My GCC loves cockatiels

[Tango’s mom]

I recently went on vacation and a friend offered to look after my green cheek conure, Tango. My friend has 2 cockatiels and Tango is totally in love with them. They go back and forth into each other’s cages and Tango even wants to sleep in their cage, instead of his own. I just got back yesterday and will pick him up tomorrow.
I am worried that after 12 days with his friends, he will be lonely when he comes home.
Should I get him a friend? And is it unusual for a conure to get so friendly with cockatiels?
He is 4 yrs old.

 

[LaManuka]

I recently went on vacation and a friend offered to look after my green cheek conure, Tango. My friend has 2 cockatiels and Tango is totally in love with them. They go back and forth into each other’s cages and Tango even wants to sleep in their cage, instead of his own. I just got back yesterday and will pick him up tomorrow.
I am worried that after 12 days with his friends, he will be lonely when he comes home.
Should I get him a friend? And is it unusual for a conure to get so friendly with cockatiels?
He is 4 yrs old.

There's an old adage that says you should only get another bird if YOU want another bird, rather than as a companion for an existing one. Your GCC may have fallen in love with those *particular* cockatiels and may or may not feel the same way about another. Getting another bird will shift the dynamic you have with your GCC, he may love a companion so much that he wants to spend more time with it than you, or he may hate it and that could mean you can't have them out of their cages at the same for fear of one injuring the other. Or they may start out feeling one way about each other and might change their opinions later! Inter-species relations are unpredictable, the latest addition to my flock was a princess parrot and she and my lorikeet fell madly in love with each other at first sight, but she and my cockatiels don't get on so well. And I once had a GCC/cockatiel combo who tolerated each other but my GCC would occasionally nip at my 'tiel's toes and it would hurt him. Bottom line is individual results will vary so you'd best be prepared for anything!