# Age when males can or will mate?



## Alemap118 (Aug 9, 2013)

How old are males when they start looking to mate? I have two tiles, I have no desire to have babies, but I feel bad tat they are separated. They are in the same room but separate cages.. Neither shows interest in the other.. Should I let them get together? I am pretty sure I have a ale and female..


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## ollieandme (Mar 25, 2013)

Males can mate at any age really depending on the bird. Some do it at 8 weeks. My male is 8 months and hasn't. It's no set formula 
Cockatiels are quite picky when it comes to mating. