How many cockatiels?

[Sammy1]

Hey guys!
I've been doing extensive research on getting a cockatiel but have heard mixed things about how many I should get. I obviously want to have a very strong bond with my bird(s) and have heard that if you get two cockatiels you risk them bonding with each other rather than you. I do go to work for 8-10 hours on weekdays and would have plenty of time to spend with the bird(s) afterwards (around 3-4 hours give or take daily) and 30-40 mins to spend before leaving. Also almost all day on weekends. Do you think I should get two cockatiels if this is the case to keep each other company?
If so, should I get two at the same time or get one first and ensure I have a good bond with them and then after a month or so get a second?
If I were to get both at the same time do I need to quarantine them or can I put them in the same cage right away (they would be from the same breeder and maybe have a bond already).
Also, could I put them in two cages that are placed right beside each other? How would this affect their bond with each other or their bond with me? could they still get lonely if I did this? (Keep in mind I would still spend plenty of time with them both together and individually each day)
All advice is welcome!!
Thank you!!

 

[itzjbean]

Always start with ONE bird. You never want to get two birds at the same time because it is true, as you said, they will likely bond to each other and become indifferent towards you.

I'm not saying that you should only get one bird period, but in time if you feel you want another bird yourself, you can get another. But they should of course be caged separately and introduced properly. One at a time so you get as much one-on-one time with the bird as possible before bringing in another.

I've been through both. 3 years ago I adopted a bonded pair of tame cockatiels and it's true.... they'll step up for me and sit on my shoulder but they prefer each other.

I got one weaned hand fed cockatiel a little over a month ago and it is a huge difference from him and the bonded pair I had (one passed away this year sadly). Ember is very sweet and affectionate and only wants to be pet and held and loved on. He loves to be out of the cage and looks forward to seeing me and it's clear I'm his chosen person. He's a Velcro bird in that he is very attached to me already.

Go with just one! Wait at least 6 months until getting another... that way you get to know this other bird well and really decide if you want another. Remember, never get a bird for another bird, only get another bird because you want one.

 

[katiea]

Birds are flock animals and should always be kept in pairs or groups.

IMO, "bonding" is overrated. 1 of my birds is bonded to me so when I go to work, he screams and gets upset. My birds that have no bond to me don't care that much. They still hang out with me and like me, they just aren't obsessed with me, and I see it's better that way. But either way getting 2 birds won't keep the birds from bonding to you. One of my tiels has been trying to bond to me lately and she's already bonded to a bird.
If they are already living together I'd keep them together. It depends on the birds, my tiels are in stacked cages, my lovebirds live together, and my conures are in cages next to each other. Because my tiels don't do well living together but as soon as the doors open they can be together, the lovebirds have no problem being together 24/7, and the conures only want to spend a couple hours a day together.

 

[Scott]

Birds are flock animals and should always be kept in pairs or groups.

IMO, "bonding" is overrated. 1 of my birds is bonded to me so when I go to work, he screams and gets upset. My birds that have no bond to me don't care that much. They still hang out with me and like me, they just aren't obsessed with me, and I see it's better that way. But either way getting 2 birds won't keep the birds from bonding to you. One of my tiels has been trying to bond to me lately and she's already bonded to a bird.
If they are already living together I'd keep them together. It depends on the birds, my tiels are in stacked cages, my lovebirds live together, and my conures are in cages next to each other. Because my tiels don't do well living together but as soon as the doors open they can be together, the lovebirds have no problem being together 24/7, and the conures only want to spend a couple hours a day together.

Some species such as Goffins are better in flocks IMO. Yet they can still crave a relationship with humans. Sometimes they need to be enjoyed separately to avoid jealousy!

 

[EllenD]

Birds are flock animals and should always be kept in pairs or groups.

