How to Adopt a Cockatiel in the United States | PetzLover

Why adopt a cockatiel instead of buying a baby?

With a baby, you are guessing. With an adult, a rescue can usually tell you whether the bird whistles a lot, whether it likes to be handled, whether it hisses or bites when frightened and whether it has night frights. Sex is easier too: in normal grey cockatiels, adult males have a bright yellow face, while females keep the barred tail and spotted wing feathers they hatched with.

Adults are also the birds that most need homes. Animal Diversity Web puts the average captive lifespan at 15 to 25 years, long enough for a family's plans to change several times. PetMD's vet-written care sheet rates the cockatiel a beginner bird, and some rescues place cockatiels with first-time bird keepers who show they can meet their needs. If you still prefer a young bird, see how to buy a cockatiel.

Where can you find a cockatiel for adoption?

• Specialist bird rescues. Mickaboo Companion Bird Rescue, an all-volunteer group in the San Francisco Bay Area, began as Mickaboo Cockatiel Rescue and adopts only within California. Phoenix Landing serves Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia, North Carolina and the Jacksonville area of Florida.
• Animal shelters, which take in small birds as well as dogs and cats. Some move faster than specialist rescues.
• Directories such as Petfinder, which list bird rescues and adoptable birds by location.
• Owners placing a cockatiel for adoption themselves.

You can also find cockatiels for adoption on PetzLover and save a search to hear about new listings near you. If you prefer to deal directly with an owner, read how to take in a rehomed cockatiel.

How does cockatiel adoption work?

Each rescue has its own process. Phoenix Landing and Mickaboo, for example, describe similar steps, though the order varies:

1. Submit an application describing your home, experience and other pets.
2. Attend a bird care class; both groups offer free classes, and Phoenix Landing counts only its core classes toward adoption.
3. Talk to a volunteer by phone or during the home visit.
4. Have a home visit, in person or virtual.
5. Get matched with a bird that suits you; Phoenix Landing places most birds in a foster-to-adopt period of about two months first.
6. Sign the adoption agreement and pay the fee.

Phoenix Landing says a placement takes at least a month from application, so start early. Owners and rescues can read how to list a cockatiel for adoption to see what they will ask you.

What will a cockatiel home check look for?

• The cage: PetMD suggests at least 24 x 24 x 30 inches for one cockatiel, with bars half an inch apart or less.
• Location: away from the kitchen, because Chewy's care team warns that cockatiels succumb easily to fumes from non-stick coatings, candles, air fresheners and aerosol sprays.
• Night-time: a quiet room for sleep and a dim night light if the bird has night frights.
• Other animals: cats, dogs and birds; Chewy advises not housing cockatiels with lovebirds or larger parrots.
• People: anyone with asthma or bird allergies, since cockatiels shed a lot of feather dust.
• Time: cockatiels are flock birds and need company every day.

What should you ask about a cockatiel before adopting?

• How old is the bird, and how was its sex confirmed?
• Why was it surrendered, and how long has it been in foster care?
• What does it eat now, and has it been moved onto pellets?
• If it is a hen, does she lay eggs, and how often?
• Does it have a bonded partner the rescue would like to place with it?
• Has it seen an avian vet, and can you have copies of the records?
• How does it react to hands, children, other birds and darkness?

How much does it cost to adopt a cockatiel?

Rescues set their own fees, which usually help cover vet care and food during foster care. Ask what the fee includes, such as a cage, records or a starter bag of food.

How do you help an adopted cockatiel settle in?

1. Book an avian vet exam within one to two weeks; the Association of Avian Veterinarians has a Find-a-Vet search.
2. Keep the bird apart from your other birds until your vet clears it. The CDC says birds with psittacosis can shed the bacteria without looking sick.
3. Feed what it ate before, then move toward pellets with your vet's help. VCA Animal Hospitals warns that seed-only diets can lead to ill health and a shorter life.
4. Keep a steady routine for light, food and sleep, and use a dim night light if it startles in the dark.
5. Let the bird come to you. Talk and whistle to it before you ask it to step up.
6. If a hen lays eggs, Chewy's care team advises leaving them for her to abandon in her own time, because removing an egg can trigger her to lay another. Tell your vet if laying is frequent.