Cockatiels are often sold as "starter birds," which is misleading. They live 15–25 years, bond intensely, and need real interaction every day.
Diet beyond seed
An all-seed diet shortens a cockatiel's life. Aim for a pelleted base with daily fresh vegetables, occasional fruit, and seed as a treat — not the main food.
Out-of-cage time is required
Cockatiels need at least 2–4 hours outside the cage daily, in a bird-proofed room. A cage-bound cockatiel develops behavioral and feather-plucking problems.
Reading a cockatiel's crest
The crest is one of the clearest mood indicators in the bird world — upright and forward usually means curious or excited, flattened back means fear or annoyance, and a relaxed, slightly raised crest generally signals contentment. Learning to read it makes daily interaction far smoother.
They're flock animals — a lonely cockatiel is an unhappy one. If you're away all day, plan to spend most evenings with your bird or consider keeping two.