IMO, "bonding" is overrated. 1 of my birds is bonded to me so when I go to work, he screams and gets upset. My birds that have no bond to me don't care that much. They still hang out with me and like me, they just aren't obsessed with me, and I see it's better that way. But either way getting 2 birds won't keep the birds from bonding to you. One of my tiels has been trying to bond to me lately and she's already bonded to a bird.
If they are already living together I'd keep them together. It depends on the birds, my tiels are in stacked cages, my lovebirds live together, and my conures are in cages next to each other. Because my tiels don't do well living together but as soon as the doors open they can be together, the lovebirds have no problem being together 24/7, and the conures only want to spend a couple hours a day together.

While I respect this opinion, I completely and totally disagree with it, and here's why:

Yes, birds are "flock" animals, this is true...HOWEVER, the idea is supposed to be that YOU ARE THEIR FLOCK!!! As Itzjbean has already wisely stated, if you start out by buying two Cockatiels, or any birds at the same time, chances are that they are going to bond closely with each other, and may or may not have any bond at all with you. This especially applies if you are thinking about bringing home a very young or baby bird, as two babies have a much higher probability of bonding closely with each other and then totally pushing-out any human companionship (where as with adult birds you really can't guess how they are going to interact with each other, they may hate each other, they may just tolerate each other, they may bond closely with each other, you just don't know, but with very young or baby birds they seem to more-readily bond closely with each other).

***You absolutely DO NOT want to bring home two young/baby birds at the same time IF your goal is for YOU to bond very closely with your bird, and for YOU to be your bird's companion and "flock". And again, as Itzjbean wisely stated, after you bring home your first bird and you bond-closely with it and you form a close relationship with it, then in the future if you want to add a second bird BECAUSE YOU WANT A SECOND BIRD TO BOND WITH AND TO JOIN YOUR FLOCK, then you should think about bringing home a second young, baby bird or adopting an adult bird (NOT because you want to bring home a second bird for your first bird, because again, you will have no idea how two adult birds are going to interact with each other, so YOU need to want a second bird companion if you decide to do this)...

Let me emphasize something to you though that is very important (and from what you describe it does really sound like you know how much of a commitment you are making)...If your main goal is to bring home a Cockatiel and for them to bond closely to you, to be your companion/family member/child, however you want to think of it, then YOU must make the commitment to spending as much time every single day as you can with your bird, just as if they were your actual child. Parrots are extremely intelligent, having the intelligence of a 3-4 year-old human toddler, and as such, they can easily become bored and understimulated mentally if you get tired of them or you fail to include them in your life. So it's extremely important that you locate your bird's cage in the "main" room of your home, the room where the "action" is, so that your bird feels like they are included in your life and are a part of your life. Usually this room is the living room, family room, TV room, etc., whatever room of your home is the room that you spend the most time in when you are home, and the room of your home where other people usually are when they visit. Even if you're not directly interacting with your bird and they are inside of their cage, just being in the same room as you while you are reading, watching TV, playing video games, talking, etc. will not only make your bird feel safe, secure, and a part of your family and life, but they are more likely to happily entertain themselves inside of their cages with their toys...What you don't want to do is locate their main cage in a "spare" room or "back" bedroom that is like a dedicated "bird room"; a lot of people think this is a nice thing to do, but one of the things that frustrates a bird more than anything is being able to hear you and know that you're home, but not being able to see you and not being in the same room as you. This is what usually causes constant screaming, as well as other issues.

If you are both WILLING and more importantly you WANT to become your bird's close-companion, your bird's "person", and you stick to your plan that you wrote in your post (which is a good one) of spending time with him before work in the morning, then after work in the evenings, then on all days off, eating meals with them, taking them places with you, playing with them, and letting them out of their cage whenever you are home, and you can provide them a nice, large cage with tons and tons of toys and foraging activities to keep them happy and healthy and entertain them while you're at work, and you really want to be your bird's "flock", then yes, by all means, bring home a Cockatiel, as forming a strong, close bond with a parrot is like no other relationship you've ever had before, it's extremely rewarding for both you and your bird.

