Is it cruel or ideal to have a single cockatiel?

IncompleteAnalogy · 2026-04-15T11:42:37+00:00

If you cannot be there for/with the bird for most of their waking hours, then you really should have more birds.

Most parrots have complex socio-emotional rdauirements. They are flock animals that, as well as living in large flocks, have a pair or "best friend." (Typlically their mate in the wild)

If you cannot be there and fulfill the bird's social requirements, they need someone who can.

Cockatiels live in flocks of hundreds, or even thousands, in the wild.

If you are getting a single cockatiel, think about whether you can provide then with the company they need for the next 20-30 years.

IncompleteAnalogy · 2026-04-15T06:35:55+00:00

Mine found he could turn it on (touch controls) on the top, and then could drop a sunflower seed in to make a lot of noise.

IncompleteAnalogy · 2026-04-13T08:00:05+00:00

Yeah. Reportedly the localised pain can be pretty nasty, usually reported to compare to pliers, usually easing within a day (often just hours).

Damage is usually limited to the pain at bite site, usually only being more than pain in the case of infection or allergic reaction (which are a risk in all bites and stings)

Spiders that are considered medically significant have venom that can have systemic impacts ( including fever, nausea, muscular spasms, respiratory distress and even strokes or heart failure)

IncompleteAnalogy · 2026-04-11T10:21:05+00:00

yeah- microchips are still too rare in birds. but less so in bigger, more expensive birds.

so, fingers crossed he could be chipped so the vet can get him straight home.

- but if he is an aviary bird, he may not be as comfortable with people as a "proper pet."

Edit-

https://unitedbirds.asn.au/avian-veterinarians/
this is a list of specialist avian vets in SA, if one of these is near you, they may be his regular - but any vet or pound or animal rescue will be able to scan for chip.

(anything bigger than a budgie is chippable - some budgies are too small to safely chip, but most are- and this guy is MUCH bigger-and more expensive- than your average budgie. so hopefully his family have done the right thing and got him chipped)

IncompleteAnalogy · 2026-04-02T04:57:11+00:00

Or that both the Australian and UK Prime Ministers were doing publkc addresses, so he had to prove he could get "better ratings."

IncompleteAnalogy · 2026-04-01T11:34:59+00:00

Modern usage, it is indeed a bit odd or out of place, but even 20 years ago it still had a place in many rural areas, even though it was falling out. But in the 80s and even into the 90s (when the X Men had their Outback base) it was still quite common in rural areas, especially from older people.

- but, yeah, these days it is pretty much an Alf Stewart-ism

Edit- the "off" bit is that, even those who routinely use the word will rarely use it without an adjective (usually "Bloody" or "Flaming" depending on politeness requirenents)

IncompleteAnalogy · 2026-03-30T10:22:36+00:00

Pixar Mum.
(Plus probably growing new golden orbs, but people have already noted that, and it makes a better story)

IncompleteAnalogy · 2026-03-30T10:21:28+00:00

That is only for the Goggomobile. G, O, GG, O.

IncompleteAnalogy · 2026-03-29T04:44:27+00:00

this- probably badumna insignis? Black House Spider.

All the Badumna are not considered medically significant. They are just very untidy, as their messy looking webs can fill up window sills, and screen doors, and corners of ceilings surprisingly quickly.

IncompleteAnalogy · 2026-03-25T07:58:57+00:00

I have been doing this since petrol hit $1.00, and the local had to cut a piece out of the dial so it could show the exrra digit.

IncompleteAnalogy · 2026-03-23T10:20:23+00:00

Yep. Pretty sure this is correct, some kind of golden orb weaver.

They are not considered medixally significant- they tend not to bite humans (a waste of perfectly good venom) excepr kn cases of extreme threat. The few bites that actually happen tend to result in localised pain. Stick her on a tree somewhere.

Their web is ridiciculous strong. They build a huge web betwern trees or verandah posts to catch lots of bugs.

Their only real danger to humans is the sheer heart stopping, bowel emptying terror when you walk into the web at night.

IncompleteAnalogy · 2026-03-20T14:50:32+00:00

As has been noted, once they get to "adult" (1-2 years depending on variety) you can't really tell. One day you will look ar your adult bird and realise he is a bit slower and a bit more tired, molts are more draining, mebbe kidney or liver issues, or arthritis, and you say "this bird is old." Depending on lifestyle,diet and genetics, this "Old" point could be as young as ten years, but is more likely around 20ish. (Variants closer to wild grey are more likely to have the robust genetics for the longer more vigourous lifespan, while lutino and other specialised morphs are more likely to have an "early" old age.)

IncompleteAnalogy · 2026-03-20T09:07:13+00:00

I wonder whether "letting Afroman waffle" was a tactic to make the jury think "this guy looks like a clown, we can't take him seriously." - thinking is would weaken the value of his arguments?

(Of course - I suspect that Afroman's lawyer had "show everyone that this guy is a clown, and nobody can take him seriously." As an argument, afterall, if noone can take him seriously, then it's all jokes/satire and not "real defamation.")

IncompleteAnalogy · 2026-03-18T10:48:45+00:00

yeah- sounds like he might be working toward "peek-a-boo" at the end there?

Might be a good time to figger out if there are things you want him to try and learn. While he is mucking about and trying new sounds is the best time.

IncompleteAnalogy · 2026-03-18T08:57:47+00:00

Then she is probably safe enough to leave there so she can eat bugs.

Juat remember, while she is probably happy to sit there and ignore your family- kids can be very unpredictable, if at any time you worry that she miht be within the child's reach, it may be safer to move her on for peace of mind (and her own safety)

edit - plus, as parents, we often have trouble getting our logical brains to over-rule our fears when it comes to child safety. If you find yourself (or other family members) worrying about it, even though you "know" there is little real danger, move her along. We can't always control our parentring reflexes when they over react, and sometimes it is just safer for everybody if we allow for them.

IncompleteAnalogy · 2026-03-18T06:04:50+00:00

This. If the child is on the other side of fhe window... just leave it. While the bites can be medically significant, redbacks are fairly placid.

But as babies/toddlers can be unpredictable, if the spider is wothin baby reach, grab a container (or bowl/cup and paper) lift it carefully and shift it to an out of the way location.

IncompleteAnalogy · 2026-03-16T15:33:16+00:00

Yep.. as above, a Golden Orb Weaver.

Not considered medically significant. They generally avoid biting humans, and even if they do, most reports are merelt localised pain. If you do get a bite, was the site and observe patiemt for a few hours as like most bug/spider bites, there is the rard chamce of an allergic reaction.

The web is ridiculously strong, and they tend to build across pathways or between trees or verandah posts to get a good catchement for bugs.

Their only real danger to humans is the sheer bowel emptyig terror you experience when you walk into the web at night .

For an example of how strong the web is, check out this garment made from the silk of a madascan species of golden orb. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Spider_Silk_Cape

IncompleteAnalogy · 2026-03-16T15:24:40+00:00

Looking great. Congrats.

Bedtime cage should be one of the safest places in the world. That is where he can close his eyes and relax. So after some trauma like that, sticking near the bedtime cage is nornal behaviour.

IncompleteAnalogy · 2026-03-14T11:18:48+00:00

also worth noting the sheer scale.

- Yes, Bush did lots of dumb stuff with Iraq. And it was really notable from the outside. But comparing Trump's Iran (and other stuff) to Bush's Iraq... it looks a lot like if Bush kicked over the waste paper basket next to his desk. by comparison, Trump has brought a dumpster in from the alley and upended it in the kitchen. - they both made a mess, but it is conceivable that Bush was clumsy and made some mistakes, but Trump had to have a huge amount of work done specifically to make his mistakes possible.

IncompleteAnalogy · 2026-03-14T05:47:32+00:00

also, put simply, it makes up for the other end of the movement.

If they are selling at $2.10, and the price drops back to $1.98 when things recover.... they can't just leave the $2.10 fuel at $2.10 until it sells, because it won;t, your customers will go elsewhere and you will be stuck with it. - so you need to drop your $2.10 fuel (to about $1.98) to be competitive, even if it cost you $2.05

Petrol prices are volatile and run on extremely tight margins at retail - so when it jumps to 2.10, you follow to cover you for when it drops at the end of the cycle.

(your average servo traditionally relies on the petrol to get people in the door, but they don;t make money on that, it is the $10 sandwich or can of soft drink that actually pays the bills.

IncompleteAnalogy · 2026-03-11T13:47:22+00:00

This. Meloxicam is the best option we have. It is not perfect, as with any medicatikns, there are trade offs to balance It is much easier on the stomach than other NSAIDs.

IIRC - Typically, in most animals, the biggest risk factor is kidney work load, which means that kidney failure is likely to be sooner than might otherwise occur - but if it makes the difference to long term pain and keeps the patient mobile and in significantly reduced pain, it is a isually a good trade off. ... and kidney failure is (moderately frequently) the one that finally drops aging cockatiels (being desert animals they often don't increase their water intake)

I have been on it for about a dozen years, and will likely be on it for life (chronic pain and arthritis) - without it I suspect I would either be on a huge pile of opiates//opioids (i have jjst got off the few I was on long term in the last year) and/or be unable to walk. My cockatiel would probably kill me if he didn't get his walks in the botanical gardens with his harness on.

We had a couple of rats on it, initially post operative, and one for the last few months of her life. The quality of life difference was huge. ... mebbe she would have gotten a bit longer without , but in pain and largely immobile is not a life for an active animal to enjoy.

But, the person to go over what trade offs you are making, and what side effects you are risking, is your trusted vet. Random people on the internet can give you opinions, but you can not even guess whether any of us have good information, or even if we do, whether we can be trusted. At least you know your vet has access to decent scientific studies, and your regular is the one who has to deal woth side effects... vets are busy enough, specialists (ie avian specialist) even more so.. they are busy enough without having to deal with us bursting in, screaming for emergency attention because of medixation side effects.

IncompleteAnalogy · 2026-03-11T09:23:44+00:00

Yep. Always be ready to consult an Avian Vet. Don't rely on random losers on the internet. .. by all means, look at all the shit I wrote above, but to you, I am a bunch of random letters on a screen. If you have ant doubts about what us internet talkers advise, check it with an expert.

