Cockatiels for Dummies (Paperback)

~ Diane Grindol (Author) "Cockatiels are small parrots native to the Australian desert with a charming, inquisitive disposition..." (more)
Key Phrases: cockatiel ownership, companion cockatiel, second cockatiel, United States, San Diego, Office of Management Authority (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Cockatiels For Dummies covers all aspects of cockatiels, focusing on how to feed, house, and train them. Plus, you'll get great advice on dealing with the cockatiel's sometimes puzzling behavior -- particularly breeding/nesting behavior. You can count on this friendly guide for tips on how to have a great relationship with your cockatiel.

From the Back Cover

Find out about raising and living with your pet cockatiel

The information you need to enjoy your cockatiel The cockatiel's gentle nature and captivating personality encourage you to form close and lasting relationships with these diminutive members of the parrot family. With tips on dealing with the cockatiel's breeding and nesting behaviors to advice on feeding, housing, and training, this useful guide will have you singing for more.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 1 edition (June 29, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764553119
• ISBN-13: 978-0764553110
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #218,807 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful for the new bird owner....., January 11, 2003

By	Dianne Foster "Di" (USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

After Christmas, my husband and I visited the Animal Welfare League of Arlington shelter with the idea we would adopt a cat to replace our 19-year old kitty who died last year. I never made it to the "cat room". I wandered into a "miscellaneous pets" area just off the entrance, and found cages of bunnies and ferrets and other creatures including a pair of bonded cockatiels. When I was a child, my grandmother raised love birds, and I had always wanted my own bird, but the presence of cats made that difficult. Currently catless, I decided to take the birds home. After I purchased two cages, and a few other things at the shelter, I made a trip to the local bird store for seed, pellets, cuttlefish bone, toys, and other assorted necessities the shelter folks recommended. When I told the proprietor of the bird store I was a new owner, she recommended COCKATIELS FOR DUMMIES.

Over the past few weeks, I've been seeking all the information I can find about cockatiels. Although my daughter and daughter-in-law have pet birds (love birds, parakeets, and a dove) none of us knows much about cockatiels. Diane Grindol's approach to happy and healthy cockatiels includes advice about preventative health care maintenance, but she also provides plenty of suggestions for ways to bond with your bird. She gets down to the nitty gritty with: what to feed your bird and why; how to maintain his or her cage; why wing clipping, toenail trimming, and other grooming matters; what it means when a bird molts; how to distinguish between nutritious and poisonous plants; how to avoid bird hazards like scented candles, the toilet bowl and Teflon-lined pans; what to do if your boy bird masturbates on his food cup; and how to avoid reproduction without stressing the female, but the best tips involve how to have a good relationship with your birds.

Grindol's book is perfect for a novice like me who knows plenty about wild birds but precious little about caged birds (actually two cages since the male was a bit hen-pecked so he spends part of the daylight hours in a separate establishment). So far, I am doing really well with my feathered friends who have a place of honor next to my PC (but far enough away they won't be radiated). If you're thinking about getting a bird, I suggest you read the DUMMIES book first. Birds require much more time than a cat, but for me it's worth it.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful resource, July 17, 2001

By	jennalyns (Sasebo, Japan) - See all my reviews

I ordered this book from another website the minute I found ot it was available, and it is one of the most helpful resources I have found. I have purchased several books on tiels and this one blows all the others away. Being a relatively new bird owner, it offered me some helpful tips on how to handle and feed my bird, and some nice things such as how to pet a bird- my tiel is so sweet and begs me to pet her after I tried some of the tips in this book. It also offers varied and less confusing advice than the other books on diet and basic care, and some very good taming and training tips. I liked that although it does offer info on breeding, it seems to focus mostly on keeping tiels as pets, which I found extremely helpful. The book was interesting and entertaining, and extremely informative. I highly recommend this book as a resource to anyone who has or wants pet cockatiels!

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful, informative and entertaining book, February 19, 2003

By A Customer

If you are going to buy just one book about cockatiels, this is truly the one to own. It's well written and researched, and presented in an unintimidating, friendly manner, and covers all the basics you'll need to know to nurture and share a happy relationship with a devoted pet. There's excellent advice about choosing, housing, feeding, training and caring for one or more of this wonderful species of bird, and solid advice about handling emergencies, choosing a vet, etc.

And as other reviewers have mentioned, this book's insight into cockatiel psychology and development is exceptional, and it really helps to understand why a bird might be behaving in a certain way, and what this behavior might communicate.

Previous to acquiring a cockatiel, I owned a halfmoon conure for a number of years, and although I'm an experienced bird owner, I learned a lot from this book. I'll be sure to keep it handy in case I need to consult it in an emergency. I can't recommend it highly enough.