# How to magically make two cocatiels with age difference to be friends?



## gothronicia (Sep 18, 2015)

Hi!

We got another cocatiel a week ago (3 months old Pipi) to accompany our 12 years old Ruudi when we are at work. The second reason for another cocatiel was to have one "pettable" bird because Ruudi does not like head scratches at all, which is fine because he's a great buddy and understands step-up.

My problem is that since we have Pipi at home, Ruudi seems to be a bit depressed. Yesterday evening he sat on his cage, faced to a wall, which is something he does when he is pouting (not sure if it's the right word, he is in a bad mood or not happy with something that has happened etc.)

We have no intention in breeding them but it would be nice to bond them somehow, so that they would be able to exist together 

It is probably difficult for Ruudi, because he loved a toy-bird very much which he considered he's mate, we also let him build a summer residence out of cardboard boxes. He loves to "build" so much.
We removed it all when Pipi came. 
They are outside the cage all the time when there is someone at home. And having something to build keeps them busy and they will not eat furniture etc .

At this moment they are both hanging out around me which is good and Ruudi probably needs some time to adjust the new conditions. Pipi really likes Ruudi and somewhat follows him and wants to be around him. Sometimes she hangs out on top of his cage and steals some of that stick covered with seeds and tries to play with he's toys through the cage bars. And then Ruudi tries to chase her away. Ruudi does the same on top of Pipi's cage, one he even went inside and ate her seeds 

- How to let Ruudi know that he is still loved very-very much?
- Can a cocatile have a hobby, like crafting cardboard castles or is it too much like building a nest and getting hormonal and it is a big no-no?
- Are there any differeces in bonding cockatiels who have this big age difference?
-Should I avoid letting them hanging out on top of each other's cages?


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## Colorguarder08 (Sep 13, 2014)

They may never bond so be prepared for that. However I bought a 17 year old cockatiel back in April and my 1 year old tiel and him are finally starting to get along. There's no quick fix bonding takes time


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Lots of millet. Let Ruudi have out of cage time just by himself so he understands that he's still loved. I would not let him build things as that's nesting behavior and you don't want to make Pipi start laying. He may never warm up to her. He is much older and older birds can be very set in their ways. I also wouldn't let them in each other's cages, that's should be their space, where no other bird is allowed to go.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

If Ruudi has been an only-bird for all of his 12 years then I don't see it happening, really. Of course anything is possible, and the best way to go about it would be to house them together once they are comfortable enough. At the very least they will form a flock bond and will find it comforting to have each other around even if they aren't "friends". 

I recently adopted a pair of cockatiels. A ~10 year old blind male and a 14 month old female. The previous owners had gotten Penelope in hopes that she would keep Tweety company while they were away. Tweety previously was never housed with another bird and Penelope was hand-reared and a young bird when they got her. They have been housed together for at least ten month before we got them and they really do not have anything to do with each other. Tweety pecks and hisses if Penelope gets too close, and Penelope does her best to stay away from him. They do flock call for one another, and Penelope feels comfort when Tweety is near her..but they are not friends and are definitely not bonded. But they are a flock to one another. 

You may be in a different situation depending on your birds, but it is my experience that older birds that have been kept singly have no interest in bonding with another bird. Also, even two young birds who have been around other birds won't always bond; it just isn't something you can force on them. They have to decide they like each other.


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## gothronicia (Sep 18, 2015)

Thank you for the answers.

I just need to be patient and hang out with both of them separately and together. Thank you!

I quess that I can start training Ruudi to start flying to me (which can also be something we do together) and do the same with Pipi (after she has leant the step-up).


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## Krieger (Oct 31, 2015)

Similar question if anybody has some input, i have my new guy Krieger, and my families old guy Kid (19 years old), who now lives with my brother, Kid grew up with other birds but our others died about 10 years ago and he's been alone since, I wanted to get them together for a meet and maybe they can be friends, but do you think hes spent too long alone to try to socialize? I dont want him to start hissing/pecking/scaring Krieger


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

That is really bird dependent, but I would think after spending the second half of his life alone then you'd get similar answers. Like Roxy said, old birds become very set in their ways. 

I'm not sure if you're planning on just doing play dates with them, or eventually have them live together...but in any case, you can at least introduce them in a neutral area (a room that neither of them frequents) and see how they respond to each other. It usually takes my flock a couple of weeks to accept a new bird so keep that in mind. They likely won't immediately be best buddies, but their relationship will develop more each time they hang out together.


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