Ask Lafeber

Cockatiel voice

I have a cockatiel that was rescued from living at least 3 months in the wild. She has been vetted and passed a gram stain test and appears otherwise healthy. I’ve had her now for 1 year. I noticed that she is not able to hiss like a normal tiel. She opens her mouth and can make louder calls and sounds but not hiss. Could that be a sign of infection or illness?

Hi Heidi,

Hissing is actually a very defensive or aggressive sound, and most pet cockatiels do not hiss. If she seems to be trying to hiss and can’t, then possibly there is an issue. But if she can make other natural sounds, then most likely she simply doesn’t feel threatened enough to hiss. So it’s a good thing!

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda