Cockatiel Question

[zman99]

Do tiels need to be kept in pairs especially since he/she will be left alone during the work day.

[Logan]

Our Roger was going to be an only bird until I got bitten by the love bug and couldn't leave orphaned Milly at the pet store. From all of my reading, I have differing opinions. Some people believe that in pairs, birds are harder to handle because they bond with each other, rather than you. But I have to say that our two are fine, either way. They have separate cages, and they decide where to sleep each night. Sometimes they are together in Roger's cage, sometimes together in Milly's cage, and sometimes they each go to their own or they swap! LOL!!!

I do think that having a second one is good for company though, especially if they will be alone for long periods of time. I don't regret my decision to take the second one at all.

Logan

PS. Remember this is just based on my experience. And I'm no expert!!!

[popcornbird]

Personally, I always prefer to have at least 2 of one species. I don't like the idea of depriving a pet of their own species, although people do keep single pets and they do just fine. If your future cockatiel is going to be alone most of the day, I would recommend getting two. Cockatiels are very social birds and get very lonely if left alone for long periods of time. I have two and have never regretted getting a pair. People say pairs will bond to each other and not as much to the humans, but in our case its not true. They are bonded to each other as well as to us, so we have no problem like that.

One thing I would like to add is, get 2 males or 2 females if you do not want to deal with future babies. Although a male/female pair will not always mate and get chicks, its a possibility, so if you want to get 2, either get 2 of the same sex, or a male and female with a cage of their own, beside each other. If you do want baby tiels in the future then it shouldn't be a problem. Good luck!

[tikeyas_mom]

My tiel Cheeko had a mate named Homer, who died from old age just about a year ago, he plucked out most of his feathers, it was quite sad. ..

we got him another cage mate soon after, Spanky *pic in sig* .. Some Tiels dont like to have another teil in their territory. so it is good to have another cage handy just in case. But cockateils are Flock birds so most of them prefure company of another bird, being a budgy or cockatiel ..