# My birds don't seem to get along with each other



## Rorschach (Nov 2, 2010)

Two male cockatiels, share the cage. They don't seem to ever really fight but they don't like being near each other (it seems to me that peak is the one who doesn't want to be near chess, but I don't know what they're thinking). I never see them preen each other, or spend any time together. The only time they ever seem to get close to each other is when they take bites at each other.

I don't think they are actually trying to hurt each other, maybe it's just males fighting for dominance or some such, but I just wanted to make sure.


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

i have a male and female and they are the EXACT same way, though the male occasionally asks for preening from my female. she ignores him and he bites. he came from a bad background though and i understand why hes not keen on liking another tiel close to him. dally doesnt usually go out of her way to attack him. he will. but they do like eachother as if i take one out of the room or out of sight, i lose my hearing from the screaming. but they often squabble over the food bowl, often fight over a favourite perch... other than that nothing serious. though, tsuka--the male--has an obsession with chasing dally. she'll be on top of the cage and he will be in the cage and he chases after her feet to bite them. dally runs away and finds somewhere he cant get her. but they dont snuggle with eachother. the closest they get is in the food bowl or playing with a toy. tsuka will steal foot toys right from her beak. one or two times ive caught them attempting to feed eachother but that was a freak accident.


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## Rorschach (Nov 2, 2010)

DallyTsuka said:


> i have a male and female and they are the EXACT same way, though the male occasionally asks for preening from my female. she ignores him and he bites. he came from a bad background though and i understand why hes not keen on liking another tiel close to him. dally doesnt usually go out of her way to attack him. he will. but they do like eachother as if i take one out of the room or out of sight, i lose my hearing from the screaming. but they often squabble over the food bowl, often fight over a favourite perch... other than that nothing serious. though, tsuka--the male--has an obsession with chasing dally. she'll be on top of the cage and he will be in the cage and he chases after her feet to bite them. dally runs away and finds somewhere he cant get her. but they dont snuggle with eachother. the closest they get is in the food bowl or playing with a toy. tsuka will steal foot toys right from her beak. one or two times ive caught them attempting to feed eachother but that was a freak accident.


And how do they act toward you? I'd rather have them get along but if it can't be helped it can't be helped. Do they still want scratches from you or do they treat you the same way?


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

they both want scritches from me, especially dally. shes more affectionate. tsuka..... its on his terms. hes a bit more nippy. dally was handfed, tsuka was parent raised and never handled until i bought him. but he still loves scritches but hes more standoff-ish and more skittish.


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## Rorschach (Nov 2, 2010)

DallyTsuka said:


> they both want scritches from me, especially dally. shes more affectionate. tsuka..... its on his terms. hes a bit more nippy. dally was handfed, tsuka was parent raised and never handled until i bought him. but he still loves scritches but hes more standoff-ish and more skittish.


Fair enough, at least you can still have a good relationship with them. I think chess will be fairly affectionate once he learns, even peak who seems the more aggressive of the two gets pretty complacent when taken away from the cage. It's going to be interesting to see how they turn out.


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

how old are they? mine are only 8 months old.


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## Rorschach (Nov 2, 2010)

I'm not entirely sure. I'm their third owner and they've never been hand tamed. My best guess is between 2-4 years. so still young, but not THAT young.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

My Fuzzy and Cinnamon are the same way...she could care less that he exists. He chases her and then gets mad when she wants nothing to do with him. But they both love attention from me, her more so than him. She would be content to sit on my chest all day if I let her. They don't ever preen each other, Fuzzy has to go to Snowball for that and Cinnamon comes to me.


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

I have the same problem only when they are in the cage, out of cage they are all lovely and snuggly


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## Rorschach (Nov 2, 2010)

Well good, my mind is a bit more at ease then. As long as they relatively behave themselves and I can train them to enjoy my company/scratches. I can't wait to give them their first scratch, I'd be so excited.


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Rorschach said:


> Well good, my mind is a bit more at ease then. As long as they relatively behave themselves and I can train them to enjoy my company/scratches. I can't wait to give them their first scratch, I'd be so excited.


That first scratch will melt your heart, its the best feeling knowing your bonding very well with them


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