[Styfe0709]

Hi everyone! My cockatiel is brand new, just got him yesterday. He's about a month old, I believe. It's his second day in his cage, but I am quite worried. I have a bit of a cold, I've pet him and hand fed him, he's in the same spot in his cage, puffed up feathers now all the time it would seem, he's sneezed like 4 times, and every now and then he itches his face. Keep in mind, he is BRAND NEW, so I don't believe staying in the same spot in the cage is bad, but im just curious. I started to think that he was bored, so I put my finger next to him and he squawks at it. He's facing away from the entrance of the cage towards the window...

Is he sick? Should I take him to a vet? Wait a bit?

Once again, please keep in mind it is his second day with me, and he is like a month old. Thanks!

Image of him earlier

https://images-ext-1.discordapp.net...4534411665418/image0.jpg?width=508&height=677

 

[Vickitiel]

Hello there and welcome to the forum!

Firstly, your cockatiel definitely looks older than a month. A one month old cockatiel typically looks like this.

I think it's a good idea with any new bird to take them to a vet for a general health check up to get peace of mind.

 

[flowertiel]

Hi there! Cockatiels can't catch human colds unless you have a secondary bacterial infection. Are his feathers still puffed up? He could just be puffed up because of the stress of a completely new environment. Nonetheless, I would be worried because frequent sneezing is a cause for concern, especially if the sneezes are not dry sneezes. He might have caught something or developed aspiration pneumonia which can be fatal and is quite common in handfed birds. I say take him to the vet now just in case. It's always better to be safe than sorry and it's important to deal with potential illnesses early so they don't get worse.

Like Vickitiel said, your cockatiel looks older than a month old but maybe only by a week or two. My cockatiel is a month old and looks something like this. A lot of month-old cockatiels have a lot more feathers than the one in Vicki's link, and a lot of them don't. Mine looked like the one in her link when he was 3 weeks old. Different birds grow at different rates and they change a lot every single week at the start of their lives. Here are more month-old cockatiels. This is a 5-week old cockatiel and this is a 6-week old one. Your cockatiel might be 5 or 6 weeks old, but it's hard to say because they grow at different rates and incredibly quickly!

As for the squawking, just take it slow with him because he's really stressed out right now. If, at the time of reading this, you're still struggling, try putting your hand on the outside of his cage for a few minutes and then move it closer to him everyday. Maybe cover 3 sides of his cage with a thin blanket so he feels less overwhelmed. It's also good to sit next to his cage and just talk to him softly. Sometimes it helps to limit each bonding session to 10-15 minutes and have a few sessions a day. He will soon realise that you're not a threat and will learn to love you.

Keep us updated! I'm rooting for you and your little one. Hope I wasn't too overbearing.