And again, if you want to form a very strong, close bond your bird, then DO NOT bring home two birds at the same time to start out with. Yes they are "flock" animals, but the idea is that YOU are going to be their flock, and after you form a close bond with your bird and you guys become your own flock, then you can certainly add to your flock later on, as it is very true that if you bring home two birds at the same time they are very likely to bond closely with each other and not with you. That's just nature. And this is why it's extremely important that YOU bond closely with your first single bird, and that you are their companion.

Just to give you a pretty good example of doing this and how it can work out very well and accomplish what you're trying to accomplish, I currently have 4 parrots that I got all at different times, and who are all extremely closely bonded with me, I'm their "person" and their closest companion in life, however, they all are in our family flock together. I first got my Cockatiel, a hand-raised, baby female, and I had her for almost a year by herself, bonded extremely closely with her, and then about a year later I brought home my Quaker Parrot, a hand-raised baby female. I again bonded extremely closely with her, and because my Cockatiel was already over a year old and bonded closely with me, she wasn't really interested in bonding closely with the baby Quaker, and the baby Quaker was enamored with me. Then about a year after bringing home my Quaker I brought home my Green Cheek Conure, a hand-raised, baby male. Again, my baby Green Cheek bonded very, very, very closely with me, he was attached to me constantly and still is, and as time went on he became pretty close to my Quaker, and her to him. So now they are very bonded to each other, but they are both closely bonded to me first, nothing has changed that...And finally about 7 months after I brought home my Green Cheek I brought home my Senegal Parrot, a hand-raised, baby male. And this guy attached himself to me and never let go. He's my sweetheart, and while he doesn't hate the other 3 birds, nor does he ever become aggressive or violent with them and he knows that they are a part of his flock and he accepts them, he could really care less about any of them, and he just wants to be with me. And now we're all at the point where we can all be together as a family, or a "flock", hanging out, watching movies, eating our meals together, etc., and they're truly like my children. They're MY FLOCK, and I'm theirs, and we love it this way.

 

[katiea]

Birds are flock animals and should always be kept in pairs or groups.

IMO, "bonding" is overrated. 1 of my birds is bonded to me so when I go to work, he screams and gets upset. My birds that have no bond to me don't care that much. They still hang out with me and like me, they just aren't obsessed with me, and I see it's better that way. But either way getting 2 birds won't keep the birds from bonding to you. One of my tiels has been trying to bond to me lately and she's already bonded to a bird.
If they are already living together I'd keep them together. It depends on the birds, my tiels are in stacked cages, my lovebirds live together, and my conures are in cages next to each other. Because my tiels don't do well living together but as soon as the doors open they can be together, the lovebirds have no problem being together 24/7, and the conures only want to spend a couple hours a day together.

While I respect this opinion, I completely and totally disagree with it, and here's why:

Yes, birds are "flock" animals, this is true...HOWEVER, the idea is supposed to be that YOU ARE THEIR FLOCK!!! As Itzjbean has already wisely stated, if you start out by buying two Cockatiels, or any birds at the same time, chances are that they are going to bond closely with each other, and may or may not have any bond at all with you. This especially applies if you are thinking about bringing home a very young or baby bird, as two babies have a much higher probability of bonding closely with each other and then totally pushing-out any human companionship (where as with adult birds you really can't guess how they are going to interact with each other, they may hate each other, they may just tolerate each other, they may bond closely with each other, you just don't know, but with very young or baby birds they seem to more-readily bond closely with each other).

***You absolutely DO NOT want to bring home two young/baby birds at the same time IF your goal is for YOU to bond very closely with your bird, and for YOU to be your bird's companion and "flock". And again, as Itzjbean wisely stated, after you bring home your first bird and you bond-closely with it and you form a close relationship with it, then in the future if you want to add a second bird BECAUSE YOU WANT A SECOND BIRD TO BOND WITH AND TO JOIN YOUR FLOCK, then you should think about bringing home a second young, baby bird or adopting an adult bird (NOT because you want to bring home a second bird for your first bird, because again, you will have no idea how two adult birds are going to interact with each other, so YOU need to want a second bird companion if you decide to do this)...

