Hellup ! Neighbours Cockatiels.

[rozenda]

I know this is not a Cockatiel forum but I also know some of you have them so….

Hi, I am looking after a neighbour’s Cockatiels for a few days, they are not in my flat but we live on the same landing, they have always seemed healthy but their cage has never had appropriate ( well to me) toys or enough perches.
I have given my neighbour a few smaller perches and will give him a bigger one I have but obviously I can’t keep supplying him with things as it is expensive for me to do so. He has been happy for me to get things for them and he reimburses me but I can’t pin him down to look at things on a website with me ! They have a big cage too that he got for them so space isn’t a problem.

He loves Bonnie and Clyde, named by a previous owner, and is a good person but sometimes it is hard…ok it is always hard…to get him to listen to you or take on what you are saying. I have known him for many years and he is a good kind man.
The birds have sunflower seeds, a Cockatiel seed mix and water but no fresh food and I can’t remember if he has ever given them any, obviously I don’t know if their previous owner gave them fresh food so I am unsure about giving them some..I was going to start with carrot..if it may upset their stomachs, added to this is that he has no spare feeders or clips and neither do I.

I have spoken to him before about fresh food and more natural toys and they are not ripping the perches to bits as they did with the dowl ones they had before, but the perches are not cleaned enough and one is covered in poo (I will clean it today) but it goes in one ear and out the other.
i have suggested he get some advice from a vet for one of the birds as it’s nostrils were getting blocked but he never has and now one of them is blocked.

The birds aren’t neglected, trust me I would phone the RSPCA if they were, but he does need help and reassurance so I was thinking of ringing the RSPCA and explaining the situation and asking if they would give him some advice. The thing is that I know John would worry about a visit like that so I thought I would say that I had rung them for advice about my boys and that I would like them to have a look at his as well.

Any thoughts and advice would be much appreciated and thank you for reading a very long post !

[Hezz]

My opinion: if the birds are not being neglected, do not put the RSPCA in contact with him. While you are looking after the birds start trying them with bits of veg. If they eat it, well and good, if not … nothing ventured, nothing gained. Perhaps put one of the dowels back into the cage, not as a perch but as something to chew. Fresh veg can be pegged to the sides of the cage; you don’t need a separate feeder. Maybe you could offer to go with him to get the blocked nostril seen to by a vet. Have the cage looking clean and sparkling when he comes home - maybe seeing how clean it can be will incentive enough for him to keep it that way.

Even vets have to be careful about how they approach handing out advice that isn’t asked for. You need to be the same.

[Marianne Marlow]

To be honest, I am not sure the RSPCA would give out advice on how to care for a cockatiel anyway.

[rozenda]

Thank you both.
I’ve cleaned the perches and also put the bigger one in that I had.
I’ve done the good morning visit now but will go back at lunch t8me and try them with some carrot (just had a grocery delivery !) I may have to just put it through the bars of the cage and hope for the best as I don’t have any clips although thinking about it I do have some but they may not fit the cage bars..I’ll see when I go back.
They are lovely birds, last year I had them in my flat as I didn’t have the boys and flippin heck they are noisy !, and as I said seem to be well apart from the nostril problem.
Getting him to a vet may be a problem re transport but I will see if I can persuade him to ask his sister and I can lend him a smaller cage to take them in if he doesn’t mind sitting with it on his lap
We have a good vet around ten miles from us but if I can persuade him I will be happy.
Thanks again for your advice, I have had an anxiety filled few days with other things so wasn’t my best when I saw them yesterday 🤪

[rozenda]

I found a couple of clips that don’t really fit the budgies cage well but they are perfect for Bonnie and Clyde cage. They now have a couple of chunks of carrot, about 3 inches long and cut down the middle, so I will go back later to see how much has been chucked on the floor and how much they have eaten!
One….I think Clyde and the male is smaller? … was looking at it with interest the other just ignoring it.
Hopefully they will like it !

[ffiscool]

If they haven’t touched it, you could try making thinner strips that wedge into the cage bars. Try apple too, or anything wedge-able. Is there a radio on or anything when they’re on their own?

Good on you for all you’re trying

[rozenda]

Yes they have a radio on during the day I have turned it lower than he had it, it wasn’t very loud but it seemed too loud to me as when I go out my boys have the radio on quite low, and it gets turned off in the evening.
One of them had taken a couple of bits from the carrot but I will try it tomorrow in thinner strips, going to give some to my boys too as they seem to prefer anything green and that colour only !
I am more than happy to take care of them when their Dad is away especially as I think there is only his sister who could do it and I am not sure she would come every day 🫤
I’ll try a bit of Apple tomorrow too with both cages !

[Hezz]

May 24, 2023 6:59:55 GMT Marianne Marlow said:

To be honest, I am not sure the RSPCA would give out advice on how to care for a cockatiel anyway.

I doubt any RSPCA staff would have a great deal of cockatiel knowledge, or even basic bird knowledge, but any of their staff should be happy to be proactive rather than reactive, surely.

[rozenda]

Good news, the nostrils are now clear, no idea how it happened but I’m pleased they are.
I didn’t have chance to try some more carrot today but will try some apple tomorrow morning as their Dad will be back in the afternoon.

[rozenda]

Their Dad was home at lunch time and had a good holiday, the birds were very happy to see him too !
I’m not sure what happened re the nostrils maybe Clyde, or Bonnie I’m never sure which is which, rub what ever was blocking it away.
Thank you all for your advice and help.

[ffiscool]

Glad they’re both ok.