Socialization & Early Training   The vast majority of our babies are handraised and handfed from about the age of two weeks. We put a lot of time, love, and attention into the rearing of our babies. By the time they leave us, they are very well socialized to adults, children, dogs, and cats. For this reason you, as the buyer, need to be very mindful of where your new feathered friend is and what it is doing. It will have no fear of dogs, cats, or children who may not understand the need for 'gentle handling'.

All of our babies are allowed to fledge and wings are not clipped until the baby has learned to fly and land well. We believe this is a very important step in a young bird's growth and developement both mentally and physically. Caged birds who have been allowed to fly and have mastered the skill have more self confidence.

    Weaning & Your New Fid's Diet   Your new FID will have been spoiled rotten by the time you get it.... It will have been introduced to a variety of cooked food and birdie muffins.

The babies are weaned to a dried 'staple' mix of Higgins Vita Cockatiel seed mix, Zupreem Fruit Blend Maintenence pellets, & Roudybush High Energy Breeder pellets. The Breeder pellets can be dropped when they leave, as they are merely to help meet the baby's energy needs in the time of rapid growth.

To their dried mix, I periodically add dehydrated Bok Choy, Broccoli, Purple Cabbage, Zuchini, Yellow Squash, Baby Carrots, Green Bell Pepper, Red Bell Pepper, and other seasonal veggies, and some fruit, depending on availability.

Their dried mix is topped off with a few Lafaeber's Nutriberries, which many of them adore due to the ability to hold them with their feet while eating them. :)

We also like to offer 'bouquets' of fresh, raw greens such as bok choy, kale, or spinach hanging from the cage bars; and sprouted seeds are periodically offered as well.

We feel that variety and moderation are the key in a bird's diet. For the care and attention you put into their dietary needs, you will have a healthy, happy bird who will live up to its potential and give you years of companionship.

With a good diet, adequate exercise, and plenty of TLC, you FID will live a longer, healthier life!

    Traceablility~Just who begat who anyway?   We are proud members of the National Cockatiel Society ; and have recently joined the American Cockatiel Society as well. Most of our Cockatiel babies are banded with closed, traceable NCS or ACS bands, unless circumstances prevent banding in time.

We keep detailed records of all chicks hatched out at our Aviary so if there is ever any question about parentage or the history of one of our birds, we have the answer. In the future, it may become necessary to purge our records from time to time; but every effort will be made to save pertinent information on all birds hatched at Treasured Tiels.