Food for baby cockatiels

Cockatiel Care Sheet - Birdsville Bird Shop, Sydney

Bringing your Baby cockatiel home for the first time

Minimize stress– do not play with your cockatiel for the first 4 days and let him or her get used to the new surroundings. We recommend

Treat with sulphadim– for the first 5 days of bringing your baby bird home this is to stop added stress that a baby bird

Worming– Do not worm a baby cockatiel until they are 12 weeks old or atleast 2 weeks after relocating them to a new home.

Lice and mite spray– spray every 3 months this can be sprayed a week after relocation.

Diet for a baby cockatiel

When bringing a brand new recently weaned baby cockatiel home the most important thing you provide is fresh food and water. Often the bird will be stressed for the first couple of days acclimatising to the new surroundings, this can result in them going food off a couple of days. The most imperative thing you can do with your baby cockatiel is give them a good quality seed mix. Sadly I’ve i have encountered baby birds starving to death because the new owner has placed the wrong seed or simply a low grade seed mix into the cage where the baby bird has to soft through the filler seed in order to find its nutrition. When a baby bird has a low grade seed mix and they find it difficult to get enough nutrition of quality grain this will result in the baby bird reverting to a younger state of mind, Which ive always called a birds sooky state which is what baby birds do to beg for food from their parents. An adult bird can survive on a poor grade of cockatiel mix but i would not recommend feeding this to any bird unless there is no other food available…. emergency food.

Seed– Feed your newly acquired cockatiel a good quality seed mix if you are unsure of the seed mix ask a bird expert. Also feed your baby cockatiel greens such as snow peas, spinach, broccoli, beans, egg and biscuit mix, arrowroot biscuits. , carrots, lebanese cucumber.

Sprouted seed– use a cockatoo seed mix for your sprouting seed mix.

Millet sprays– are excellent for baby cockatiels, this grass seed is great for its freshness and it encourages baby birds to eat as much as possible. Both Pannicum and french white are great for baby and adult cockatiels.

Grit– which is a mix of egg shells,sand, lime stone, charcoal, and cuttlebone which is rich in phosphates and calcium should be supplied to your birds in a separate container not in the seed. This should be available to your bird regularly. Other less effective ways of supplying calcium is with cuttlebone or calcium bells.

Water– There water should always be clean and fresh.

Vitamin supplements – An important addition of vitamins and minerals to your birds diet. This should only be added to the water to ensure your bird actually consumes it. Vitamins added to seed is rendered useless as when a bird eats they shell the seed and are very particular with what they eat.

Feeding your pet Cockatiel pellets or seed? the big debate

All our cockatiels are fed seed especially baby cockatiels. If you choose to feed your bird pellets this has to be done carefully as most birds prefer seed and may refuse to eat the pellets if you change them from seed to pellets too quickly. Most breeders recommend pellets, some vets recommend pellets only, others recommend seed only. I recommend seed but pellets are a good addition to there diet. I believe giving your bird variety is the best possible way to keep your birds healthy.

Toxic food for Cockatiels

These foods are either poisonous to cockatiels or can make them sick.

chocolate, avocado, lettuce, cherries, peaches, onion and cocoa beans.

The cage and it’s environment for a baby Cockatiel

A suitable cage in imperative. The very very smallest cage id place a baby cockatiel would be 18 inches by 18 inches. Any cage smaller is unacceptable and you should consider getting a smaller bird such as a budgie or canary. All too often i come across bird owners with birds being kept in cages the wrong size or the wrong design for the bird. Surprisingly these people wonder why there bird is aggressive i call it cage rage which is easily avoided by providing the correct environment for your bird to keep them happy and healthy. Affectionate birds are this way for a reason they have been cared for properly. Remember birds do not walk up and down they walk side to side or perches. Ask us at Birdsville if you are unsure of the cage you have.

Enrichment for inside the Cockatiels cage.

Birds like somewhere to sleep and snuggle which is why we recommend all cockatiels have a birdy tent which is available in store. they also need to be provided with a variety of toys. Be selective with your toys and choose variety as it is pointless in placing 2 of the same toy in the cage. birds love different textures toys that make noises and different textures such as plastic, wood, leather etc. Birds that are not given an environment with stimulation end up with high aggression which means become serial biters and often end up with psychological issues. It is much easier and more cost effective to avoid feather plucking than to fix it as it is often incurable.

