[Keyphone]

I live in southeastern Michigan and I’m wondering if my cockatiel will be able to handle the winter in a garage (no cars).

Michigan winters are weird and sometimes the weather goes into negative degrees Fahrenheit while other times it will just dip into the teens or 20s.

I will try to see if I can have the cage indoors but at this very moment I cannot.

 

[tielfan]

Cockatiels are native to the Outback of Australia, where the temperature sometimes dips below freezing at night. A tiel that is acclimated to cool temperatures can easily handle temperatures in the 40s and even down into the 30s, but nature hasn't equipped them for temperatures lower than that.

 

[justmeJulie]

If you have to leave your bird in the garage, I would recommend getting a warming light, warming perch, or warming pad that the bird can use if they are chilly. I bought some small warming pads made for bird cages a few years ago. I'm in Wisconsin and my birds are in the house, but they sometimes will go and snuggle up to the warming pad that is mounted on the side of the cage.

 

[tielfan]

Another thing to consider is the social situation of this bird. Cockatiels are flock animals. They're fine with having humans as flockmates instead of other birds, but a cockatiel living alone in a garage is going to have a very sad and lonely existence. There's probably not going to be a lot of human visitation going on when the temperature in the garage is 35 degrees because we're not thrilled with temperatures this cold either. This bird needs to be in a place where it will have companionship as well as temperatures that are warm enough to survive in.

 

[MaryannCE]

Is it necessary to leave your bird in the garage? I use ceramic heat lamps for my python. I bought an extra one last year when I had only one bird, a budgie named Harvey. I love to have the windows open even though it gets pretty cold where I am in Florida. Just something to consider. Heat lamps don’t emit any light just heat.

 

[silpugs]

I live in southeastern Michigan and I’m wondering if my cockatiel will be able to handle the winter in a garage (no cars).

Michigan winters are weird and sometimes the weather goes into negative degrees Fahrenheit while other times it will just dip into the teens or 20s.

I will try to see if I can have the cage indoors but at this very moment I cannot.

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! just NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Keyphone]

Good news is I think I will be able to bring her in after all...