter, bless her heart for her insight, put him on her chest with a piece of spinach hanging from her mouth and he ran up and gobbled it down! I haven't been able to get him to eat it at all! Does he do this because he is really young? Was he not weened properly? Very confused by the soft squeaks. Almost like fledgling...odd but cute. He is so loving otherwise. Maybe he is nervous? I just hope it's not a protest. If it is he REALLY doesn't like me! lol!

ANSWER: Brenda,

Were you told how old this cockatiel is at the store?  What it sounds like is a young bird who wasn't completely weaned, and is still begging for food from its parents.

Remember, not too much spinach, as it tends to bind calcium absorption, but all other dark green leafy veggies are fine!

Cindy

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for advising me not to feed him spinach. A site a read said it was actually a GOOD source of calcium and this was my worry about getting that knd of info off the enternet. I went back to the petshop where he came from and they told us he was 3 months old. His cage buddy (the same age) was still there and he is HUGE! although he is grey all over. HE still cries alot, but loving at the same time and it's more of a screech now. He can be doing this and cuddling all at the same time. ??? Is he upset? Or is it because he's still a baby. He plays alot and appears to be happy so it's confusing to me being a new bird mommy. Also what are the best fruits and veggies for him?

Answer
Many cockatiels still cry for food at 3 months.  The natural process of weaning a cockatiel is not the rapid process many breeders have, where they follow a schedule of feedings that cuts down on the formula and ends it at 6 weeks.  The parent cockatiels often feed the babies that remain in the cage with them for several months.

Don't worry, he's not upset, he's just looking for some loving.  If he gets some food now when he screeches, you are just encouraging the screeching, so try not to give in to the begging if you can.

I wrote an article on Avian Nutrition that you might find helpful.  You can find it at http://www.cockatiel.org/articles/nutrition.html.

Good luck,

Cindy