upatsix.com - Your Source For Pet Bird Information

Ok, well, that first topic didn't go over so good so how about this one:

In your opinion, are Cockatiels truly happy when kept single? I am considering getting a Cockatiel, but I would only want one. I am home most of the day and work part time at night, so I would have lots of time to spend with the 'tiel. I am very excited about getting one! Thanks

Hi, they say the smaller birds should be kept in pairs. 2 males would be OK. Think how alone you would feel if you didn't have one of your kind to interact with.

I started with a single tiel that was 4 mon old.I was his flock, his everything.Then I started to feel sorry for him so I got a female.Well I have had this female for about 3 mon and my male has started biting at me fusses at me and the new bird.I hope he will forgive me one day cos I have fallen in love with my birdie, thats her name,his is pepper.So if you want A totally devoted bird then one is great for that,but its real easy to give in to that two is better than one.I am a novice and far from an expert but thats what happened to me.

Hey CrazyBirdLady? Did you get my PM????

Hi Patti! Yeah, I got it, and I sent one back to you. I love this private message feature!
Do you think Pepper and Birdie will breed one day?
Maybe I should get two at the same time? That way, no one feels "replaced" or "intruded upon".....you know? But, then I risk the two birds bonding to each other, and not to me. Huummmm
I really think I am just going to start with one. If things change and I don't have the time I do now, or if the bird seems unhappy, I will try a second.
Are all female Cockatiels just not as friendly as the males?

Hey, Patti, I love your avatar!

Males talk more than females. Also no worry about egg binding. Yes females will lay eggs without a male present.

CrazyBirdLady, I cant imagine pepper talking birdie into breeding cos he seems to be mean to her alot. I mean he fusses, bites, & chases her from his spot. but yet they co- exist. I just was given an old (20yrs) book on breebing and in it it tells you how to determine the sex.

Turn your bird upside down & place your finger over the vent, you will feel two bony ridges. In the male they are close together. Females have a wider space between tye ridges & have a feel of flexability. Comparison will be necessary for positive identification.

Has anyone else heard of this before? Please let me know cos 20yrs ago was a long time, but some things never change.

I guess Pepper and Birdie have accepted each other in the "flock" but just have not bonded as a pair yet. If they are still young, this could change.
Yes, I have heard of the "vent" way of determining gender. I know some people who swear by it, and other's that dismiss it completely. I guess you really have to know what your feeling for. I have also heard that some people can tell by the brightness of the orange cheeks. A female will have a duller orange color in the cheeks. There is one more myth I have heard about sexing birds, and this one is totally rediculous, in my opinion. Some say that hens perch with their feet further apart than the males. I usually go by the vocal abilities.
Has anyone had a female Cockatiel that was vocal????

Hey Everyone!
Today Is pattiW's BIRTHDAY

Happy Birthday To You,
Happy Birthday To You,
Happy Birthday, Dear PattiW,
Happy Birthday To You!

And many More............

Pepper&Birdie are still young,Pepper is 16mon&Birdie is about 6mon. I opened up the top of their cage tonight and put the breeder box on a shelf. My cage really doesnt have a hole to put the box on the outside, so they pretty much have an open cage 24-7 Now lets see what happens. Maybe they will at least start being nice to each other.They may be too young so i will watch to see if the eggs are fertile.I had a verry nice B-Day thank you so much

I had a single tiel--Loner )--I had plenty of time for her and we got along great--a lot of interaction when I wanted it--she would visit the budgies cage, eat their food, play with your toys but never interacted with them--I lost Loner and miss her--when I get another tiel it will just be a single one.

Yeah, I think the amount of time you have to spend with the bird should determine how many you should have. I know I couldn't handle a flock right now (a flock, to me,is 3 or more ) and I am not ready in case they decided to breed.
Two males- too loud!
Two females- too quiet (and egg binding scares me)
A single Cockatiel would fit just right for me.

I kept my cockatiel Tweety alone for over 13 years. He was happy by himself. Even now that I have other cockatiels, her prefers to stay in a cage by himself and interact with people instead of other birds.

Hi Crazy Bird Lady!!

I am certainly not an expert on the subject (having just got my tiel 4 weeks ago), but my "Baby D" seems to be doing just fine. Both my husband and I work during the day, so she is alone in her cage. But the second we come home, she comes out and stays out until bedtime. On weekends, she is never in her cage.

We have 2 lovebirds, housed together, they seem very happy to be in pairs, but we cannot even touch them. I think they bonded to each other and don't want to have anything to do with people. We have had them for 2 years. They are basically just "look at me" birds.

On the other hand, Diego seems very happy. She doesn't even pay attention to the lovebirds when they sing or squawk.

My Aunt has had a single cockatiel for about 10 years and he seems happy too. Too bad you can't ask them!! ha ha But I think I know the answer...

I have a lone male cockatiel and he seems very happy to be the "only" also my parents had one male and he bonded strongly to my brother and my brother was all he ever wanted! I think after a long while they start to like people more and not want other birds around. I work full time and so does my boyfriend, but we work different shifts most of the time, and it works out pretty well the time we get to spend with our bird. He just sleeps while we are gone! and then gets all his energy out when we come home! What I try to do is just be home more during the daylight hours-----after the sun goes down, they tend to settle down more then. Eventually I want to get another tiel, but right now I want my male to have a chance to be tamer and maybe talk if he's going to, but mostly I want to have some time for him to bond with us humans first!
As far as male and female go, I picked mine out because he looked and acted like a male----and I did a good job! I think if the bird is vocal, pecking at things like a woodpecker, I think the birds actions speak louder than anything else. It should be easy to tell this way------it sure was for me!