A 10 week old cockatiel is a delight to see. With so many changes happening so quickly, it is fun to observe that your pet is growing and developing as it should.
But at the same time, there are certain things to keep in mind to make sure that your pet does not develop any serious problems.
Cockatiels are Australian bird species. But now, they can be found in other parts of the world and have been bred for over 100 years in captivity.
Let’s learn more about the cockatiel and what to expect from a 10-week old bird of this species. Here we go!
Cockatiel 10 Weeks Old
First of all, let’s talk about cockatiels and their natural behavior and tendencies. Overall, these birds are playful, gentle, curious, and intelligent creatures. They are also inquisitive and love to investigate and explore the things they see. But then again, one cockatiel is different from another. Individual traits, personalities and preferences always occur.
But at the same time, these are social and friendly birds that are easy to care for and will fit perfectly well in your household.
When caring for a 10-week old cockatiel, certain things must be kept in mind. When you hand-rear your bird, you can expect your pet to be relatively easy to train and tame. In fact, they can adjust well with humans.
For example, cockatiels of this age love to spend time with their owners. They greet their owners when they see them either by calling out their names or whistling. These birds always crave their owner’s attention and miss them when away.
When hand-rearing a cockatiel, it is important to know the proper ways to do this. When their parents abandon the nest and fail to feed their young ones, you may want to step up and do this to help the young cockatiel survive.
But do keep in mind that hand-rearing a young one is never easy. In fact, it requires patience and the right techniques to do it properly. After all, these birds are delicate and vulnerable.
When these young birds hatch, the eyes stay closed for up to 10 days. But the skin on their sealed eyes has a transparent quality. This is why you should be able to see easily if the eyes are dark brown or red. The eyes pretty much determine the colors of the feathers.
With red-eyed cockatiels, this could mean that they may have recessive silver, albino, fallow, or lutino. Once they are two weeks of age, they should have their down and the back and wings should start growing feathers. They may also have some crest feathers on their heads.
Then, by three weeks, the birds should be completely feathers. However, do not be concerned if they appear rather mangy. This is normal. But by the fourth week, their feathers should have gotten much better, quite like an adult cockatiel.
Caring For A 10 Week Old Cockatiel
If you have never cared for a bird before, then you should have an easy experience doing so with a cockatiel. These may be small birds but they do have a big personality! This is why they are so endearing and charming creatures. It is easy to fall in love with a cockatiel right away!
Male cockatiels have a fondness for talking and whistling because of their vocal and gregarious personalities. On the other hand, female ones are very affectionate. But both genders are lovable and easy to please.
Now, there are some issues that cockatiel owners experience with their pets. For instance, they may cry constantly, and this is something that may occur when feeding the bird.
For instance, after consuming the millet or pellets, your bird may cry during and even after eating all of its food.
If you observe this with your pet, then you would want to first check the weight. A gram scale is an easy way to determine weight, and it is important to know if the eating habits are affecting weight loss.
Early on, be sure to weigh your bird. When it appears to be thin or seems to be losing too much weight, then a supplement in addition to hand feeding may help. Ideally, your pet should not lose more than 10 percent of the total body weight when weaning it.
If your cockatiel fails to recognize the food you provide, then there is a risk of your bird starving and getting thinner. This is why you may want to provide a special food prescribed by your vet. Moreover, birds that cry when feeding may mean that they have not weaned fully yet. Hence, they tend to cry.
You should also observe if your pet cries for food, and in this case, you should provide a handfeeding formula specifically for this age. Do take note that there are some birds that take up to about 12 weeks before they are completely weaned. This is why it is important to keep this aspect in mind.
But most definitely try to introduce a wide range of food including seeds, cereal grains, as well as millet. You may also provide a mix of frozen vegetables, which your pet can beak and then peck. Make sure, however, that your pet is really eating the food you give it. Brightly colored food is always appealing to birds, so it is a good thing to add to its meal.
And lastly, be sure that the cage has at least a half-inch bar spacing. This allows your pet to climb around much easier and not end up with the head getting stuck in between these bars.
Read More: Causes Of A Cockatiel Holding One Wing Out
Bottom Line
Caring for a 10 week old cockatiel may seem challenging, especially if you have never owned a bird before. However, you can rest assured that with the right diet, proper cage, and the best handfeeding formula provided, your pet should thrive and grow well.
