# Keeping a single cockatiel abuse or not?



## Mahiro (Jan 25, 2018)

The description explains everything. What do you think of people who keep one cockatiel only? Do you keep a single cockatiel? And do you think it is ok?, I'm not sure, many people say it's ok some say it's not. I have 4 cockatiels (2 are babies) and since we have do give them away I wanted to keep at least the babies but my parents only allow me to keep one and since the parents are not tame I could tame the baby (actually they are tame but still too young to properly fly like adults do)


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## Oztiel (Sep 5, 2014)

Hi Mahiro,
To my way of thinking if your tame bird is housed safely, fed and watered properly, kept healthy and given lots of attention, love and affection it can never be called abuse.

Abuse, by my standards, would be when a person buys a bird, cages it and fails to provide the above.

Some people in this world can only take, and see their caged bird merely as a decoration and keep the bird in the cage for months or years with very little attention and then expect the poor bird to whistle and sing as they see on U tube or elsewhere without realising they MUST play a part.

From your enquiry, it sounds like someone is criticising you. Don't take any notice of them. Learn all you can about what your pet needs by looking at sites like this one and don't be swayed by opinions of people who have little idea of what they may be criticising.

Obviously, you can't be with your pet 24/7 but regular sessions with your bird in and out of the cage with your pet will benefit you both. It is such a wonderful feeling when your pet trusts you enough to climb up on our shoulder and have a 10-minute sleep or feel relaxed enough to preen itself. 

Get used to the poop too, they will do a lot of that but hey! it wipes off.

I am retired and so I am fortunate I can spend up to 4 to 5 hrs at a time 3 or 4 times a week out of the cage. When I was working it was at least a couple of hours in the evening.

The thing is to acknowledge the bird each time you see him.I greet my guys in the morning as I rise and each time I pass their cage -when they are not out of it- and even at night say goodnight to them as I switch the lights off they respond.

Not with spoken goodnight, but a chirped response never the less.

Sorry for being long-winded about it, but that's my opinion on it for what it is worth.

Best wishes and good luck with your Cockateil.

Ozteil


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

It is definitely NOT abuse. The bird comes to view you as part of their flock and thus are not lonely. If you spend a couple hours a day with your tiel then they would be perfectly fine being an only bird. I think it's worse to have multiple birds in a cage that is too small with not enough food that never get attention because they have each other. You get a bird to spend time with it and we have several members on here that only have one bird. Not everyone can handle more than one bird and not every home will allow more than one bird. 

So your parents allowed you to have the parents but are now restricting you to one bird only? Is that because they ended up breeding?


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## Janalee (Jul 25, 2012)

*single cockatiel*

Hi Mahiro - thanks for being concerned about keeping a single cockatiel, but I don't think it's abuse either. I am an "older person" and live in a very small apartment. I have very little extra space. I have just one cockatiel and he seems to be very happy. I do work, but as soon as I come home, Bennie is out of his cage. He has chew toys and I make foraging "challenges" for him to help keep him occupied while I am gone. Yes, I do feel bad leaving him alone during the day, but I really don't have room for a larger cage and the one he has now is definitely not big enough for two birds. Enjoy your cockatiel and spend as much time as you can with him/her.


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## Friesian (Jan 16, 2018)

I keep only one bird. As long as someone can provide the bird with quality time when they are home and ways for the bird to entertain itself when they are not than I do not believe this is abuse or neglect.


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## Jenn1469 (Jan 23, 2018)

I always only had 1 at a time when I was younger and actually the one I had at 15 I adopted after the original owner died and she hated me and all women as her original owner treated the birds like decor only. I gave her to my uncle as she loved men and he had a cockatiel and the 2 of them never got along so she ended up living happily with a male cousin as a single bird. 
I have 2 right now and I think the 2 of them together is a hindrance, the male cares more about people and the female has been harder to train because she only wants the males company. He basically just uses her to occupy his time when no one is around. They are separated now and staying that way! 
Of all the birds I've had the only ones I could see a really difference in between single or pairs is my budgies.


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## Samwise (Feb 5, 2018)

I have 1 currently and I don't see it as abuse as long as they seem to view the humans in their life as part of the "flock". (though that isn't stopping me from getting another!) It's really only abuse if you treat them like a decoration.


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## Scoria (Dec 13, 2017)

I've kept a single 'tiel for 5 years now. She has never had a problem with plucking or other stress-related behavior. I do also have a sparrow and they sing together but he does not get along so they don't spend time together and I am her flock, and his. She spends time with me and gets scritches or snuggles in my hair. I do not think I am abusing my bird, she is healthy and taken care of and gets her needs met. 

A bird rescue near me does adopt out some birds as singles, others in pairs, depending on their dispositions and experiences. Some birds are happier in pairs, others are happier as singles. It really depends on the bird. Since your baby is tame and growing up with you, it will probably be fine as a single, just give it love whenever you can. 

Abuse is a pretty heavy accusation, I don't think calling keeping a single 'tiel abuse is accurate, even if it's a bird that prefers a companion.


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