Is my Cockatiel Healthy and settling in well

Watch your baby bird’s droppings baby Birds that become stressed can get diarrhea. Many people are unsure what diarrhea looks like or what to look for. If your birds droppings look watery with no firm dark and white part this is likely to be the runs. Do not stress as this is very common but should be treated with Sulfa 3 or sulphadim. This is added to the water easily with instructions on the bottle. Because stress can cause diarrhea i recommend when anyone purchases any new bird for them to treat the bird with sulfa 3 or sulphadim for the first 5 days of taking any bird home.

Protocols for the hand-raising and care of cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus)

Corina Gardner

Introduction

Cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus) are native to Australia and were first identified in the mid 1700’s. It is unclear when they were first imported out of Australia, but they were found in Europe in the 1800’s and have been exported to all parts of the world in the last few decades. They have been bred in captivity for over a hundred years now.

Cockatiels are intelligent, gentle and playful birds. They are usually very inquisitive and will thoroughly investigate anything everything that is around them. Individual cockatiels have very distinct personalities, behavior traits, and their own likes and dislikes. For example, grinding its beak indicates that the bird is sleepy and relaxed. These gregarious birds make one of the most popular pet birds today.

Cockatiels are naturally sociable birds and enjoy human contact. Hand-reared cockatiels are particularly easy to tame. Even cockatiels which have not really had very much human interaction but have been introduced into the company of humans adjust very well. Our cockatiels greet us when we get home by whistling and calling out. Most pet cockatiels even enjoy eating when their owners are having their meals. They crave attention and have a distinct call when they don’t want you to walk away from them. They can sometimes be incorrigible. If they are aware that they a particular behavior will annoy you, then that’s precisely what they will do.

General Guidelines for hand-rearing baby cockatiels

Often, young and inexperienced parents may abandon their nests and refuse to feed baby birds. Such a situation would demand immediate intervention and you will have to care for the baby birds yourself. If there happens to be another pair of cockatiels with a brood of chicks of a similar age, then chances are that the parents may accept and care for the abandoned chicks. Regrettably, this is seldom the case.

Hand-rearing a baby cockatiel is an extremely challenging and time consuming task that requires absolute dedication and patience. Baby cockatiels, which are also commonly called pinkies, are extremely delicate and fragile and therefore require immense amount of diligence while handling. As this is the most vulnerable part of their lives, special care must be taken to ensure the survival of these baby birds.

Feeding and hygiene

A disposable syringe, which is easily available in most medical stores, can be used for feeding the young birds. If unavailable, then the next best alternative would be to use an eye dropper or a plastic teaspoon. The slender tip of the spoon can be dipped in boiling water and then bent make a funnel, thus making it easy to use for hand feeding.

After feeding, the feeder (spoon, syringe or dropper) must be rinsed with warm water to remove any bacteria. Mild soap or detergent can be used to clean the feeder; however, it must be washed thoroughly so that no soap residue remains.

Baby bird formulae, for example, Kaytee Exact, available in most pet stores would be an ideal feed. However, as it is not easily available in India, baby formula like Cerelac can be used instead. If however neither of these is available, then a piece of bread can be crumbled in lukewarm milk and fed to the young birds - but I would only use this as a last resort. The formula must be prepared in a glass container as plastic containers tend to harbor bacteria. The consistency of the formula should be similar to that of a soft pudding – neither too thick, which would make it difficult for the baby to swallow and it may choke, nor too diluted as the baby could inhale the formula into its lungs causing aspiration. The formula must only be heated adequately before feeding the baby. Formula that is too hot will scald the baby bird’s crop, causing crop burn. Crop burn is the scalding of a chick’s crop and esophagus. For the same reason, formula must never be heated in a microwave. On the other hand, formula that is cold will cause sour crop. Sour crop is a condition in which the formula in the baby’s crop has gone bad and the contents of the crop has not emptied.

The baby bird can be placed on a napkin or towel on a table or kitchen counter and held gently while feeding. The aim is to emulate the parent bird as much as possible. Parent birds tap on the baby bird’s beak to stimulate the feeding response. So, gently tap the bay bird’s beak with the feeding instrument in a similar manner to encourage the feeding response. The feeding response is when the baby gapes for food, bobbing its head up and down. Parent birds then feed their chicks by inserting their beaks at an angle, through the side of the baby’s mouth. They then regurgitate the food deep into the baby bird’s mouth. Therefore, insert the tip of the feeding syringe at an angle at either sides of the baby’s beak. Press the plunger slowly, stopping every now and then, so as to allow the baby time to swallow. The speed of feeding must never be hastened. Enough time must be allowed for the baby to swallow its food before pressing on the plunger any further. Once its crop is full, not over-extended, and it has had enough to eat, the baby will stop gaping and refuse to open its beak. Feeding must be stopped immediately. Over feeding can cause formula to flow into the throat and down its windpipe, which can be life threatening. The baby must not be forced to feed when it is reluctant to accept food. The beak and feathers of the baby must be wiped gently with a warm, damp cloth after feeding.

1-7 day old baby

New born cockatiels are born totally helpless, eyes closed, pink with a few downy feathers.

Ideally, feeding should start at 6 a.m. and continue until midnight. The baby should be fed every 2 hours. A day old chick would require approx 1 ml of formula per feed, which can be gradually increased to 2 ml by the 4th day and 3 ml by 7th day. It is unnecessary to give the baby any additional water as they receive sufficient fluids in their feed itself. It is unnecessary to feed the baby at night as in nature, parent birds as well as their babies sleep at night.

2-3 weeks

Pin feathers begin to erupt in the second week of the baby’s life & the eyes usually open around the 8th -10th day.

The baby can be fed every 3 hours. The feed quantity must be increased to 4-5 ml per feed. Feeding must still begin by 6 a.m., however, the last feed could be given by 10 p. m.

3-4 weeks

The baby still has a few pin feathers.

The formula should now be of a thicker consistency and the feed quantity can be increased to 6 ml per feed. The frequency of feeding can be decreased to a feed every 4-5 hrs. The baby’s crop usually empties within 4 hrs. A crop that remains full or does not empty completely within that time indicates that there is a problem. The crop is a muscular pouch near the throat of the baby bird that is used to store excess food for subsequent digestion.

4-5 weeks

The baby birds start to develop flight feathers by this age and are now called fledglings. They also start foraging (searching for food) themselves by this age. Feed quantity can now be increased to 8 ml per feed and the frequency of feeds can be decreased to 2-3 feeds a day. The weaning process must begin by the time the baby is 5 weeks old.

Weaning foods such as greens, bits of toast and bread, crushed and grated boiled eggs (along with the shell) and cream cracker biscuits can now be offered to the young birds. This mixture is an easily digestible substitute and ideal during rearing of young birds. Mixed bird seeds such as millet (durra), foxtail millet (kheri), finger millet (ragi), sunflower seed, etc. should also be given to the birds.

6-7 weeks

The young bird is quite independent now and it’s time to transfer the bird to a cage. Although they feed well by themselves at this age, they must be watched vigilantly to ensure they are eating well. If necessary, feedings can be continued once or twice a day.

Mixed bird seed, which is available in most pet stores, should also be given to the bird. In the event that bird seed is unavailable then large millet seed (bajra), finger millet (ragi), foxtail millet (kheri), sunflower seed (suraj mukhi), safflower (beni or kardi) seed, pumpkin (kaddu) seed, boiled maize (makki) and soaked gram (chana) can be provided. It’s always advisable to offer the young birds entire or un-hulled seeds as hulled seeds tend to decay and mold. Seeding grass, French beans, and carrots are always a welcome treat as well. Green leafy vegetables such as lettuce, mustard sprouts, millet sprouts and fenugreek (methi) leaves is essential along with other weaning foods. By 8 weeks of age, the bird should be completely weaned.

Foods that are toxic for cockatiels include apple pips, avocado (makhanphal), cherries and peaches (aadu). Never give your birds chocolate, as it may make your bird seriously ill.

In the event that the bird suffers an upset stomach or diarrhea, indications of which include watery green droppings, a pinch of Ridol or Kaltin or any other binding tablet can be crushed and mixed in a half container of water and offered instead of plain drinking water.

Grit, which is a mixture of sand and stones, and cuttle-bone, which is rich in calcium and phosphates, should be given to the birds periodically. Clean, fresh drinking water must be provided daily. The feed and water containers must never be placed directly beneath perches as the bird’s dropping will foul the contents.

