Am I spending enough time?

[Znubler]

Greetings everyone!

I'm thinking about getting a cockatiel
But I'm not 100% sure if I'm too much away from the house.
I'm away from the horse 5 days a week from 07:35 - 14:35 and some days 07:35 - 16:35.
I workout 4 times a week 1 hour - 1 and a half hour.
That makes around 5 hours at home in weekdays, and I'm 100% free in the weekends.
I don't think I would have any problems spending time with the bird during the time I'm home.

But do you consider it "spending time with your bird" when you are doing homework while having your bird running around your shoulders? or while watching a movie?

Do you guys think the time I'm home is enough to spend with my future bird?


Thanks for taking your time reading this

[liz]

They just love it when you are busy doing something and can't defend yourself. Keyboards are great toys.
In my opinion it would be enough. I do not trick train or work to teach them to talk. What they do and what they learn to say is up to them. Mine are companions or babies which ever way you want to look at it.
I don't like one of anything though. I would suggest 2. They can play together while you are gone and still want to be with you when you are home. Just make sure to parrot proof.
Cockatiels are the sweetest and least aggressive. The males sing so pretty and the females will hold a tweeter conversation with you. I have 14 little rescues who have progressed far beyond what I expected them to.

[Wolf]

The answer to your question depends first of all on the bird itself, its nature and personality. It also depends on whether it is a single bird or if it has another bird for companionship. With cockatiels I would think that if you had a pair of them that this could work out.

[Pajarita]

Yep, I agree with both Liz and Wolf, get a pair and they will be happy both by themselves and with you.

[beakycheekie]

Hi Znubler. I have 3 cockatiels myself. I think tiels are wonderful birds, they tend to be mild-mannered and gentle and generally sweethearts. They all of course have their own personalities so nothing is ever guaranteed. One of my tiels is VERY attached to me and demands a lot of attention. She wants to be on me at all times and will not stay on a play stand or her cage top. She gets jealous if I give attention to the other birds and will nip me sometimes when I do. She is still very sweet though and I love her.
I am gone a lot. 5 days a week I am gone from 8:30-5:30 and occasionally have events in the evenings I have to attend. Because I am gone so much and because tiels tend to be VERY flock-oriented, I have more than 1. I really think that parrots that have such strong needs to be in a flock are happier if they can have at least one other bird companion. And honestly, I really don't think that 2 or even 3 are that much more work than 1. It's actually quite fun to have a little flock sitting around me each evening.

[liz]

I like to keep an even number on the cockatiels. It really does not make that much difference when I have 14 but an even number feels better to me.