Cockatiels - food

Question
I just inherited an unwanted bird.  I know what food to get but the only birds I have had in the past were parakeets.  They needed gravel available.  Does a cockatiel need gravel also?  He is in a two x two foot cage this is very tall 4' I think.  What kind of toys do they like.  He has three mirrors of different sizes and a ladder and swing.  There are two perches in this cage also.  Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for you help in this unknown world I was dropped into.

Jan

Answer
Hello Jan and thank you for your post.
The cage that you have this poor bird in is too small for him/her.  You want a cage that is large enough for not only the bird to be able to stretch its wings, but so that it can climb around in comfortably too.
I don't believe in mirrors in a birds cage, but that is my personal prefrence.  I believe that mirrors tend to aggrivate birds, and this can and most often does make a bird mean.  When the bird sees its reflection, it thinks that it is another bird and will try to communicate with it.  When the "other bird" doesn't resopnd, it aggrivates the acutual bird (kind of like someone ignoring you when you are trying to talk).
Cockatiels love birghtly colored toys made out of wood, rawhide, and bird safe plastic.  The ladder and swing are fine in the cage, as long as the cage is big enough.
Parrots do not need gravel.  They shell their seeds, which make the food easier to digest.  Pelleted food is the best food for your new friend.  It is balanced with the proper nutrition and doesn't have the fat content that seed have.

I hope this helps.

Good luck and God Bless.
Dianna