temperature for baby cockatiel

[Vanessa Sandoval]

I have an urgent question - my friend just called me and said that her cockatiels have stopped keeping one of their babies warm. She has an aquarium set up with heating pad and such, but she does not know what temperature to keep it at so that the baby is warm but not to warm.

If anyone could tell me the correct temp I would appreciate it!

[Conure & Macaw Mom]

I know when I used to raise baby quail & such I had to keep the around 90 to 95 deg F for the first week or so then decress it by 5 deg every week after. Quail are birds so it probably wouldn't hurt to go with that. I think the mother keeps them around 98 deg F while she sitting on them. Crystal

[Vanessa Sandoval]

thanks for the info. that pretty much confirms what I had found out. I managed to find a chart that gives a guideline and it was in the 90's. She did manage to get the baby back under the mom last I spoke with her. The baby is showing splayed legs and my friend had put a little splint on the legs to help him and then mom freaked out and wouldn't sit on him. So, my friend ended up taking the splint off and mom took him back. My friend said she would go and get a heat lamp to better regulate the temp for him and then just try to put him in with the mom for feeding. He is one week old and she wants the parents to feed him for at least another week then she might take over hand feeding if there is still trouble. But, she needs to get those legs in a splint. Cockatiels seem to freak out easily.

Again thanks for the advice.

[Joel]

Originally Posted by Vanessa Sandoval

thanks for the info. that pretty much confirms what I had found out. I managed to find a chart that gives a guideline and it was in the 90's. She did manage to get the baby back under the mom last I spoke with her. The baby is showing splayed legs and my friend had put a little splint on the legs to help him and then mom freaked out and wouldn't sit on him. So, my friend ended up taking the splint off and mom took him back. My friend said she would go and get a heat lamp to better regulate the temp for him and then just try to put him in with the mom for feeding. He is one week old and she wants the parents to feed him for at least another week then she might take over hand feeding if there is still trouble. But, she needs to get those legs in a splint. Cockatiels seem to freak out easily.

Again thanks for the advice.

I guess it is not the best time for a sermon now so I will spare you. Except for this comment for now: No one should be allowing breeding unless they know what they are doing and it is evident that your friend does NOT. ... I hope this lil bird"s legs get straightened out properly ASAP so it is not doomed to a severly handicapped life.

Splints (if we are meaning the same thing by that word) are not what should be used here IMO & IME. Do a search here on splayed legs and you should come up with some more helpful info. on that subject.

I would NOT be using a heat lamp but would continue with the heating pad(s) underneath and on top of the aquarium instead - also utilizing a thermometer with even a back-up thermometer available to double check temps.... Put a small shallow vessel of water or damp towel in there also for some humidity. Make sure the nestbox has the proper type and amount of footing in there so no problems develop with the other babies also. I wonder just how bad the splaying is on this one? Can you attach a pic?

[Vanessa Sandoval]

Sorry, thought this was a place where one could ask a question.

[Joel]

Originally Posted by Vanessa Sandoval

Sorry, thought this was a place where one could ask a question.

Nothing to be sorry about Vanessa ....... This is a place where one can ask a question and this is also a place where most of us care about the welfare of every single bird, most especially those that could use some immediate help - therefore many of us do NOT wait to be asked additional questions in order to supply what should be taken as helpful info. to assist. Sometimes we do not always use please and thank-you's or sugar coat our words but we do mean well. Also please forgive the sensitivity shown by some of us when we see innocent lil ones suffering at the hands of inexperienced people.

Hope ya hang around. I also hope your friend takes good advice to do what is necessary to help that lil one, ASAP - which includes taking it to an A.V. for help if there is no other way to see that those legs are straightened out properly.

[Vanessa Sandoval]

Thanks for those folks who gave me information about the baby cockatiel temperature - just an update... the baby is doing fine.

[Conure & Macaw Mom]

Glad to here the baby is doing well. Best of luck. Crystal

[2horse]

Glad that the baby is doing ok. Asking questions is good way to learn, I know I do. I am not one of the fortunate ones that was born knowing all things about birds. Personal experience and the will to do the best for the bird is most often the only way to learn, even for those who now believe they were born with the knowledge.

[Vanessa Sandoval]

Angie, thank you for your message. I love your signature line. I believe once you stop learning you stop living. ;)