The Pied Cockatiel was the first Cockatiel mutation to appear. It was first bred in the United States in the mid 1940s. They are very beautiful birds. They are of two types - the Heavy Pied and the Light Pied. The latter is mostly gray while the former is mostly yellow or white. A Pied that is completely yellow and has no gray is called a Clear Pied. These look very similar to Lutinos but have black eyes instead of the red eyes of the Lutino. No two Pied Cockatiels are exactly the same and their sex is determined only by their behavior. Pied GalCaho cCkoactkiealtoo Cinnamon Fallow Whiteface Silver Cinnamon Cockatiels were first bred in Belgium in the 1960s, just after Pearl Cockatiels. These birds have a pastel brown plumage instead of the normal gray plumage. The color varies between cream and dark brown. Another mutation similar to Cinnamon Cockatiels is the Fallow Cockatiel. You can distinguish them from the Cinnamon Cockatiels by their red eyes. This mutation from the late 1970s is seen only in the male species. They have gray plumage, a white face but no cheek patch. Males develop a white face mask after the first molt while females have a gray face. Silver Cockatiels have a silverfish plumage with bright red eyes. GalCaho cCkoactkiealtoo Yellow Face Hazards Around the Home The normally white face is yellow and they also lack the orange cheek patch. If you are letting your Cockatiel outside its cage, keep the following in mind: Close all doors and windows Switch of fans and electrical equipments like toasters, irons, etc Don't let them inside the kitchen if the stove is on Check if the plants you have in your home are not toxic Never leave them unsupervised. Not even for a moment especially if you have young children or other pets Lead paint, lead curtain weights are also toxic Things you should do to keep your Cockatiel healthy: Wash your hands before and after handling ill birds. GalCaho cCkoactkiealtoo Clean feeding and water dishes everyday. Change perches often, especially if they are soiled. If your bird has been ill, replace all objects from the cage. If you have more than one bird, keep an extra cage where your can quarantine sick birds. Keep seeds and pellets in air tight containers. Clear out uneaten fresh food after four hours. Taking care of you Cockatiel Cockatiel normally livesup to 25 years and it is not only essential for you to understand the level of commitment but at the same time also pick up a mild, even-tempered bird. You can buy a Cockatiel from pet stores or local breeders. It might be advantageous to pick them up from breeders as you can have a look at the bird's parents, the surroundings it was born and brought up in and also get first hand information on your bird from the Buying your Pet GalCaho cCkoactkiealtoo breeder. You should go to choose your pet during feeding time, as this is when they are most active. You should pick up a Cockatiel two weeks after it has been weaned, at this age they are the same size as adults and fully independent even though still very young. The following is a list of things you should keep in mind while choosing your Cockatiel: Newly fledgled birds will have a bald patch behind their crest. This is different only for the Lutino Cockatiel as this bald spot may present for the rest of its life. Until they are six months old, you cannot differentiate between the two sexes. Males look like the females, their brighter head starts to show after around 6 months. Males will sing and may be more avid talkers while females are normally tamed and relatively easy to tame. Healthy cockatiels will hop from perch to perch when you approach them. If they hide from you assume that they are either sick or nervous and may not make a suitable pet. Clear and round eyes are a sign of good health. GalCaho cCkoactkiealtoo Body feathers should lie close to the body and be complete, however, the odd feather will be replaced at the next molt so a few missing is nothing to worry about but excessive feather loss is. |