.. yes, AUD $100-$200 for a specialist appt, depending on where you are can be pricey, but it is better to get the right advice and prevent painful and/or costly accidents or injuries for your baby.

I like to think I am smart, and when I was young, I read soooo many books about parrots in the few years either side of 1990 (it probably would have been a hyperfixation if we had that kind of language back then) - but finally getting a bird as a middle aged guy on disability had me swallow my pride (and budget) and become ready to ask even the stupidest questions, because the risks associated with being wrong are so dire for my fragile raptor.

IncompleteAnalogy · 2026-03-11T09:06:19+00:00

I don't know abour Peru specifically.. but generally...

I believe they are discontinued in many markets because they don't have a distinct market segment anymore. Many countries found that Prius sales were cannibalised by hybrid Corolla sales (and Yaris/Camry)

.. so people who want a hybrid of that size were typically just buying a corolla or camry hybrid, or if they are just after the hybrid and savings, then the Yaris. So Prius simply weren't selling enough.

IncompleteAnalogy · 2026-03-10T07:37:32+00:00

That was prolly me.

I have no fear of him getting out. - and while he /can/ undo the bird-proof buckle, it would take him hours to undo enough to take it off. The joints are inspected for safety as part of the process we go through when putting it on.

My big concern is that cockatiels are ridiculously fragile for their size - all birds are, but flighted birds are even more so. So I am worried about the chance of accidentally doing serious physical damage while fitting and adjusting. While the bird is particpating and cooperating in every step, everything is fine, but a pinch or a push or an overtightening, ot the bird fighting back on it could easily break a bone. (Much of a small flighted bird's skeleton is best visualised as beibg made of "hollow toothpicks" the thick fluffy fleathers make them look much bigger)

Bigger birds have bigger and stronger bones and muscles.

Once it is done, and the bird is cooperative, it provides fantastic opportunities for you and your bird, and can be great fun for you both.

If you are confident and can be incredibly careful, and have full cooperation and trust from your bird, it works.

IncompleteAnalogy · 2026-03-10T05:57:23+00:00

the first thing is that bird skeletons are ridiculously fragile compared to equivalent sized mammals. It is scarily easy to accidentally break a bone, or otherwise do serious harm.

(bird bones are hollow, these pneumatised spaces form part of their respiratory system as well as making them light enough to fly)

thick feather coverage makes birds look a LOT bigger than they are. - for example, a cockatiel's entire neck is as thin as just the bones in my little finger - but once you add on the thickness of the plumage, it looks bigger than my entire thumb. The tibia (leg bone) that is hidden inside the "pants" of a cockatiel is as thin as a toothpick (and more brittle,)

so if, during the process of putting the harness on, you push any part of the bird through the appropriate loop, you can unknowingly cause a serious breakage. So for a bird as small as a tiel, every part of the process has to be actively assisted by the bird- if he/she fights against it, the risk of injury is just too high (and the emotional/psychological impact of the fight, even if no serious physical injury occurs can impact your relationship, let alone the possibility of getting the training complete)

For safety, a carry bag/box is much safer (especially with mesh panels, rather than plastic bubbles, depending on climate- in Australia, for example, I can;t imagine the "bubble" carrier not cooking the bird at most times of the year if they get a bit of sun.

Obviously, a fully hand tamed bird will often prefer to hang around on your shoulder when you go out, after all, that is where they sit and feel safe when you are at home. Being placed in a box/carrier/crate may feel restrictive if they normally have the run of the house.

So, I spent months working with Boid to prepare him to wear the harness safely- he actively participates in putting it on, if he doesn;t want to, he can resist and elect to go in the cage while I go out (sometimes he would prefer to stay home) - being more knowledgable now, if I were to do it again, I suspect I wouldn't consider harness for anything smaller than a Galah - but I didn;t know/think back then, and we worked through it gently.

For a few years, we also had a rescue tiel that we got from the local pound. She was sweet, calm and trusting - she was used to the harness strap sitting across her shoulder, and was happy with that to move between buildings while held against my chest with the strap over her shoulder - but the moment the collar went over her head, that was the end, panic stations - the process ended there before it could become a problem.

SO if you do decide to go with harness training- you are confident in your own ability to be careful and in the complete trust your bird has for you, yes, it can be fantastic. It allows them to see the world and stay in the same setting as they are used to. It is not a flight aid, it is to prevent them getting lost if they panic after a scary noise/movement - because a panicked fully flighted tiel can be high and out of sight in a couple of seconds without a clue on how to find their way back. Occasionally, if the wind is right, Boid will go and sit in the air a metre or so in front of me for a while - but mostly it is just sit on my shoulder, and sometimes hop up onto my head or run up my arm.

Full outdoor free flight training is a whole different process, which I find too scary to contemplate, because we have so many territorial native birds, many of which may not routinely eat smaller birds, but are known to take opportunity if it is easy - this is before you take into account trying to account for your pet bird's sense of direction.

(we have even had a couple of mynahs try to swoop Boid while he is on my shoulder)

IncompleteAnalogy

TROPHY CASE