The weather had been pretty mild in the fall, but then in the last few days it took such a sharp turn and it’s now so cold.
It’s colder than it’s been for a good few years, I think, and this made me right away concerned about my cockatiel.
Given that he’s such a small animal, not to mention native to tropical climates, I was really worried he might be too cold.
My son, though, suggested he wasn’t even sure if cockatiels get cold, so I decided to look into it.
So, do cockatiels get cold?
Yes, like any animal cockatiels do get cold. They are native to very hot, dry and arid lands, and so they are very sensitive to significant drops in temperature. You must replicate at all times a warm environment for them, as well as giving them ample nesting space to get warm.
Your cockatiel being too cold can be a huge problem for them, so you’ve got to be aware of the temperatures they’re comfortable at.
Most beings native to Australia, including the people, don’t deal very well with the cold since they’re so used to constant warmth.
Let’s look further into this.
How do I know if my cockatiel is cold?
There are many signs you can look out for, as different cockatiels will have slightly different sensitivities to temperature.
They will only be slight, though, so you should still keep general rules in mind.
One sign is your cockatiel puffing up their feathers.
They will get themselves into a little ball, and attempt to huddle up for warmth.
Fluffing feathers can be a behavior indicating several things, so look carefully at this behavior.
They also often do this when they are just sleeping, although they don’t tuck quite as dramatically.
They will also quite often put their heads down, tucking their beaks under their wings and nuzzling their chest.
They may even shiver, so if you notice your cockatiel trembling, this is probably the clearest, definite sign that it is cold.
Make sure it is not in a draft or in a particularly cold room.
Particularly where ever your cockatiel’s cage is situated, be sure the room is warm and again, that there isn’t a draft.
So, you know what to look for to determine that your cockatiel is too cold.
But most of us have central heating that can be controlled often to a decimal point, so how warm do cockatiels actually need to be?
What temperature is too cold for cockatiels?
A good baseline is thinking about what temperature would be comfortable for you.
Anything less than that is going to be uncomfortable for a tropical bird.
You might be comfortable in colder temperatures even in the house, but your cockatiel won’t.
70 degrees Fahrenheit is a good base temperature.
As long as they are inside, free of any draft or breeze, at an ambient temperature of this, they are likely to be comfortable most of the time.
Ideal temperature is likely to be closer to 77 degrees Farenheit.
This might be a bit warm for you, and you will want to lower the temperature at night, to simulate the night shift that they would experience in the wild.
They won’t want it to be hot all the time, after all.
How do cockatiels keep warm in the winter?
The best answer is central heating.
Keeping the house from becoming too cold is the first step, and the most obvious.
If the environment is warm enough, regardless of how cold it is outside, they will probably be fine.
Nonetheless, you should always leave a lot of material for them to nest in should they need to.
Again, the other important thing that many often overlook is the placement of the cockatiel’s cage. If you place it in a draft, even with the heating on, they can still get very cold.
And what about at night?
How do I keep my cockatiel warm at night?
Your cockatiel should always have a nesting box with fresh bedding, all year round.
Even at the hottest part of the year, the temperature can turn drastically at night, and your cockatiel will need somewhere to keep warm.
Again, as long as you factor in all the other advice I’ve given so far, the only step you really need to take to keep your cockatiel warm at night is give it somewhere to nest.
Conclusion
Your cockatiel getting too cold is no joke, then.
You need to take its temperature needs very seriously, as it can have a serious impact on your cockatiel’s health.
They are used to a very warm environment, and event then, they need somewhere even warmer at night to sleep.
As long as you keep all of this in mind, your cockatiel will be happy and warm.