Pet Information > ASK Experts > Pet Birds > Birds General > a found cockatiel

a found cockatiel

23 9:31:08

Question
I will stay with the cockatiel, its lovely.  But what things should i see or do, to take out the bird from the stressing feelings?  (I went to a pet shop, and is drinking a medicine, its better now.)  Do I have to bath it?
-------------------------

Followup To

Question -
I found yesterday a cockatiel... I try to keep it the better place I can... but I noticed like freeze, hardly eat, and now I see it has diahrrea.  It looks sad.  I dont know if its young or aged.  But it seemed was handfeed.  How can I control its diahrrea?  How can I give the cockatiel a good time, if it dont know me?

Answer -
The diahrrea could just be a sign of stress, or it could be a sign of illness or disease. I would recommend taking it to an avian vet to make sure it is ok (especially after its ordeal of being outdoors and exposed to lots of wild birds).

If you do not intend to keep the bird (if the previous owners cannot be located) and do not want to spend the money to get the bird the vet care it needs, I would recommend surrendering the bird to your local animal shelter or humane society. You can also call these facilities and see if there are any local bird-rescue groups.

Here are some articles that will help you too:

http://www.mickaboo.com/readingroom3.html

http://www.forthebirdsdvm.com/birdcare.htm

I hope this helps.

-Maggie

Answer
Do not give the bird any medications that are bought over-the-counter at a pet store. Birds should only be given medication that a vet has prescribed. The bird was probably just stressed and on a new diet, so this is what caused the diahrrea (if it has cleared up now).

Do not add anything (vitamins or medication) to the bird's water unless instructed to do so by a vet, since this often encourages birds to drink less (since it makes the water taste different and can discolor it too). Also, it promotes bacteria growth in the water.

I would not recommend trying to handle the bird. It will take some time for the bird to settle in.  Here are some articles with various tips for reducing stress (for various types of parrots... but most, if not all, of the information should apply to your cockatiel too):

http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww30eiii.htm

http://www.parrothouse.com/pamelaclark/stress.html

http://www.lafeber.com/Lafeber-Library/sevendays.asp

http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww31eiii.htm
___________

And here is an article on bathing birds:

http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww63eii.htm

I hope this helps. And also make sure to read the articles I had given you in my previous response... they are really good. :)

-Maggie