Hey so I recently bought a cockatiel and he is always standing on the perch of the food bowl and refusing to use other perchs in the cage and I can’t see him drinking water at all I just got him is that normal
Hi Robin,
Your new bird just needs time to settle in and get used to his new home. He will begin to explore the cage when he is more comfortable. This may be a few days or a few weeks. If he was hand raised and is tame, he is likely to settle in much more quickly. Birds don’t drink a lot, so as long as he is eating, then he is probably sneaking a drink when he feels safe. Don’t hover over him – he needs to get used to you, too, but watching him all the time will just make him nervous. I’ll give you a link to our general care page, and you should begin with the Teaching & Learning section as it covers the first few days in a new home.
Thank you for asking Lafeber,
Brenda
