Advice for getting a cockatiel

[Paudel731]

I plan on getting a new tiel soon and plan on having two within the next 4 months but I don't know if I should buy them both at once or about 2-3 months apart. Would really appreciate if anyone could help me.P.S these will be my first pet birds.

 

[texsize]

I see you posted the same question about budgies, do you plan on getting both cockatiels and budgies ?

I think the answer to your question is complicated and depends on what you are after/looking for.

If you buy 2 Tiels at different times there is no guaranty they will get along. If they do get along they may not want to spend much time with you instead of each other.

If you buy them at the same time from the same place they may be related to each other and you would not want them to mate.

If you are looking for a Tiel as a companion a single bird might be best but you need to devote a lot of time to it.

My first Tiel was an accident, number 2 was to keep number 1 company.
number 2 was very friendly with people but once it bonded to the first bird it became less friendly towards people.

hope this helps
texsize

 

[itchyfeet]

Hang on....Texsize you saw this under budgies?
Paudel...I saw it under lovebirds??!?

Are you just learning about all the species, or aiming for a 4 at once kind of thing?

Research is good, there are some amazing people here who will help you find your way....

 

[texsize]

3 posts.
one under cockatiels.
one under budgies.
and now 1 under lovebirds.
same post under each thread, just changing the breed of bird.
???
texsize

 

[smbrds]

Well, if that isn't to sort out some confusion...then...

Either way, cockatiels are great birds in general. They are very underrated and still require a lot of care than just feeding and providing "something" to live in. They crave and love interaction and companionship, need more than just the basic commercial seed mix, and at an early age is best to introduce the best foods and training. Providing that will ensure a great companion. They can also live up to their late 20s even 30 these days, again...with proper care. I don't recommend buying two at the same time for various reasons...one being that it won't be fair to either to divide attention between them...and I don't recommend buying just to breed them either. Having one for awhile is rewarding and having two after having one is equally as rewarding, as both will require the double care and attention involved.

I will go with texsize on this one. Getting one is important to keep it company as much as it keeping company to you...but having two, even in the long run...has to be really thought about. The second one won't be able to feed the first one unless you feed both of them. Both can also prefer each other rather than you...even after awhile. There is no guarantee.

 

[MichelleBeth]

IMO I feel it's best to always have cockatiels in pairs. Maybe not at the same time at first though. Unless you can devote enough time to just one each day, I feel that only one would get quite lonely. But like others said, it is really something you should investigate before jumping into.

edit: forgot, it's a good idea to quarantine for a month or two if you get more than one at once. Although, that's usually if you're adding a bird when you already have one in your house. Some people say it doesn't do much as you can't seal off the air, but it helps if the new one is sick as birds hide their illness and it can be very hard to detect at times if one is not to full health.

They can cost a bit to keep up. You should take them to the vet yearly for a checkup. Oh, you should look up and get an emergency vet that sees exotics. You don't want to be scrambling to find one after an accident has occurred or if your bird is suddenly ill.

They also require a good size cage. If you have two, I would say keep the cage at least 2.5 feet wide, pref larger if you can.

You also need to be very careful of fumes for all birds, but esp the smallers ones. No non stick pans, febreeze, any sort of furniture polish.. anything that's scented - keep that away from them it can be fatal. Watch out for poorly made toys that could get nails tangled or might have zinc in the metals as zinc can poison birds.

They love veggies. Mine love carrots in particular. But there are certain things you should never feed. Onions, anything leek, fruit pits, strawberries can contain a toxic mold so be wary of those... avacado is deadly. Never ever feed them that. Here is a great list of things you can feed your bird:
http://www.cockatielcottage.net/tablefoods.html

I love cockatiels. They are my favorite and most cherished bird. They can live long lives and make wonderful friends. You need to give them lots of attention, toys, a diet of not just seeds (not like 70% of pellets either - I didn't know this until recently..). They all have unique personalities and their own little quirks and silly habits. Both males and females make lovely pets. Males tend to be more vocal though.

I wish you best of luck on your bird journey.