Winter is coming ... What cockatiels need now
4/11/2025
Translation: machine translated
Pictures: Anika Schulz
When the days get shorter, birds want an extra portion of attention. It's very easy to do. I'll show you how here.
Since the time change, my four cockatiels have been in winter mode. Rio, Cookie, Pebbles and Finni sleep a lot and are much lazier than in the bright summer months. No wonder, after all, the little cockatoos' biorhythm is orientated towards sunlight. Just like us humans.
If you also have nymphies and want to make the dark season more pleasant for them, here are a few tips. For everyone else: Stay tuned, there are cute animal photos! Here's the first one right away.
Vitamin-rich green food and fruit
Even if lettuce and the like are no longer in season, you should offer your nymphies some so that they get enough vitamins in winter. Just make sure you buy organic quality. This way you can be reasonably sure that the little fluffy balls won't get any harmful substances. My birds, for example, like to eat anything green. That's why pears are also on their menu at the moment.
Bird lamp with UV light
In my opinion, this is a must as soon as only a few rays of sunlight reach the bird room. Cockatiels need UV light for their plumage and to regulate their hormone balance. They can also see in the ultraviolet range - unlike us featherless birds. My bird lamp is a brand I made myself and I switch it on for a few hours in the morning so that my nymphies can at least experience a «sunrise». But you can also buy bird lamps with a timer. And with nibble protection for overzealous beaks.
Keep to quiet times
Despite the bird lamp, Rio, Cookie, Pebbles and Finni are done for the day by 5 pm at the latest. They get tired and doze off. If I then try to play with them, all I get is an irritated «Leave me alone» look. So I take the fluffy flatmates into the aviary and fill their bowls for tomorrow's breakfast. After that, I respect their rest periods.
You can also cover your aviary with a cloth afterwards if they accept it. (Unfortunately, mine don't.) This makes it even darker and quieter for the feathered sleepyheads - especially if they live in the living room, for example, and you want to watch TV there in the evening.
Careful with candles and Christmas decorations
If you put up candles, Advent wreaths or glittering X-mas decorations, you need to be careful. Cockatiels are super curious and will nibble on everything that they definitely shouldn't nibble on. They can burn themselves on candles, prick themselves on pine needles and if they eat glitter dust, that's not so healthy either. So it's best to use LED candles and make sure that all your Christmas decorations are bird-safe and non-toxic.
How do you sweeten up the dark season for your pets? Let me know in the comments.
Header image: Anika Schulz
Anika Schulz
Teamleader Editorial
Anika.Schulz@galaxus.deAs a child, I was socialised with Mario Kart on SNES before ending up in journalism after graduating from high school. As a team leader at Galaxus, I'm responsible for news. I'm also a trekkie and an engineer.
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