Corellas are unusual parrots with bright cheeks and a tuft on their heads. Everyone pays attention to these details of their appearance, and no one remains indifferent. But not only external attractiveness should be decisive when purchasing a pet. The main factors of choice are the age of the parrot and its state of health.
What you need to know when buying Corella
Every future owner wants to know the age of his new pet and also wants him to live with him as much time as possible.
At what age is it better to buy a bird? The most suitable period is the age of up to 14 weeks (3.5 months). At this point, they are best tolerated by a change in environment and are easier to adapt to other conditions before the first molt.
What is the duration of their life, it is impossible to say for sure - it all depends on the conditions of their detention. The average duration is 15 years, but if they live in decent conditions, in love and care, then the figure can increase to 20 years. And vice versa, if the conditions are bad, then, accordingly, the parrot will live much less.
Therefore, we must remember that it all depends on you, what conditions you provide to your friend. Of course, Corella is unpretentious in every sense, but you should not neglect the elementary rules of care and maintenance. Life expectancy can be shortened due to both stress and illness.
What you should pay attention to when buying in order to understand what is the age of the selected cockatiel parrot:
- head;
- eyes;
- beak;
- paws;
- plumage;
- behavior.
Now we will talk about all the items from the list in order.
Head
The young bird has a small, not fully developed crest on its head. It consists of two or more straight feathers. Unformed feathers look like small feathers that have not yet fully opened. But adults have already formed, open, long, beautiful tufts.
Also, in adults, the ends of the feathers may be slightly bent. And in old birds, a bald spot can be located under the crest.
Eyes
Young representatives have black shiny eyes. With age, they fade, and the iris becomes brown. In very old individuals, the eyes become light brown with patches of light yellow.
Beak
By the beak, you can also determine whether an adult parrot or not.
Juveniles have a light gray beak, and it is even in them. There is no mechanical damage or delamination. Also, small parrots have larger nostrils than adults. Their wax is light gray in color, with a slight pink sheen.
The older the parrot gets, the darker the beak becomes. By old age, it acquires an almost black color. Also, damage, delamination and layering appear on it. The cere becomes wrinkled and gray in color.
Paws
Young cockatiels have light skin on the legs, with a pinkish tint. They are also covered with a very thin layer of barely visible scales. At the ends of the fingers are small and neat claws of a light shade. With age, the scales become coarser. Wrinkles appear on the paws. The color darkens, acquiring a brownish tint. The claws lengthen and gradually darken, and then become almost black.
Plumage
Chicks do not have a very attractive appearance. Recently born crumbs have rare unopened feathers and a small fluff. On the tail are small, short feathers, but in adults, on the contrary, long, graceful feathers. The color of the feathers before the onset of the first molt (3-4 months) is not very bright. And only by the year when the molt ends, and the feathers are replaced by others, do the parrots acquire an adult color. And individuals that have a mutational color acquire their final color only by 2 years.
During the molting period, birds very often try to speed up this process by plucking their own feathers. But here, too, you should be very careful, as sick birds also do this.
Pay attention to all the components of the state. If the bird does not have a very good appearance, then you should give your preference to another one. It would be even better to go to another pet store, since almost all bird diseases are very contagious and quickly transmitted to other birds.
Behavior
Very young cockatiels do not know how to fly well, and in this regard, they are mainly located at the bottom of the cage. They also do a poor job of cleaning feathers, which can cause them to be stained with waste products. Juveniles can also be identified by the fact that they do not balance well, and as a result, they may not be very confident on their paws. This can be seen by careful movements.
Proper care and maintenance
The cage is one of the main points, it must be properly selected so that the bird is comfortable there.
- The size of the cell must be large enough. But there are minimum dimensions that you can focus on: 45x45x60 cm. The shape should be square or rectangular, the main thing is that there are corners, and the bird can hide or rest there.
- The distance between the rods should be no more than 2 cm. They should also go horizontally so that it is convenient for the parrot to grab them with its paws and beak.
- For your convenience, it would be better if there were a couple of doors in the cage. This will make cleaning very easy.
- The grid on the pallet should not be installed, the bird may get hurt. To keep clean, you will need bedding. For her, it is better to use sand, paper towels and a special filler. It is strictly forbidden to use sawdust and plain paper.
- Plastic perches should be changed to wooden ones, with a diameter of 2.5-3 cm. Birch, linden and maple are well suited for this.
- It will be necessary in a cell install 2 feeders for dry and wet food, as well as a drinker.
- It is worth adding toys so that the bird can have fun. Do not forget about accessories that you can gnaw on: chalk figurines, twigs with fresh buds, special bird treats.
- It is better not to install a mirror, as many birds are afraid of their reflection. However, you can try holding it up to see how your cockatiel reacts.
- The location of the cell is also important. It must be installed against the wall, the place should be well lit, but direct sunlight should not fall.
- It is forbidden to have extra smells in the room where the cage is located.
- So that the bird does not feel lonely, it is worth putting the cage where you are most often.
- It is strictly forbidden to install the cage on the floor or hang it from the ceiling. It is worth putting it on a table or chest of drawers so that it is approximately at the level of your eye.
- If you plan to let the parrot out of the cage, you will need to install a small play complex for him in the room.
Before buying a parrot, you need to think through all the details so that later there are no problems. And, of course, all the "dowry" should be purchased in advance.
In order for your pet to please with its liveliness and cheerful character from year to year, do not be too lazy to get acquainted with all the nuances of its choice and content before purchasing it. Remember that you are not buying a toy, but a friend - and then he will repay you with sincere and pure love.
For information on how to determine the age of a cockatiel parrot, see below.