Let me emphasize something to you though that is very important (and from what you describe it does really sound like you know how much of a commitment you are making)...If your main goal is to bring home a Cockatiel and for them to bond closely to you, to be your companion/family member/child, however you want to think of it, then YOU must make the commitment to spending as much time every single day as you can with your bird, just as if they were your actual child. Parrots are extremely intelligent, having the intelligence of a 3-4 year-old human toddler, and as such, they can easily become bored and understimulated mentally if you get tired of them or you fail to include them in your life. So it's extremely important that you locate your bird's cage in the "main" room of your home, the room where the "action" is, so that your bird feels like they are included in your life and are a part of your life. Usually this room is the living room, family room, TV room, etc., whatever room of your home is the room that you spend the most time in when you are home, and the room of your home where other people usually are when they visit. Even if you're not directly interacting with your bird and they are inside of their cage, just being in the same room as you while you are reading, watching TV, playing video games, talking, etc. will not only make your bird feel safe, secure, and a part of your family and life, but they are more likely to happily entertain themselves inside of their cages with their toys...What you don't want to do is locate their main cage in a "spare" room or "back" bedroom that is like a dedicated "bird room"; a lot of people think this is a nice thing to do, but one of the things that frustrates a bird more than anything is being able to hear you and know that you're home, but not being able to see you and not being in the same room as you. This is what usually causes constant screaming, as well as other issues.

If you are both WILLING and more importantly you WANT to become your bird's close-companion, your bird's "person", and you stick to your plan that you wrote in your post (which is a good one) of spending time with him before work in the morning, then after work in the evenings, then on all days off, eating meals with them, taking them places with you, playing with them, and letting them out of their cage whenever you are home, and you can provide them a nice, large cage with tons and tons of toys and foraging activities to keep them happy and healthy and entertain them while you're at work, and you really want to be your bird's "flock", then yes, by all means, bring home a Cockatiel, as forming a strong, close bond with a parrot is like no other relationship you've ever had before, it's extremely rewarding for both you and your bird.

And again, if you want to form a very strong, close bond your bird, then DO NOT bring home two birds at the same time to start out with. Yes they are "flock" animals, but the idea is that YOU are going to be their flock, and after you form a close bond with your bird and you guys become your own flock, then you can certainly add to your flock later on, as it is very true that if you bring home two birds at the same time they are very likely to bond closely with each other and not with you. That's just nature. And this is why it's extremely important that YOU bond closely with your first single bird, and that you are their companion.

Just to give you a pretty good example of doing this and how it can work out very well and accomplish what you're trying to accomplish, I currently have 4 parrots that I got all at different times, and who are all extremely closely bonded with me, I'm their "person" and their closest companion in life, however, they all are in our family flock together. I first got my Cockatiel, a hand-raised, baby female, and I had her for almost a year by herself, bonded extremely closely with her, and then about a year later I brought home my Quaker Parrot, a hand-raised baby female. I again bonded extremely closely with her, and because my Cockatiel was already over a year old and bonded closely with me, she wasn't really interested in bonding closely with the baby Quaker, and the baby Quaker was enamored with me. Then about a year after bringing home my Quaker I brought home my Green Cheek Conure, a hand-raised, baby male. Again, my baby Green Cheek bonded very, very, very closely with me, he was attached to me constantly and still is, and as time went on he became pretty close to my Quaker, and her to him. So now they are very bonded to each other, but they are both closely bonded to me first, nothing has changed that...And finally about 7 months after I brought home my Green Cheek I brought home my Senegal Parrot, a hand-raised, baby male. And this guy attached himself to me and never let go. He's my sweetheart, and while he doesn't hate the other 3 birds, nor does he ever become aggressive or violent with them and he knows that they are a part of his flock and he accepts them, he could really care less about any of them, and he just wants to be with me. And now we're all at the point where we can all be together as a family, or a "flock", hanging out, watching movies, eating our meals together, etc., and they're truly like my children. They're MY FLOCK, and I'm theirs, and we love it this way.

