# Proven pair of cockatiels adjusting to new home?



## Tiffany24 (Feb 11, 2012)

Hi, I got a pair of proven cockatiels a week ago today. The female occasionally whistles but the male doesn't make a sound. I did add a nest box to their cage but took it down a few days ago. I've had male cockatiels before and i currently have 2.

This is the first time I've had a male that doesn't whistle. The lady i got the pair from said they were proven and very bonded. They do sleep together, preen each other, and eat together. I would like to breed them. They are healthy and have been to a avian vet. They eat pellets with several other foods. 

My other male started doing his mating call to my female the second day he was here. Could he be quite because of new surroundings or is it normal for some males not to whistle? I would love to hear your experiences. I want to learn as much as i can. Thank you.


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## DyArianna (Aug 7, 2011)

Could you possibly post pics of the two birds in question? I think this would help everyone out tremendously in trying to help you. Also, do you know how old the birds are?


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## Tiffany24 (Feb 11, 2012)

I'm uploading photos. They are 19 months old.


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## Tiffany24 (Feb 11, 2012)

They are normal grey cockatiels.

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z422/tiffany2310/th_daisy010.jpg

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z422/tiffany2310/th_daisy009.jpg


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

That's definitely a male and a female (assuming that the female is an adult). 

It's very likely that the male is quiet because he's nervous. It's possible that he wouldn't be in the mood to breed right now even if he wasn't nervous because it's only February. Singing is breeding behavior, and a male with a mate tends to not sing much until it's time to make babies. He should start singing more after he's had more time to settle in and the increasing signs of spring tell him that it's time to make babies.

How reliable is the person who sold/gave you these birds? Sellers have been known to lie about their birds' past history saying they're a proven pair when they aren't, or to sell a pair that really is proven but is currently too old to breed.


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## DyArianna (Aug 7, 2011)

Okay.. just a question.. the second pic.. are you considering this your female? 

And I'm going out on a limb here and saying that I see a lot of coloring on the other one's face in the first pic. Not to mention, the eyes look larger. I'm going to take the other side of the fence and say it's possible there are two males there.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I think the first picture is the male and female, and the second picture is the male by himself. The female looks like she has a strong yellow wash, but she still looks like a female (to me at least).


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## DyArianna (Aug 7, 2011)

I missed the 19 months old note. But still.. the big eyes are setting me off. Also.. they are both 19 months old.. are they related?


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## Tiffany24 (Feb 11, 2012)

The first picture is the male and female and the second picture is just the male. The female does have quit a bit of yellow wash over her face compared to my past normal grey female. Here is a few pictures of just the female. 

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z422/tiffany2310/th_daisy012.jpg

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z422/tiffany2310/th_daisy011.jpg


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I missed the 19 months old part too. That's very young for proven breeders - it's generally recommended that males be at least 12 months and females 18 months old before breeding is allowed, and six months older than that is even better. 

The hen still looks like a girl to me.


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## Tiffany24 (Feb 11, 2012)

I got them from a neighbor of my mother in law. The lady didn't seem to know much because before she got them they belonged to her sister and they were moving so they couldn't keep them.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

OK, this means there's room for error in the information you were given. I guess you'll just have to wait and see if they make babies for you. It sounds like the male isn't ready right now, but give him a couple of months and he might be hot to trot.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

*The female occasionally whistles but the male doesn't make a sound.*
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I have a few thoughts from reading your posting.

The only time I have heard my females whistle is when out of desperation trying to lure in a new mate. If you have a male that is answering her call you might consider re-pairing this hen with your male.

Can you define exactly what you mean by proven? Many prior owners will call laying an egg as proven. But it is a lot more than that, such as how the pair worked as a team. Did they both share incubation of the eggs? If chicks hatched out, did they all survive, or was there losses and why? 

What backgrounds do you know of the birds? Are they related/clutchmates?


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## DyArianna (Aug 7, 2011)

Yeah.. in those second pics.. the other bird looks more like a hen.


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## Tiffany24 (Feb 11, 2012)

I kind of think the lady was lying about the pair being proven but i know they are bonded. I asked her before i got them if they were related and she said no they were bought separate. Is it ok for the females eyes to be big? The pair get a lot of time outside of their cage but how long does it normally take for cockatiels to adjust to a new home? I've never had a problem with cockatiels adjusting before? Their not tame. The female's name is Bonnie and the male is Clyde.


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## Tiffany24 (Feb 11, 2012)

Srteils, Yes when she whistles the male in another cage whistles back. The lady said her sister still has the chicks from the pair. When i asked her about their background she really couldn't tell me much because her sister gave them to her and she didn't ask any questions.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

*Srteils, Yes when she whistles the male in another cage whistles back.*
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Birds get divorces too. It sounds like she is not truly bonded to her mate and is scouting around. And since your male is answering her calls they may be a more compatable pairing. Give her a few more weeks to adjust (and also quarantined to watch their health), and then introduce her to your male.

*Is it ok for the females eyes to be big?*

You will have to post some pix's to show what you mean. Take a couple pix's from 18" Download the pix's into windows photo gallery. Crop the pix so that it just shows her head.

Some birds have large round eyes, but the eyelids around the eye should be tight, and not swelled or be reddened. Some tiels can have a genetic trait where the lower lid droops down.


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## Tiffany24 (Feb 11, 2012)

Here are a few pictures. Thank you.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Her eyes look fine, and she has some nice large cheek patches


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## Tiffany24 (Feb 11, 2012)

Thank you. I took the male out of his cage and brought him in the room with me and he started screaming and she was screaming back. That's the first time I've heard him make a noise and i felt like my ears were going to pop, but it was nice to here him finally. I can get the male on my finger after he's out of his cage but she won't let me touch her.


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## Tiffany24 (Feb 11, 2012)

I talked to the lady who had the pair of cockatiels first, she said she has two of their chicks and they had a plastic nest box. Would they use a wooden nest box instead of a plastic one or do i need to get a plastic nest box? She also said they are almost 2 years old.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

You might want to get a wooden nestbox... preferably 10 x12" or 12x 12" in size.


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## Tiffany24 (Feb 11, 2012)

I have a wooden nest box but I'm not putting it up just yet. I just don't know if they'll be picky and want a plastic one. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Just use what you want to.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

> I just don't know if they'll be picky and want a plastic one.


Tiels aren't picky like that, they will use whatever is available to them.


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## Tiffany24 (Feb 11, 2012)

I really want to use the wooden one that i have. What if they don't like the wooden one are there some things i could try to get them to like it? I'm trying to get everything ready. I will probably put the nest box up in April.


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## Tiffany24 (Feb 11, 2012)

Thanks I appreciate the help.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

As I said, they could care less. I used a wooden one last year with one pair and gave them a cardboard one this year and they didn't even notice a difference. To them a box is a box is a box. We've had members who have had their tiels lay eggs under dressers and stuff.


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## Tiffany24 (Feb 11, 2012)

Sorry i posted that before i saw your reply.


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