# Zebra Finch with Cockatiels



## richierick

Hey everyone, 

So here is the story. I have way to much cages in my bird room. Most 
cages have zebra finch pair in them. I have 4 cages for cockatiels and 
they are currently living in those cages. My zebra finch and cockatiels are in
separate cages but I want to reduce my finch cages. I have one big cage that has a 
pair of cockatiel in it. The cage is about 3m in height, 2m in width and 2m length. 
My questions are

Can I put 4 zebra finch in that cage where the cockatiel lives? 
If I can, would the zebra finch be ok with the food of the cocaktiels? 
If not, what food should I give them that is safe for both cockatiels and zebra finches?


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## bjknight93

I honestly am not sure how to answer your questions..but maybe WendyBeoBuddy can answer it when she comes back on. She has finches and tiels but keeps them separate. I'm not sure of finch temperament, but cockatiels are pushovers in general. They can get bullied by the smallest of birds. On top of that, if a tiel decided to retaliate against a smaller bird the smaller bird could be terribly injured. It will likely be that they cannot live together in harmony.


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## MeanneyFids

i would not chance it, though tiels are generally laid back, it takes one argument and the finches wont be lucky. in an aviary it might work, but i would not put them in a cage together. cockatiels have hooked beaks, they may be gentle birds, but its possible they can seriously hurt a finch. best to be safe and not chance it


good luck though


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## moonchild

In a very large environment I think it would be fine, since the different species would likely keep to themselves, but I generally wouldn't chance it.


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## hysteriauk

When my step dad had his aviary we had finches in with the teils but they had a lot of space and kept themselves to themselves I would not chance putting teils and finches in a cage together it's not fair on either bird


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## richierick

The answers seem reasonable. I'll probably make plans too enlarge my bird room or 
build a new place for them outside.


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## MeanneyFids

well, i would avoid an outdoor enclosure here, as winter weather here is too cold (im just a tad south-west of you down in windsor) and it gets too cold in winter to allow birds to safely stay outside without some very good heating systems. it can drop to -30C here with windchill, -20C without, and i know both of us get ice storms and lake effect snow, might be a better option to enlarge your birdroom


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## richierick

_Thank for the advice DallytTsuka. Making plans now, probably we will start construction in early spring or late spring _


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## WendyBeoBuddy

XD I love how people directed you to me 

Hey, are you on finchforum!? 

Zebra finches can be aggressive...But only to other finches 
I would be very scared to have my tiny finches in with the cockatiels. Even though they live in the same flocks(yep! they live with each other in the wild!) in Austrailia sometimes, it is not advised to keep them in the same living spaces. As i'm sure you know, the little zebbies are ALWAYS nesting and singing and laying eggs. 
So think of this, you give your tiels a nest box, and the finches like it and take notice to it before the tiels do. Now the tiels want to build a nest, but there is a finch nest with babies within it. The cockatiels are simply going to attack the finches and kill the babies(or make the parents abandon them)

that's just a theory story.

Other risks would be that the finches get their toes/legs bitten off or likely get bitten in some fatal way. hookbills and finches don't get along well with eachother in captivitiy due to nesting aggression, and territorial aggression.

I know it's kind of odd, but both types of birds have completely different personalities, and it is very hard for a 3" finch to live in the same cage with a 6-7" long cockatiel with a razor sharp beak 

I would also like to add bar spacing that it *MAY* be an issue. With the finches, mine can EASILY get through .75 inch bars, so mine have to have centimeter bars on their cages.(When the finches had babies, they were so smart when they fledged!)
Depending on the wire you were to buy with an aviary, i would say it would have to be much smaller then chicken wire, or you will have a bunch of tiny finches flying around your house.

I had the idea to make a separated aviary, where the finches are on one side and tiels on the other with wood in the middle or such, but i decided against it as i have heard many stories with flight cages, the finches can get to the other side. 

Basically i advise against putting them with each other. This is why my finches have a cage in a different room


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## richierick

_OMG 
Sorry for this extreamly late reply, my family and I were on vacation for a while now and I just got back 4 days ago. 
anyway, yes I am on finchforum. Me and my father are making plans to construct a outhouse/birdroom outside this coming spring. thanks for the info WendyBeoBuddy. _


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