I really didn’t know people disagreed with me this much on my opinions. I always say to keep in pairs/groups because I see the difference in my birds after being paired up with a friend. The bonding part was just my personal opinion, I’m not “anti-bonding” or anything like that, it’s just not for me.

I don’t consider myself to be part of the flock, more so a friend of the flock.

I don’t have that much to say about it because I don’t feel that strongly about it. I think it’s best for the birds but if someone keeps all single birds I don’t think they’re a awful bird owner or anything. I usually post about pairs/groups because when I was first getting a bird I didn’t even know that was an option. I thought everyone kept birds alone and if I got 2 they’d turn wild and hate me. That was 7 years ago but still most first time bird owners I see have 1 bird so I say it because most people aren’t saying it. I did as much research as I could when getting my first bird but I never found anyone advocating for keeping birds in pairs/groups, so I try to be that person

 

[Sammy1]

thank you everyone for all of your replies! As @EllenD and @itzjbean said, I think I will start off with one bird and then if I decide I want another a few months later, I can always get one.
If I were to do this, could I get another species of bird that my cockatiel would tolerate? Are there specific species that you should not mix with a cockatiel? (I wouldn't keep them in the same cage or anything just to all be part of the same 'flock' or 'family').

 

[brighterdaysaviary]

If you are gone 8-10 each day on the weekday than I really do think you should get two birds. They will keep each other company while your away and when you are home and ready to play with them then you can take them out and interact with them.

The whole idea of "you must buy only one bird if you want the bird to bond with you" is completely false. If you will be gone for long periods of time on a daily basis then the right thing to do is to get your bird a friend. Birds are extremely social animals and if you see them in the wild they are always in a flock (unless of course its time for mating and they pair off and go find a nest and have babies etc).

I personally have Lovebirds, all of them have cage mates and yet when it's time to play they all come running to me. They want to spend time with me and be with me. When I am in school, at work, or when I simply leave the house I know they won't be lonely because they have each other for company.

Of course, everyone has different opinions, and experiences. But from my experience and belief, birds should have cage mates when the owner is gone for long periods of time. I personally think all birds should have another friend that is a bird period.

Also, there is no guarantee that if you get one bird now and another in a few months that they will take a liking to each other. However, if you get two birds that have already been together then more than likely they will accept and enjoy each other's company in the future. I would recommend getting the same gender so they do not try to reproduce with each other.

*****I also want to point out where and how the birds were raised will affect your bond in the future. If you buy birds that are not used to much human interaction and are not tamed then they will bond with each other and not want to be with you (of course taming them is possible). But if you purchase birds from a breeder who spends a ton of time with them every day then the birds will want to spend time with you because that how they were raised; with a ton of human interaction. And if you get two from the same breeder, a good, ethical, reputable breeder then you will have no issue bonding with them.

Good luck!

 

[Sammy1]

I have found a few possible breeders who all have hand-tamed and hand fed birds whom I will visit in a few weeks. How will I know which breeder is best and takes better care of their birds? Also, if I WERE to get two 'tiels at once, could I keep them in separate cages side by side or should I keep them in the same cage?

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

We have a member,Wes,(Texsize),who has eight 'tiels,a bonded pair,and three of their offspring..(The Three Amigo's) as he calls them and he has a couple Amazons AND an African Grey
I believe he has stated that the bonded pair don't really give a rats pa-toot about him and his family,but the Amigos are all companion fids who like everyone.
I hope he reads your post and comments. BB,my only 'tiel,is super bonded to me and he was just a little guy when he came home with Amy and I.
Even though Amy keeps trying to be Beebs best pal,Beebers could care less.


Jim

 

[lplummer52]

I’ll tell you one thing. Get one bird and see how much time and work goes into bonding and caring for the bird. You might change your tune once realize all the time and work it requires to live with a toddler with wings. As much as I love Birdie and would love to try a different species, She is certainly enough for me....and I’m retired!

