Why Is My Cockatiel So Quiet? – 5 Common Reasons and Solutions
Cockatiels are usually social and are very vocal with loud noises, which can concern their owners. And another thing causing the concern can be their silence as well. Sometimes, you might find the bird has changed vocalization or gone completely silent.
So, you might ask, why is my cockatiel so quiet? Cockatiels can be quiet due to health issues, new environments, trauma, or loneliness. Health problems can include infections, inflammations, respiratory diseases, and many more.
We will discuss these reasons in detail so that you understand why the bird is being silent. Let’s find out why this happens and what to do when your bird is quiet.
Do Cockatiels Make a Lot of Noise?
Cockatiels are very loud birds and you may hear them chirping, whistling, or chattering at specific times of the day. The loudest noise by a cockatiel was recorded to be 123 decibels. And these social birds usually flock together in the wilderness. They can even use musical objects to create various sounds.
When you keep them as pets, the loudness of their noise can be reduced. They still make noise, but don’t reach the intensity of conure or mini macaw. However, they will still be very vocal and make noises at different times of the day.
Why Is My Cockatiel So Quiet?
As cockatiels are very vocal, their silence can create great concern for the owner. The quietness of cockatiels can be caused by several reasons. Here is a detailed breakdown of those reasons.
New Environment
You might have just bought a cockatiel from the pet store and brought it home. As soon as it moves to the new environment, the bird will be silent for some time.
You should not worry about this silence as the bird will take some time to become familiar with the new environment. Till then, the bird won’t talk or sing so much.
Similarly, changing the room can also have the same impact on the bird, and it will remain quiet until it feels safe in the changing environment.
Health Issues
Your bird can have multiple health issues that can cause him to remain quiet. Just like we humans have a lower voice during physical illness, cockatiels will show the same behavior. Here are some common problems that may occur.
Inflammations or infections
When the bird has any infection in the body, it will be quieter than usual. You will see less movement and lower voices then. Sometimes, the bird can completely stop talking. It can be a sign of external or internal infections.
Aspergillosis
It is an infectious, non-contagious fungal disease of the respiratory tract in cockatiels. Aspergillus fumigatus causes the disease, a species of fungi that attacks the respiratory tract and related organs.
If the immune system of the bird is weak or it inhales a large number of spores, it can face this disease. And the mortality rate in captive birds due to this disease is higher than in wild birds.
As this attacks the respiratory system, your bird will have a hard time talking. So, it will make almost no noise. In that situation, you should immediately consult a vet if you see the bird being silent for more than 24 hours.
Blocked trachea or syrinx
The organ responsible for making sounds in cockatiels is called the syrinx. It is located at the distal end of the trachea cranial to the bronchi. If there is any infection or foreign body in the area, it can cause the syrinx to produce low-pitched voices.
In some cases, the bird might not make any noise at all. Other diseases, including pneumonia, bronchitis, etc., can also make the bird quiet.
Fear or Trauma
Cockatiels can get frightened very quickly. If they are scared of something, they will mostly remain quiet until they feel relaxed again. The fear can be caused by other pets, children, or even loud noises.
Boredom or Depression
When the bird is alone in the room, and there is no one to play with the bird, your cockatiel can quickly become bored. It always seeks attention and gets depressed when it doesn’t get any. A bored or depressed cockatiel will usually remain silent until you start cheering it up.
Digestive Issues
If there are any issues with the diet of your bird, it can face digestive issues and become quiet during the period. So you must consult a vet to identify the cause and take necessary actions.
What Should I Do to Make My Cockatiel Talk?
You shouldn’t force your cockatiel to talk or sing. However, some interactions may relax the bird and bring it back to its usual nature. Check them out.
Gently Interact With the Bird
Sit by the cage of your bird and slowly talk with it. Let it feel safe in the new environment. The time to adjust to new environments can vary in different birds.
Use Treats or Toys
If your bird is bored, you can give it a treat of its choice to cheer it up. Allowing it to play with toys might also eliminate boredom and make the bird talk again.
Take It to a Vet
In serious cases, the bird might not respond to the previous actions. So, you need to take it to an experienced vet as soon as possible.
FAQs
You may still have the hunger for more information, and we want to feed you the answers with some frequently asked questions about quiet cockatiels.
Do cockatiels make noise at night?
Cockatiels tend to sleep at night, so they won’t usually make noise during nighttime. But sometimes, you might hear them chirping slowly to indicate that you need to leave them alone.
Is it normal for a cockatiel to be quiet?
Being quiet is against the natural behavior of cockatiels. It is nothing dangerous if the bird is quiet for some time. Nevertheless, if the bird is quiet for more than a day, you should take it seriously.
How do I know if my cockatiel is bored?
When your cockatiel is quiet due to boredom, it will mostly pick its feathers. It might also have less activity during the day and loss of appetite.
Key Takeaways
Although having a pet cockatiel means hearing them scream almost all the time, they can sometimes be quiet for several reasons. If you ever get confused by this behavior, know that several diseases, a new environment, fear, or boredom can cause your bird to be quiet.
And if the silence exceeds the regular timeframe, you should immediately take the bird to a vet to get it checked. On top of that, to ensure your bird is happy, you should spend some time with it every day.