It’s also a good practice to provide a shallow dish for the birds to bathe in. Another option would be to use a spray mister (plant atomizer mister), filled with warm water, not hot water. Many a time you’ll find your bird flapping its wings and hanging upside down from its perch, this usually indicates that the bird wishes to bathe. You will know that he is enjoying his bath when he puffs out his feathers, raises both his wings up and away from his side and leans forward.

Housing the young birds

A shoe-box or small cardboard box with adequate holes for ventilation, a wicker basket or even a small aquarium may be used to house the young birds. The box can be lined with a soft towel at the base and a few layers of tissue papers on top of the towel, making it easy to change the paper towels when dirty. The box must be placed in a warm, dry place, preferably near a source of warmth. A heating lamp, with a light bulb of maximum 40 watts, can be placed above the box. The lamp must be placed at least 12” away from the box. The ideal temperature for the baby birds would be about 35.5° Celsius (or 96° Fahrenheit). Again, it is crucial to be vigilant and ensure that the baby is not being overheated. A clear indication of overheating would be when the baby’s beak is open (as if panting) and wings are held away from its body. On the other hand, if it’s huddled and shivering, it is not receiving enough warmth. At night, partly cover the box with a light towel to keep out the light from the heating lamp and thus enable the baby to sleep.

It must be noted that the purpose of the lamp is to provide warmth alone, and not light, and it must never interfere with the natural light patterns and disrupt the baby bird’s sleep cycle. In nature, cockatiels nest in hollow tree trunks in wooded areas, where not much light enters. Even when in captivity, the parent bird sits on the baby, shielding it from most of the light. The heating lamp may be discontinued after the baby crosses 2-3 weeks of age and is covered with its first layer of feathers.

Ants are a real danger to baby birds and can fatally hurt them. It must be ensured that there are no ants in the vicinity of the bird.

Once shifted to a cage, it must be ensured that the cages are spacious enough to allow free movement between perches. Perches should be placed just above the floor of the cage so that the bird can easily climb onto them. The cage must be located in a well lighted location with a source of natural light such as sunlight. Avoid exposing the birds to a cold breeze or draught, especially at night, as this causes chills and other health problems.

Fresh, natural branches of Indian lilac or neem (Azadirachta indica)and other trees should be provided as perches as this helps to keep the feet and claws of the birds healthy and strong. It not only strengthens their jaws and sharpens their beaks but keeps them occupied as well. Birds are otherwise prone to boredom and feather plucking.

It’s advisable to cover the cage with a cloth at night as it gives the bird a feeling of security. If you get too near the cage at night, you might find him hissing. This is a fine demonstration of his protest to your invading his personal space and literally translates as, “don’t get in my face”. Beak-banging is a common male cockatiel trait that indicates he is looking for attention.

Clipping toenails

In the wild, birds’ nails are naturally smoothened out on a range of surfaces but this may not the case in captivity. However, if it transpires that your bird’s nails have grown too long then clipping them becomes inevitable.

Overgrown toenails are likely to get caught on a perch, cage wire, tray or fabric. This can cause deep discomfort, distress and even injury to your bird. Clipping a bird’s nails is a traumatic event at the best of times, both for the bird and the owner, and so it must only be done when the bird’s nails are very overgrown.

Special nail clippers, which have a rounded edge, should be used to trim the nails of your bird. Take care to only clip the tip of the nail, clipping too much will cause the toe to bleed. If the toe starts to bleed, Nebusulf powder which contains the antibiotic Neomycin, must immediately be applied to the wound.

Sexing Cockatiels

Both males and females look remarkably alike especially until they reach sexual maturity. One way to distinguish between the sexes is that the males sing and whistle while the females don’t. Males have bright orange patches on their cheeks, while females have duller patches. Another distinguishing aspect is that females have pale yellow/white dots on the underside of their wings and yellow/white barring on their tails. Males simply do not have this characteristic.

Cockatiels are not generally aggressive and have a good natured disposition. However, in the event that male cockatiels are kept together in a cage, there is a possibility of the dominant male pecking the more timid male, perhaps even preventing it from eating. The solution would be a larger cage with two food trays and two water trays. If however, the dominant male continues pecking the timid male, than separate the birds into different cages.

Egg binding

Egg binding is a medical condition when a female bird is unable to expel an egg. Egg binding can pose a serious threat to cockatiels. Younger females are at a greater risk of dying from egg binding. In the event that a female cockatiel is suddenly puffed-up and listless, it is quite likely due to egg-binding.

The female must immediately be placed in a small cage or shoe-box and provided with additional warmth. A heating lamp would be ideal. Castor oil or even cooking oil can be gently applied in to the birds vent or cloaca, with a Q-tip (a cotton bud) to lubricate the area and facilitate the passing of the difficult egg. One drop of castor oil given orally will also help the passage of the egg. If these basic requirements are provided it is unlikely that the bird will suffer any serious health issues.

Breeding

Cages for breeding cockatiels should be an average size of 20”X20”X50”. The nest-box in the breeding cage should be 9”X11”X12” with a 2” opening. The nest-box can be mounted on the outside of the cage. Most cages now come equipped with a small door at the side of the cage which can be used as an entry to the nest-box. If on the other hand birds are housed in aviaries then the box can be placed inside the aviary itself. Nesting material should consist of pine shavings, shredded paper & freshly cut grass.

Cockatiels live for an average of 15-20 years in captivity and breed well in captivity. Males mature by 12 months of age while females mature by 18 months of age. When a female cockatiel is ready to mate she will sit low on a perch with her tail in the air while emitting a peeping sound while males will tap their beaks on the cage to gain the female’s attention. The eggs are laid a week after mating. The eggs hatch after a period of 21 days. Cockatiels usually lay a clutch of 4-8 eggs, twice a year.

Freeing cockatiels

Freeing cockatiels is just not an option as they will surely be attacked and killed by other predatory birds such as hawks, kites, shikras, crows, etc. as they are vulnerable and unable to fend for themselves. They will also be vulnerable to other predators such as cats, snakes, rats, etc. unless they can find themselves a safe place to roost.

In the wild, cockatiels forage for grain (usually on farms), feed on grass seeds, leaves, vegetables and fruit. Locating such food sources, especially in environments they are not native, would be extremely difficult. Needleless to say, this would be even more difficult in a city.

References

Barrie, A. (1997) Guide to owning a cockatiel. T.F.H. Publications, New Jersey

Grindol, D. (1998) The complete book of cockatiels. Howell Book House, New York

Grindol, D. (2001) Cockatiels for dummies. For Dummies, New York

Mancini, J.R. and Haupt, T. (2008) Cockatiels (Complete pet owner’s manuel). 2nd Ed. Barrons Educational Series, New York

Photographs used

Lucy. Female cockatiel.
Available from:
http://www. cockatiel-birds.com/parrot/7055/female_cockatiel
[Accessed: 21/11/2011]

Corina Gardner. Bent spoon feeder.

Corina Gardner. Juvenile cockatiel.

Devna Arora. Disposable syringe feeder.

Brett Donald. Adult male.
Available from:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bdonald/3032933616/
[Accessed: 23/11/2011]

Dylan Ashe. Feeding a baby cockatiel.
Available from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ackook/page49/
[Accessed: 23/11/2011]

Dylan Ashe. New born cockatiel.
Available from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ackook/page49/
[Accessed: 23/11/2011]

Dylan Ashe. 1 week old cockatiel. Available form:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ackook/504676509/in/photostream
[Accessed: 23/11/2011]

Dylan Ashe. 3 weeks old cockatiel.
Available form: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ackook/page48/
[Accessed: 21/11/2011]

Dylan Ashe. 4 weeks old cockatiel.
Available form: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ackook/page48/
[Accessed: 21/11/2011]

Dylan Ashe. 5 weeks old cockatiel.
Available form: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ackook/page47/
[Accessed: 21/11/2011]

Lianne. Enjoying a mist bath.
Available from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ysaleth/2834585666/
[Accessed: 26/11/2011]

Matrixphere. Cockatiel bathing. Available from:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/matrixphere/73109842/
[Accessed: 26/11/2011]

Ulf Gotthardsson. Cockatiel foraging. Available from:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ulfgotthardsson/2981225192/sizes/l/in/
set-72157608229228990/
[Accessed: 21/11/2011]

Cockatiel chicks: hatching and care

After 18-21 days of incubation, cockatiel chicks begin to hatch from eggs. Usually babies manage to get out of the shell within 24-48 hours after the appearance of the dent. But if that didn't happen, then help is needed.

Newly hatched chicks should have pink skin covered with white and yellow down. If the skin color is pale blue, then the chick has experienced hypothermia and needs your help. Corellas do not immediately feed their cubs, they wait until they are completely dry.