 

[itzjbean]

I’ll tell you one thing. Get one bird and see how much time and work goes into bonding and caring for the bird. You might change your tune once realize all the time and work it requires to live with a toddler with wings. As much as I love Birdie and would love to try a different species, She is certainly enough for me....and I’m retired!

This is an excellent point. Especially if the OP has never owned a bird before, I think getting one would be plenty for starting out. There's a lot of people out there that like the idea of owning birds but get one and it ends up driving them nuts with the noise, the flying, the attention they need.... it can be exhausting. And that's just ONE bird.

 

[brighterdaysaviary]

Well first be sure you can handle a bird in general before getting any. I would always suggest visiting your local bird rescue or shelter and volunteer there and ask questions about care, mess, noise, etc and know more about the different species of bird before deciding to get any.

 

[LaManuka]

My advice, for what it’s worth, is get one now, bond with him or her for a few months or so, & get another later, particularly if they will be alone most of the day. BUT do try to ensure they are the same sex even though this can be tricky. I had a mature female & got what I thought was a juvenile female who turned out to be a boy and when he reached sexual maturity all hell broke loose! He fell madly in love with her but became extremely aggressive & territorial towards her & we ended up having to cage her during his hormonal rages just for her own protection! As for different species, you can't go wrong with a budgie, they're so darling.

 

[MonicaMc]

katiea, it's fine, I agree with you! Although we humans *ARE* supposed to be our bird's flock, we are not birds. We can in no way replace an actual bird. We can't mate with them, have babies with them, etc. Now, even if you have a flock situation doesn't mean you need to encourage those behaviors either... but again, most birds can, and do, benefit with other birds being in the home even if that other bird(s) is not the same species and they don't get along. I've seen it myself going across multiple species.


If a person can handle getting two birds and is willing to put the work into it, I agree, two is better than one! But likewise, one bird *for now* may be beneficial for someone who's just getting into birds and may not be prepared for having multiple birds.


I will say though that I've had my first cockatiel for almost 17 years now, in about a little over a month it'll be 17 years! And she is also 17 years old. She was hand raised from day one from her breeder, was the last of the chicks to be sold, and she was bought by friends of the family for me. Through the years, she's seen seven other cockatiels come and go... and I'm currently fostering two other cockatiels. Once they find homes (one after she's deemed healthy - she has a skin infection and getting treatment for it), that will be nine other cockatiels. All of the others were second hand, plus, birds that have had one or more homes before coming to me. Some I kept and they passed from age related health issues, others I found homes for.

Through all of this, Casey has *always* remained friendly. Always demanding attention, always looking for ways to get into trouble (aka - find places to nest!), has never truly been aggressive, has only *TRULY* bitten once in her entire life.



The first, and thus far *ONLY* bird she has bonded with was my first conure... whom I got a month after I got Casey. He was a really sad 'little' guy. Wasn't anything described as a conure and wasn't really trusting of humans either. Against my own wishes, they became cage buddies and had remained so until he, my first conure, passed on from his own health issues. She has never bonded to any other bird like that since. Sure, she enjoys having other cockatiels around, and she has attempted to make friends with my second conure, but quickly learned that he's not worth being friends with. Again, never lost the bond with her. In fact, it has helped other birds learn to trust in me simply because she has paved the way. I would love it if I could find a bird that she could have that bond with like she did with my first conure. I know if I did manage that, she would still remain bonded to me but be fine having a buddy, too! Granted, her relationship with my first conure was pretty one sided! LOL They got along, but if Noel was eating something with his foot, Casey would often sneak bites and Noel never cared. If Casey wanted head scritches from Noel, she never got them... but she did preen Noel, which he enjoyed. The two often slept cuddled up together.


Casey still looks the same as she did 16+ years ago! Maybe not quite as much energy, but still the same friendly and quirky personality!