2 cockatiels in bedroom?

[Znubler]

Greetings everyone!

I previously created a thread called "Am I spending enough time?", and I got a lot of helpful replies. I have decided I would like to get 2 cockatiels, and I have already found a breeder, but I have to wait until the birds are old enough.

I'm only 17 years old, so I still live with my parents and I do have a large bedroom. I do unfortunately not have any windows that the birds will be able to look through, and the only suitable place is a 1,5m^2 (4,9 square feet) floor area beside my bed. I have read a few articles that say it is unhealthy to have a cockatiel in your bedroom because of dust and they do mess a lot because of the pellets/seeds. I do not mind the mess, I don't think it will take more than 5 minutes to clean it, but I'm worried about the dust. What do you guys think? I have heard about an "air purifier ", but I'm not sure if it's enough?

Thank you for taking your time reading this.

[liz]

A lot of us use air purifiers to keep the dust down. I have 13 cockatiels loose in their own room and could not survive with out one.

Their dust is only harmful if you are allergic to it. I use Swiffer floor pads to dust. They pick up quite a bit and they are easy to use then throw away.

[Wolf]

Concerning the air purifier, I would get one and use it but you need to get one that does not produce ozone which is harmful for your birds. For the actual size of the birds they produce a lot of dust.

Now if I were to get any bird I would suggest that you find a better place than your bedroom, but not because of the dust, but because of the lighting. All birds are photoperiodic and need the exposure to the light especially in the early morning and late afternoon and evening during the twilight periods which they must have in order to keep their internal biological clock in tune with the seasons as that is what controls ( mostly) controls their mating cycles.

[Pajarita]

I agree with Wolf on the light issue and add to it that, unless you go to sleep at 4 pm in the winter, it will be difficult to keep them from producing sexual hormones all year round because tiels are INTENSELY opportunistic breeders.

Also, I would beg you to consider adopting adults instead of buying babies from a breeder. Cockatiels and budgies are the most given up birds and there are, literally, hundreds of thousands of them without homes (so much so that I know there are rescues that no longer accept them) so buying from a breeder simply contributes to an already HUGE problem.

[Znubler]

Thanks everyone for the high-quality answers. I do appreciate it.

[ParrotsForLife]

I have 3 birds living in my room and don't use a air purifier.My Cockatiels don't produce much dust and my Plum headed parakeet is not a dusty bird.They don't make much of a mess and it takes like 5 minutes to clean and my African grey is not messy at all.I would love to only have 1 bird now lol but at the same time I have all these and like having them all.I can say though my bond with my Male cockatiel is weaker now that I have a Female too.

[liz]

It helps to give them a daily spray. My flock will run toward me and almost touch each other when they see the spray bottle. I use half aloe and half water. Aloe does not cost much. I buy it by the gallon from the health food store but have also seen it at Walmart.

One of these days I will get my life back together and send pictures of this beautiful flock. I love them so much. Now that they are loosing their fear of me it has been even more fun. I am always surprise when one that I felt I would never have contact with comes running to me to tell me something. All my cockatiels can fly now but I feed them on a big tray on the floor. I no longer have to feed Gimpy separate. He is now a full member of the flock.

[Znubler]

Thanks, ParrotsForLife and Liz for the answers. I'd appreciate it

I forgot to mention that I have a window in the ceiling, I though I wrote it.
I'm able to place the cage under the window, so they will be able to get natural sunlight. Will that be enough?

I'm a little confused if I need an air purifier or not. It seems like there are different opinions.

[ParrotsForLife]

Thanks, ParrotsForLife and Liz for the answers. I'd appreciate it

I forgot to mention that I have a window in the ceiling, I though I wrote it.
I'm able to place the cage under the window, so they will be able to get natural sunlight. Will that be enough?

I'm a little confused if I need an air purifier or not. It seems like there are different opinions.

The Sunlight does not come through the window so you have to bring them outside for vitamin D.

[Wolf]

It should be enough to provide the exposure for the twilight periods as that is a different light than the normal sunlight, it has to do with how the curvature of the earth refracts and bends the light to produce a unique wavelength of light. For Vitamin D-3 production as well as for calcium absorption it is not adequate because the UV light needed for these things is filtered out by both the screen material and by the window glass itself. To provide for this you need to try and get them outside for about 20 minutes each day. When you take your birds outside you need to use a smaller travel type of cage and place it out of direct sunlight so a place like a table under a shade tree is about as perfect as you can get. If you don't have a travel cage then you will need to get and train them to wear a harness for taking them outside. Never take a bird outside without it either wearing a harness or being in a cage, this is to prevent something unforeseen from causing them to fly unexpectantly and you losing the bird because of it.