# Getting my Cockatiel a friend



## moom (Nov 10, 2014)

Hi 

I have a tiel, he currently lives alone. I'm thinking of getting him a friend just so that he has birdy company. I am thinking of getting either a another male tiel or budgie/parakeet. What advice would you give me? 

I know I would need a quarantine period, but after that can they live together? Are there any other things I need to consider? 

TIA.


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## karendh (Mar 25, 2013)

Budgies can be very noisy and bossy but they are ok living with tiels, don't have experience with parakeets.


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

Tiels tend to do best with other tiels. But keep in mind, there's no guarantee that the tiels will "bond" or even like each other. And they might not like sharing a cage and have to be housed separately. Each pair of birds is different. So you really should only get a second tiel if you want a second tiel. Not just to get a friend for your bird.


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## dianne (Nov 27, 2013)

I think it is great for a bird to have a birdie companion. Even if they have to be caged separately, they are still company for each other, especially if they are alone for a significant part of the day. It is true that they may no get along, but I think it is more common that they do get along, as long as they are introduced slowly and carefully.

I have two cockatiels and a budgie. One of my tiels Loves Loves the budgie. The other tolerates him. They all get along in a large flight cage. I hope others will share their experiences also.

Budgies are more "in your face" then cockatiels. My budgie constantly wants to go up to the cockatiels and talk to them nonstop, beak to beak. As I said above, one of my tiels gets a bit tired of this, but the other likes it.


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## yokobirdie (Jul 9, 2014)

I am treating myself to a new bird for the holidays, I am actually picking her out tomorrow!  She will be an English Budgie.  (the reason I say "she" is because I will be getting a female, because I don't want Yoko getting all "lovey-dovey" with another bird)


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## yokobirdie (Jul 9, 2014)

dianne said:


> I have two cockatiels and a budgie. One of my tiels Loves Loves the budgie. The other tolerates him. They all get along in a large flight cage. I hope others will share their experiences also.


dianne, I am sorry to ask, but I know you had another budgie besides Piper that is no longer in you signature, is s/he over the rainbow bridge, or did you rehome? Sorry for asking, I am just curious.


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

I would definitely get a second cockatiel instead of a budgie. After the quarantine period, and if the two 'tiels like each other, they can live together, but I wouldn't house a budgie and a cockatiel together.


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## Billy (Sep 11, 2014)

I was also thinking about getting Billy a friend too, do they have to be quarentined in a different room? 

Billy can be quite aggressive to his little plastic friend every now and then, would this be a problem to put another bird in?


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## yokobirdie (Jul 9, 2014)

CharVicki said:


> I would definitely get a second cockatiel instead of a budgie. After the quarantine period, and if the two 'tiels like each other, they can live together, but I wouldn't house a budgie and a cockatiel together.


I agree. I will not be housing my two together, but they will have supervised playtime.


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

Billy said:


> I was also thinking about getting Billy a friend too, do they have to be quarentined in a different room?
> 
> Billy can be quite aggressive to his little plastic friend every now and then, would this be a problem to put another bird in?


Yes, for quarantine they should be in a different room. And you should change clothes before handling one and then the other, wash your hands, etc. Here's a stickie on quarantine: http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=10824


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## dianne (Nov 27, 2013)

The second budgie I had is named Snowy. In the early days, he and Piper were quite an item. When Emma came, Piper bonded with Emma. Snowy was kind of left out. He also was very noisy and a little bit aggressive. I rehomed him to a family who lives across the street from me. They immediately went out and bought a second budgie (Sky) so Snowy would have a friend. They are doing very well over there.


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## RowdyTiel (Jan 24, 2013)

I also agree with getting another cockatiel instead of budgie, if you decide to get another bird. I also second what sunnysmom said about only getting a second tiel if YOU want a second tiel. I adopted my second tiel, with the hopes of him being a companion for my single tiel Missy. He hates existence.
I have to house them separately and they cannot have out of cage time in the same room. If they're out together, he's constantly harassing/chasing/screaming at her. If he's out, but she's in her cage in the same room, he goes to her cage and screeches and yells at her aggressively.
I'm not saying it's ALWAYS like that, but it's something you'll want to keep in mind. Generally speaking, most tiels will usually get along. It just depends. 

As for a budgie as a companion, I don't recommend mixing species. Yes Ozzie (tiel 7yrs) and Harriet (budgie 3yrs) are being housed together, because Ozzie is bonded to Harriet. He will scream and panic if she's not near him or is out of his sight. They were surrendered to the shelter together and I adopted them together.


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## yokobirdie (Jul 9, 2014)

Okay, cool! It's nice that you did what was best for Snowy!


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## dianne (Nov 27, 2013)

If I had it to do over again, I would just have cockatiels. Yesterday, Piper was chasing Silver around too much. I had to separate them. Piper is like the Energizer Bunny. He has SO much energy.


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## yokobirdie (Jul 9, 2014)

Oh yeah... My roomie has four budgies (all girls,) they're wild!


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