Cockatiels are very popular, intelligent companion birds.

Cockatiels are elegantly painted companion parrots. They have sweet little orange cheeks and lovely yellow crests. They come in a variety of colors. No matter what color you choose, if you learn about their instinctive behaviors they will warm your heart.

Teils are very intelligent birds. They can have a large vocabulary and even learn to sing and whistle entire songs!

If you have allergies, you need to know that cockatiels create a lot of dander that some can’t live with.

Personality

If you are looking for a pet bird whose crazy antics can keep you in stitches, you may want to put a cockatiel on your list. These birds are so playful, and they love doing things just to get your attention.

Cockatiels are a great first parrot along with the Budgie Parakeet. A tame handfed cockatiel will most likely be loving and gentle. They are not as demanding as other parrots, but you still need to spend some quality time with them to keep them tame.

Talking Ability

Female Cockatiels do not have a reputation for large vocabularies. In fact a lot of females never learn to speak. Some male Cockatiels have been reported to have large vocabularies, but their voices are not real clear to everyone.

If you want more of a chance for a companion parrot with a large vocabulary, pick another bird. Personally, I don’t think it should be as important as people make it out to be. Unless you purchase a parrot that is already speaking, you don’t have any guarantees that it will ever speak.

Noise Level

Cockatiels are relatively quiet birds compared to many other parrots. All birds make noise when they are excited, that is to be expected. Many believe that females are noisier than males, but not louder than males.

Cockatiels are considered good for apartment dwellers. Of course, the more you own the more noise you will have!

Cuddle Factor

Once your cockatiel is tame and trusts you, you will have a good chance of having a cuddly bird. You will need to consistently give the bird time out of the cage with you. You will need to be sensitive to the bird’s wishes so that it knows it can trust you.

You may try sharing some of your healthy food with your cockatiel when you are eating, and include them in your daily activities. I put my parrot on a play stand next to my desk when I am on the computer, and I talk to him as I work.

Known Behavior Problems

Cockatiels don’t have any glaring behavior problems that are common among all of them. Any parrot can have behavior problems. Many times the problems are not with the parrot but with the parrot’s owner.

A bird that is not fed properly and does not get enough sleep will have behavior problems. Make sure your Cockatiels get 11 to 14 hours of sleep in a quiet dark room, along with a healthy diet.

Boredom is another reason for a screeching bird. Provide plenty of toys and spend quality time with your bird. Find out what kind of toys your bird prefers. Some like wood they can turn into splinters and others like bells and shredding material. Some like everything.