I've had a cockatiel for the past year and a half and we are very close but I'm afraid he gets lonely when I'm at work (I work 8 to 12 hour days.) He seems okay with the schedule as he's remained a very health, loving bird. Still, I would like for him to have a companion, and I wouldn't mind having another bird. I've been thinking about getting him a friend but I'm not sure how to go about doing this. Lucius is a pied cockatiel so I'm not even sure what sex he is, but he's very very affectionate and not very sing-song-like so I suppose he's a girl. Any suggestions? Could another bird help like a budgie or another cockatiel?
Thanks.
2007-01-20 14:27:54 · 14 answers · asked by Matthew S 2 in Pets ➔ Birds
Either your bird will hate the new bird and start having behavior issues
OR
Once you get another one, he will spend more time and attention with the bird and may start ignoring you.
I think you should leave well enough alone. He seems happy and healthy.
2007-01-20 14:33:15 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Cockatiels can be very territorial. He might not appreciate you getting another bird because it's infringing on HIS territory and HIS human.
Your buddy is young, so maybe he will be accepting. But you don't know. You will have to spend time with both your current pet and the new one together to help them become acquainted.
We have a 4yr old Cockatiel, and we recently got a Budgie also (he was a little hobo budgie who needed a loving home.) At first my Cockatiel was scared of the little guy, now he takes every opportunity to rage war upon the irritating little rascal. (The budgie is often the instigater) He chases the budgie off of us, he doesn't want to share HIS shoulder space.
If you leave the radio on for him so he doesn't feel all alone, and if you spend quality time with him out of his cage when you are home then I am sure he is fine. If it gives your peace of heart to know that your buddy has a friend, then go for it. Budgies and Cockatiels are known to get along well (usually haha). Either way, give the second bird his own cage. You don't want to upset your current, and you don't want them to bond to each other and forget about you.
Good Luck!
2007-01-20 17:41:07 · answer #2 · answered by Samantha 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Your bird does not need a friend, he has you. If you do get him a friend though you need to have a separate cage for it. If you don't you will loose your friend. Two birds in two cages are also more work. Not 2x the work either. It becomes like 4x the work. If you have a good situation, leave it alone. Your bird is fine. I am sure he sleeps most of the time you are away anyway. To keep it from boredom, turn on a TV or radio. He will be fine.
2007-01-20 15:36:14 · answer #3 · answered by Trollkepr 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Contrary to popular belief, your cockatiel will be fine living by itself. As long as you spend time with it every day out of the cage and make sure that there are pleanty of toys you will have a healthy, happy, interactive pet.
Cockatiels kept together bond to each other and are harder to handle. I had my cockatiel for 10 years by himself. In college I purchased a friend for him, and a third cockatiel was added a few years later from an abusive home. Now my first cockatiel doesn't like being picked up nearly as much as he did before. He wants to spend time with his buddies.
2007-01-21 07:56:58 · answer #4 · answered by Christie D 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It would be a mistake to get another cockatiel. We thought the same thing & did buy another one. He no longer needed us for entertainment or attention so it was like losing a pet. She turned out to be a bully in the end & we had to give her away but he never returned to being the pet he was before.
If you want to broaden his/her vocabulary or even keep it company while you're at work you could play a tape of singing birds or just leave the stereo on.
2007-01-20 14:41:08 · answer #5 · answered by Lucy 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I have a male grey cockatiel, and my schedule like yours is the same. Just spend as much time with her as possible, leave the radio or tv on for it. And try to keep a routine with Lucius. If you decide to get it a partner, be prepared to lose some of that bonding and affection you like so much with her. I have 2 lovebirds in a cage besides Brutus' cage- but never put them together. He knows when I get home he greets me with words, and a few whistles, I spend some time with him, then he gets snippy and I put him back in his cage for the night. The next morning he is up with the sun and trying to get my attention with calls, whistles and alot of chattering. What a way to wake up! I do enjoy it, Brutus brings alot of humor to my life. He hangs outside of his cage for an hour in the morning til I go to work, then back in the cage again til I come home. But this is the routine he knows, and his behavior is certainly pleasant and playful. On my days off- he is in and out of his cage all day- flying around a bit and normally just wanting to be on my shoulder or chewing on my watch. If you get another cockatiel, you have to quarantine that bird, make sure he is healthy, is vet checked, you might as well find out what sex they both are before you match them up- You don't want babies do you?
2007-01-20 16:43:55 · answer #6 · answered by ceangle13 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I have 3 cocktails.. They do need another companion or else they get too lonely and they die at a early age. But the bird you choose has to be just affection as your bird. If not they will fight and they wont be a match. You were asking if the bird is a male or a female. The way you can tell is that the females have a bright orange spot on the side of the face and the males are a darker orange. If it is a male the bird can talk you just need to buy a book on how to teach your bird to talk. Hope it helps.
2007-01-20 14:41:45 · answer #7 · answered by lana254 2 · 1⤊ 3⤋
this is the type of question that alot of ppl ask about their cockatiels.the fact that some may say that the bird needs a companion is not that true.since he is doing fine for this long,i wouldnt worry.he seems to be happy after you come home from work and stuff.so i think that he will be ok.hope this helps.i have 3 cockatiels and two parakeets in my home.though one of the cockatiels was brought here by herself,and when she was alone at that time she was fine also.this is what gives me the idea that yours will be too.
many dark blessings,
Hekate's witch)O(
2007-01-20 16:23:39 · answer #8 · answered by Hecate's_witch 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I have had Tiels for 10 years, Experience and my bird DR have said that if you add another bird to your solo bird then they will not need you anymore and give all their attention to their buddy bird. I had 2 Tiels at once and they hated me, they only wanted one another, but when I had one Tiel at a time they were the best little pets and loved and needed me.
2007-01-20 15:27:32 · answer #9 · answered by sherree24 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your his friend. give him some one on one time every day at least one hour a day. If you get another bird and they bond you'll loose your pet. If they do not bond they will fight. So be his best friend, he loves you.
2007-01-20 17:54:20 · answer #10 · answered by Tom 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