What a cockatiel boarder actually asks for
Cockatiels are not given routine vaccinations, so there is no jab card to present at the desk. Boarders instead look for a recent record from an avian vet showing your bird was examined and in good health, plus paperwork that identifies you as the owner and explains how she lives. Expect to supply your contact details, a backup person who can make decisions, feeding and sleep instructions, and written permission for emergency treatment. Ring or message the facility before booking, because requirements vary and a specialist bird boarder may ask for more than a general kennel that takes the occasional cockatiel.
The testing question, and why cockatiels come up in it
Because cockatiels share rooms with other parrots during boarding, some facilities ask about screening for contagious conditions that spread through feather dust and droppings. Cockatiels produce plenty of powder down, and boarders who mix species think carefully about what travels in that dust. If testing is requested, your avian vet can explain what is involved and whether it suits your bird's history. Do not be alarmed by the request, and do not leave it to the week of travel; a calm conversation with your vet early keeps the booking straightforward.
Writing the care sheet only you can write
The vet record covers health, but the daily details come from you. Write down the seed and pellet mix she eats, the vegetables she actually touches rather than the ones you wish she did, and the hour her cover goes on at night. Cockatiels are prone to night frights, so note that a dim night light and a calm voice help if she thrashes after dark, and warn staff never to grab her from above in a panic. Add the whistle or phrase she answers to, whether she steps up willingly for strangers, and what her raised crest and hissing mean: space, please. That sheet prevents well-meaning handling mistakes.
Checking the room before you commit
Ask where cockatiels are caged relative to large, loud parrots, and whether the room is kept free of scented sprays and non-stick cooking fumes, both of which are dangerous to birds. Ask how often cages are cleaned, since a cockatiel's dust builds up fast, and whether she will get any out-of-cage time or stay in for safety. Ask which avian vet the facility uses if a bird goes quiet, stops eating, or breathes with an open beak. A boarder who answers plainly and shows you the room is giving you the best proof of all.
Drop-off without drama
Transport her in a secure carrier with a familiar perch and a piece of cover over part of it, so she can choose to hide. Hand the paperwork to a named member of staff, flag the night-fright note out loud, and confirm who is authorised to collect her. Keep the goodbye brief and cheerful. Cockatiels watch faces closely, and a relaxed owner makes a strange shelf of cages feel considerably less alarming.
One packet, ready every trip
Keep the vet summary, testing notes if any, and your care sheet together after the stay, adding anything staff report about how she ate or slept. Stored that way in a KinsLe Pet Passport, her records travel as one tidy packet the next time she boards, with nothing to reconstruct from memory.