Budgie or Cockatiel

Question
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Followup To
Question -
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Hi Again,

Thanks for your information. I have been doing a lot of thinking and reading about a pet budgie or cockatiel.  I think I might be interested in a cockatiel, but I am really wanting to get a male bird and I understand that it is difficult to see if it is a female or male, based on age of the bird and colorings.  Can you tell if a cockatiel is male or female?  

I know that the budgie cere is blue if it is male over 5 months old or so, but not sure about the cockatiel.  I guess their colorings are more so than the female.  I am just afraid that I would get a female and have more problems with it.

So you were also saying that you find that the cockatiel is more of a quiet bird than the budgie?  Is it because the budgie is a constant chatter and the cockatiel chatters occasionally?

Any more feedback would be greatly appreciated!

thanks,
Vicky
Answer -
Hello again Vicky,

Genraly speaking if you are getting a young cockatiel of about 2 months of age you can not tell its sex. Sexing a cockatiel ahs nothing to do with its cere color at all. Depending on color your avrage colored grey cockatiel will start getting yellow checks when its about four mnoths old if it will be a male, A pearl cockatiel is a diffenet story, the male loses most or all of its pearling when he's full grown, A lution cockatiel is near inpossible teh female will have very pale bar mnarknigs on the underside of her tail however. The only reliable method of sexing a young cockateil would be to watch a group for awhile and see whos more bold and chirpy... these would be the males. A young budgies 68 weeks is however easier to sex, the cere of a young male is deep pink to purple, a young female is pale pink or very light plue or even white. Again if your unsure about the sex sit back and watch a group for a bit the males are bolder, tap tehre beaks on the cage and chirp more. Yes I think cockatiels are quiter because they don't contastantly chatter as budgies tend to do. I hope this helps somewhat again if yuo need further help feel free to email me again.


Hi,

I also am not sure of the best place to put the bird.  The main door entrance of the house opens to the living room and I was thinking of putting the bird at the other end of the room in a corner.  We live in New Brunswick Canada so we get the cold winter.  We heat the room and I wouldn't say the the corner I chose is breezy, but the temperature could go down a bit.  I want to have a place for the bird where he would see us and there is interaction.
If I had to, would it be ok to move the bird into different rooms depending on where I am?  I know that it isn't good to put a bird in the kitchen, but if there are no cooking fumes, would it be ok to bring it in the kitchen?

Also, do you find that it the cockatiel is a messy bird?  Are there cages that help prevent the spreading of feathers and stuff?  I don't mind cleaning the cage, but just wondering..

I have read so many different things about the cockatiel bird.  Some say they are wonderful pets and easy to take care of, others say they are just as demanding as a dog.  What is your oppinion on this?

Appreciate your feedback,

Vicky

Answer
Hi, That area sounds ok but if there is a temp cange everytime door is opened it is not a good choice. If the corner is near a window beware that the bird may over heat when the sun beats in. Yes it is fine to take the bird from room to room with you... I used to do that with my brothers dove when I was "bird sitting" as he would coo everytiem someone left him lol. As long as there are no cooking fumes its perfectly fine. Non stick pans/pots produce lethle fumes ... keep this in mind fi teh cage is anywhere near the kitchen and you use this type of cookware. It really depends on how much the bird is attached to its owner, because if your bird isnt handfed it will never be as attched to you as a handfed baby would and wont want as much attention... but wont make a great pet as you'd probly want the cuddleiness of a handfed one. If the handfed cocaktiel is bought when young and is handled daily adn talked to regualry and is let out to play daily he will become very attached to his family and if you introduce another pet such as a cat and are no longer able to take him out of his cge he will become very unhappy and will no longer wish to be handled and may bite. I'n my option unless oyu are going to be aspending 8 hours a day with your bird out of cage at all tiems, on your shoulder then he wont become as demanding as a dog... few do. I hope this helps, if you havea ny more questions about cage sizes, handling, food choice, toys ect. ect. please feel free to ask.