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Loss of voice is almost always serious. Make sure you see an Avian Certified vet, ASAP. When you clean the cage, spray down the papers with water to eliminate dust in the air. Keep the cage disinfected and keep a good eye on him for any change in behavior. Insist on a full blood workup, but psittachosis or Asper both from what I heard cause loss of voice. You may need a DNA test if it is asper to see what strain and to get the proper anti fungal. It is a very nasty fungus that can be treated, but is fatal if not treated.

Please, let us know what happens. I honestly hope all is well.

Alright, I have to be contradicting, here!

alhee wrote:As for the sweet person who is still raising them that way, she is not doing a service to anyone, as 'tiels are easy to hand-rear, and it is a lot less traumatic for everyone and every bird involved. The degree of imprinting usually does not interfere with their ability to become parents later.

You say usually... but I have a female cockatiel, almost 7 years old. She's been around 3 male cockatiels... one already paired up with a female, and two unpaired. The first male was infatuated with her, however all she did was masturbate in front of him, then when he came close, she'd stop and walk off! The other unpaired male was not interested in her. She's rather fond of masturbating, with the occasional egg laying, but has not accepted a mate (or at least not a suitable one).

I actually get the feeling that we are destroying some/many of our birds BECAUSE we handraised them... they get imprinted on us humans, choose us as their mates, then get frusterated because we don't understand them or we don't breed with them.... there's also the fact that the birds can't learn to be birds if imprinted on humans, thus we have behavioral problems.... for the simple fact that birds don't know how to act as adults.

Yes, it's easy to handrear a cockatiel, and it's also easy to handtame a young parent raised tiel. (or at least most) Just because a bird is handraised does not make it tame.... In Sweden, it's illegal to handraise small birds....

alhee wrote:People who raise large flights of the smaller parrots that can be bred in flocks, without adequate imprinting of the babies for the pet market, are not much better than the puppy mills.

I agree and disagree... for the simple fact that many people have handtamed parent raised birds, and have had them as great and wonderful pets! Many parent raised birds even learning to talk human! If the birds are cared for right, I see no problems... but if the birds are allowed to do as they wish, with little care, then yes, they may be just as bad as the puppy mills...

amy_estes wrote:I know it does seem rather odd that he (I'm only guessing...He has a male personality) hasn't chirped. This morning I put him on my son's shoulder again, and he tried to chirp for me to take him back but it sounded like a bird with laryngitis...Nothing could come out. I am have no idea what is wrong.

I agree here with the others, if he hasn't been to the vet, it's time to take him. You need to speak with the vet for possible problems and also ask the vet about your tiels voice. As for his sex, well do you have any pictures when you first brought him home? (If he's about 6 months now, then he should have been about 3 months back then) Does he look the same now as he did when you got him, or has his appearance changed any? And if so, how?

amy_estes wrote:On another note, when I first put the mirror in his cage, he was frightened of it for the first day. Then became used to seeing "another bird"...For awhile, he was glued to it...That was totally fine b/c I hadn't begun to work with him yet. Now, it isn't that big of a deal...sometimes he chooses to watch himself, and other times he is glued to the millet.

I agree with WeejiBird on removing the mirror... it may not be an issue now, but it may be once you try removing the mirror.... he'll be so distressed BECAUSE you removed the mirror that he may stop eating, and be even worse than he is.... I DON'T recommend mirrors... I saw one female budgie so attached to her mirror that she took on the role of a male, from the head bobbing, eyes pinning, beak tapping, and singing of a male bird because she had a mirror... and when given a REAL male bird as a friend, she'd literally chase him and wouldn't allow him to eat. They have to live in separate cages because the female lost her social skills.
The Problems with Giving your Bird a Mirror

amy_estes wrote:BTW, I just bought some pellet food for him today, and gave it to him as a treat...He responded well, so hopefully I can have him switched from seed eventually.

Good luck on getting him onto a better diet! Some of my tiels actually took to pellets quite quickly! So they eat seeds, pellets, and fresh food!