Are Cockatiels Messy? (Answered!)

The other day, as I was tidying up my room, I began to consider how messy birds are and if they are as messy as me.

Then I wondered, are cockatiels messy? 

To answer the question, cockatiels are often considered the messiest of birds, when it comes to eating, playing, their cage, and living. Cockatiels are known for being messy, meaning you will have to be committed to cleaning after them on a daily basis. 

In this article we take a look at how messy cockatiels are, if they are messy eaters and much more.

Let’s not waste anymore time and get right into it!

 

How messy are cockatiels? 

It has to be recognized that cockatiels are messy birds.

It often comes along with the image of cockatiels being fairly high maintenance, although the treatment they need is often the exact same you would afford to any other type of pet.

You will most likely find feathers, bird dust, food, and poo around the room where you keep your cockatiel. 

You do have to keep an eye on your cockatiel so the mess will probably never become completely overwhelming, but you will notice a change in your living quarters.

If left to wander on their own they can damage wooden furniture and electrical cord. 

 

Are cockatiels messy eaters? 

Cockatiels are often seen as very messy birds when eating as they often spill their food.

You may find food scattered everywhere: in their cage, in their water, outside of their cage.

Cockatiels can be fairly picky eaters who need a varied diet ranging from seeds, pellets, fruits to vegetables. 

This varied diet can cause a bit of a mess, especially when your cockatiel drops their food around their cage and room.

Cockatiels will eat continuously throughout the day; they will discard the outer shell of the seed and throw it to the floor.

As they eat often you will need to clean after them when they eat. 

There are many tips and tricks to limit the mess of your messy cockatiel when they eat their meals and snacks.

Food areas and bowls have to be cleaned daily due to the mess that can be created and to get rid of any bacteria build-up.

To help stop the spread of mess some owners recommend certain types of bowls that contain the seeds and stops or reduces any spillage.

Another recommendation would be to buy a cage skirt that would simply catch any seeds or food that has fallen out of the cage.

All you would have to do would be to wrap up the skirt and put the food in the trash. So, there are numerous ways to reduce the mess of a messy cockatiel. 

 

What is Bird dust?

Cockatiels feathers create a fine dust that scatters across your furniture and house.

You will most likely find it on your countertop, your sofa, floor, tables, and any kind of surface.

The purpose of the bird dust is to keep the cockatiel’s feathers waterproof and shiny. 

It’s not only messy but can cause respiratory issues or allergic reactions for your cockatiel or anyone in the house.

So, it is especially important to find out if anyone is allergic before committing to buying a cockatiel. 

To combat the messiness of the bird dust, you will need to be regularly cleaning your house.

Twice a week you will need to dust and hoover your house to get rid of the dust that settles.

It can also help to use just one room for your cockatiel and fill it with easy to clean furniture. 

 

Where do cockatiels do the toilet? 

Cockatiels can be fairly messy when going to the toilet.

Like many birds, they aren’t exactly trained to go to a specific place, like a cat.

So, it can happen anywhere and create a mess. 

A cockatiel can poop every 15 minutes.

So, if your cockatiel is out of its cage for the recommended hours a day, two to three hours a day, that’s a lot of poo to tidy up from across your house.

Another reason why many owners recommend having one room for your cockatiel. 

Surprisingly you can potty train your cockatiel.

Some owners often recommend potty training your cockatiel.

Cockatiels are skilled and highly intelligent birds, so if they are with someone who will take the time to train them, they will not create as much of a mess.

Then there is one less mess to clean up.  

 

How to stop your cockatiel making a mess

Regular tidying and keeping up with the mess can help stop the cockatiels’ messiness from growing.

However, if you’re wanting a tidy, easy-going pet, a cockatiel may not be the best choice.

They are renowned for their messiness and upheaval of the space around them. 

There are many tricks or ideas that are passed between owners to help minimize the amount of mess created by your cockatiel.

However, it has to be said that by owning a cockatiel, a mess is inevitable.

Some owners recommend having one room for your cockatiel to minimize the spread of mess, food mats, and potty training.

Another idea, as mentioned before, is purchasing a cage skirt to make it easy to clean and contain the mess. 

Many cockatiel owners have figured out how to contain their cockatiel’s mess.

It becomes part of owning a cockatiel.

Of course, the easiest way to combat the mess made by your cockatiel is by following a cleaning routine that involves daily and weekly work and observation and supervision of your cockatiel. 

In conclusion then, yes cockatiels can be extremely messy, and they require massive upkeep on the behalf of their owner to tidy and clean after them.

There are many ways to help minimize the mess and ensure that your cockatiel is still comfortable.

However, when owning a cockatiel, the mess has to be an accepted part of the commitment of owning a pet.

Yes, cockatiels are messy, but their mess can be handled very easily with a persistent cleaning routine and some tips and tricks provided by owners and experts.


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