How to clean the nest

Cleaning the cockatiel's nest is very important. The fact is that Corella chicks have practically no immunity, so any dirt in the nest or objects around them can lead to illness and death of the birds.

1. The nest should be cleaned when the parents go to eat. Access to the nest from adult cockatiels must be covered with cardboard. Otherwise, parents can be very aggressive towards you.

2. Prepare a small container, similar to a cockatiel's nest, line it with clean sawdust. Transfer the chicks to a container, remove the remnants of droppings, food and other debris from the nest.

3. Cleaning should be done very quickly so that the parents do not start to worry, and the chicks do not have time to freeze.

4. Please note that the frequency of nest cleaning depends on the age of the chicks. The older the hatched birds become, the more waste remains behind them, therefore, cleaning should be done more often.

Handling chicks

Home raised cockatiel chicks are usually more tame and calm. You can pick up chicks from two weeks of age. Remember to wash your hands thoroughly before interacting with birds. You can hold the chicks in your arms for about 15-20 minutes. Gradually, if the chicks feel good, the time of communication with them can be increased. Stroke them lightly, talk to them calmly. Please note that if the parents of the chicks are against your communication with the chicks, then it is better to postpone it.

When do cockatiel chicks leave the nest?

Corella chicks show their first interest in the world on the 25th-27th day of their life. They begin to turn their heads in different directions, examining the surrounding objects. The first exit of chicks from the nest occurs 35-40 days after they hatch. Corella feeds her cubs up to 1.5-2 months of age, then they begin to feed on their own from the feeder. When the babies are out of the nest, their father takes care of feeding them. The mother feeds the younger or weaker chicks.

Why do cockatiels pluck their chicks?

Adult cockatiels sometimes pluck the feathers from their chicks. This can be done by one or both birds. Nobody knows why this happens. Scientists call the main reasons:

√ lack of nutrients;

√ psychological factor (jealousy).

Adults can cause serious damage to their chicks during plucking, so if you notice this, be sure to move the baby to a separate cage.

cockatiel chicks grow up

The female sits tightly on the clutch and warms the eggs with her body until the chicks hatch from them. Before hatching, they begin to give a voice, and then knock on the shell with their beak from the blunt end of the egg, where the air chamber is located.

When cockatiel chicks hatch from their eggs, they look completely helpless. The chicks have an egg tooth on the upper beak, with which they open the egg shell. Yellow fluff, the so-called chick plumage, is the first coat of hatched cockatiels, which does not warm them particularly, and they are very trembling. Their eyes, of course, are still closed. Chicks are always eager to make bodily contact with their siblings, and each chick most often places its head on the neck of one of the siblings.

Approximately 10 days after birth, the chicks begin to develop strong feathers. Initially, these feathers look like sharp thorns, they appear primarily on the back and head of the chicks. This is, so to speak, the "hedgehog period" in small cockatiels. You can also already recognize their future wings. And after another 8 days, the chicks already look clearly cockatiels. They indignantly raise their tuft upright on their heads if they are disturbed; spots on the cheeks become noticeable. At the age of 5 weeks, cockatiel chicks are already “ready”, they leave the nesting house and can even fly. In terms of body size, they now correspond to adult birds, however, their plumage color is still weaker than that of mature birds. As soon as young cockatiels are about 10 days old, you can hear their persistent begging - you need to start checking the nest. There accumulates a large amount of bird droppings, which must be removed. The best thing is to remove the parents from the nest and then take the chicks out. The dirt is removed from the nest, a new litter is made, and only then the chicks are let back in. And it's okay if you touched the babies, cockatiels do not pay attention to this, unlike many mammals, who in such cases no longer care about their offspring, which now has a strange smell.

Even before the start of incubation, parrots should be given so-called baby food in addition to the usual food. Parrots during this time will have time to get used to it and immediately, from the first day, provide them with their cubs. Although pet stores have ready-made food for young animals, in any case it is necessary to improve it, for example, by adding finely grated carrots to it. The best food that cockatiels living in the wild feed their babies are immature seeds of cereal grasses, so it would be nice to get fresh green millet in the summer. However, sprouted grain can also be harvested. Millet and oats are well suited for this purpose.

So, you need to wash the grain and put it in a colander in a bowl of water so that it is covered with water. A day later, the grain is washed well and soaked again for a day.