# Does a 2nd or 3rd Cockatiel help with aggression issues?



## Twitter09 (Dec 14, 2009)

I don't have a Cockatiel right now but I read this Forum regularly. I did have a Cockatiel in the past and I remember he was very sweet at first but later got very demanding and even aggressive - perhaps he was sexually frustrated and this led to the aggression?

I was wondering, from the experts, if getting a second or third Cockatiel would help reduce this kind of single-bird aggression? I'm asking because, from what I am reading and seeing in photos, the birds in multiple Cockatiel households seem happier and enjoy being in a flock - even if you are not breeding them. So I was wondering if this also helps with tempering aggression and frustration that a single Cockatiel might have? Obviously, it would help with loneliness if nothing else.

I'm thinking of getting a Cockatiel but I'm wondering if I should plan on a second one, down the road, if it would make for a happier home?


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## Stevolteon (Aug 31, 2013)

From personal experience, the short answer is no! Or at least, it's certainly not guaranteed. 

We got Nyra partly because we wanted a companion for Nigel. At first she was seemed curious in him but he was very aggressive towards her. Eventually he decided that she was actually quite a catch and started following her like a lovesick puppy, by which time his brattish behaviour had put her on the permanent defensive.

The situation now is that if we get them both out together Nigel will follow Nyra making her more and more stressed until she attacks him or goes into full panic mode. If we let Nigel out on his own he will fly straight to her cage and scramble around it trying to get close to her and once again frightening the life out of her.
More to the point, while he's busy obsessing over her he is more aggressive towards us than he has ever been, even when we first had him. I've had him fly at my face, trying desperately to land a bite, without my even getting that close.

It may very well be different if you get the birds together so they already know each other, or if they're the same gender. From what we've read it's pretty much luck of the draw any way you slice it. I have read that if they have another cockatiel for companionship they are less inclined to form a bond with a human, but there seems to be plenty of evidence here that it's not impossible!


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Never ever buy a bird for another bird. As shown above, it doesn't always work out and they may not even like each other. Male tiels go through a bratty teenage phase and can be rather grumpy and aggressive. This passes and they go back to being their normal selves. Hormone reduction techniques help to temper this and usually takes care of any aggression. Plan for one bird and go from there.


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## caterpillar (Oct 14, 2013)

roxy culver said:


> Never ever buy a bird for another bird.


Totally agree. We learned this the hard way and are now going to have to separate our birds. Bird 2 was acquired to be a companion to Bird 1 so that she'd be less lonely, but then Bird 1 started ignoring humans while Bird 2 grew more and more aggressive and unpleasant. (Our current birds are Bird 2 and now a Bird 3, and Bird 2's personality isn't any better.)


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## caterpillar (Oct 14, 2013)

On second thought... it sounds like this bird really does want companionship, especially if it's not just an angsty male teenager. But getting a new bird is so risky because you just never know whether they'll get along. Maybe it's bored? Does it have enough toys to play with? Sometimes playing music or whistling noises for birds can keep them occupied.

If it's "aggressive" in the sense that it aggressively demands attention from you, there are probably other ways for it to keep occupied when you can't attend to its every need


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## Stevolteon (Aug 31, 2013)

roxy culver said:


> Never ever buy a bird for another bird. As shown above, it doesn't always work out and they may not even like each other.


I'm only too happy to voice a warning for the non-compatibility of cockatiels especially if it prevents others making the same mistake.

I feel moved to clarify a little though, insofar as while we hoped the two would get on, we didn't get Nyra JUST because we thought Nigel needed a friend. She was a very sorry looking return to the shop we got Nigel from, and since we have the time, space and money for a second bird we took her in.

We certainly don't regret getting her, and have worked out methods of giving both of them plenty of time out of their cages without conflict. They just don't get on together is all. We hope that this may get better with time, but it has been six months now...


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## Twitter09 (Dec 14, 2009)

Thanks for the info! I guess all those photos I see of happy-looking pet Cockatiel "flocks" doesn't always tell the whole story!

Maybe I'll just stick with my Bourke and Scarlet Chested Parakeets for now. They don't especially want to live together in the same cage but there's been no actual fighting or biting between them. None of them have even bitten me, either.


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## moonchild (Jul 29, 2012)

Twitter09 said:


> Thanks for the info! I guess all those photos I see of happy-looking pet Cockatiel "flocks" doesn't always tell the whole story!
> 
> Maybe I'll just stick with my Bourke and Scarlet Chested Parakeets for now. They don't especially want to live together in the same cage but there's been no actual fighting or biting between them. None of them have even bitten me, either.


I have a very happy flock of seven cockatiels...and they are absolutely wonderful! Don't give up if you want a couple, or more.  The important thing is to give them a lot of space, in my experience (which I get the impression that you already do for your other birds).

Cockatiels who are raised to be able to enjoy the company of humans as well as others of their species are usually very well-adjusted individuals. and even my tiels who were NOT raised around other tiels have adjusted well to being in the flock. I personally believe that many of the problems people have when housing two or more together stem from giving them inadequate space. They are a peaceful species and will not usually be aggressive to each other given the proper environment. Of course there are exceptions, but that has been my experience.

I have never been bitten by any of my cockatiels. Nor have they ever injured each other. Sometimes they squabble over perches, but since they are all flighted, they can easily fly away from each other and find somewhere else to perch if they've had enough of each other.


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

I wholeheartedly agree with Moonchild's comment regarding space.


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## Twitter09 (Dec 14, 2009)

Thanks for the additional comments. My current keets are all fully flighted and I would want to keep my cockatiels flighted too - so maybe with space and ability to get away, I'd have a more peaceful situation?


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