Random question...

[Azure Hanyo]

I am not planning on doing this, but if I did...

Hypothetically, if a male cockatiel and a hen got along well in the same cage, is breeding inevitable or could I prevent it?

[Rue]

I've had pairs for most of my 30 years with 'tiels. It's just the last 2 years that I've had the 2 hens.

They will mate. I won't say every couple will...I imagine some will dislike each other...but don't count on it.

But I never bred mine deliberately to have offspring. I never provided a nesting box and the proper conditions. When the hens lay eggs - usually on the bottom of the cage, I let her sit them to prevent chronic egg-laying and she generally abandons them well before they hatch.

[Azure Hanyo]

If I *did* (big if) get a hen and my Archimdes got along with her, would they stay tame with plenty of attention or go wild?

[Michael]

Don't buy another parrot counting on it to be a mate or even friends for the first. I've read a long story about a lady who spoiled her parrot with attention early on and it became very needy. Her lifestyle changed and she had less time to spend with it so it got really depressed. She decided to buy it a mate and spend another few thousand for another of the same species. I think it later turned out that the mate she bought was the same sex and she had to return it for a swap. Anyway, finally she got the original parrot a mate and the original parrot went crazy and kept attacking the new one and wanted nothing to do with it. The lady ended up having to buy another cage and taking care of yet another parrot when she was really trying to avoid having to spend too much time with the first. Point is, never count on parrots to get along and never buy with that intention. If you happen to have a second and they get along, great, and if they don't that should be what you were expecting in the first place.

Personally I prefer one bird, one cage. No problems that way.

[pchela]

You could keep them tame with LOTS of attention.

[Azure Hanyo]

Don't buy another parrot counting on it to be a mate or even friends for the first. I've read a long story about a lady who spoiled her parrot with attention early on and it became very needy. Her lifestyle changed and she had less time to spend with it so it got really depressed. She decided to buy it a mate and spend another few thousand for another of the same species. I think it later turned out that the mate she bought was the same sex and she had to return it for a swap. Anyway, finally she got the original parrot a mate and the original parrot went crazy and kept attacking the new one and wanted nothing to do with it. The lady ended up having to buy another cage and taking care of yet another parrot when she was really trying to avoid having to spend too much time with the first. Point is, never count on parrots to get along and never buy with that intention. If you happen to have a second and they get along, great, and if they don't that should be what you were expecting in the first place.

Personally I prefer one bird, one cage. No problems that way.

Oh I don't think I will, it was a big "if my husband wanted a cockatiel, and if it were female, and if they got along" kind of scenario.

[Rue]

I had no issues with personality changes. But I suppose you might. But as pchela says with lots of attention I'm sure you can keep them both tame.

Budgies and cockatiels are just easier to keep as a flock. I know of budgies housed together that are tame too.

My daughter's pair are different. One is 'naturally' tame...and the other is psychotic. But the tamer one isn't less tame for being housed with the nut-case.

[Titanius]

I had no issues with personality changes. But I suppose you might. But as pchela says with lots of attention I'm sure you can keep them both tame.

Budgies and cockatiels are just easier to keep as a flock. I know of budgies housed together that are tame too.

My daughter's pair are different. One is 'naturally' tame...and the other is psychotic. But the tamer one isn't less tame for being housed with the nut-case.

I have the same instance with mine.. But my situation could have ended up bad if Jasper didn't actually like Diamond. I say just to not feel the compulsion to want to play matchmaker go for a different species. Like lovies !! But if your husband really feels a tiel fits him I wouldn't stand in the way of that.

[Kim S]

Why do these topics keep popping up all over the place?

Anyway. Usually (but not always) they wont breed unless you give them the opportunity. But be carefull with that. Tiels will think of and open cupboard as an oportunity. If they really really want to they will even lay eggs on the bottom of te cage, but that is highly unlikely.

[Azure Hanyo]

Why do these topics keep popping up all over the place?

Sorry... I didn't notice that I was a big copy-cay. Oops.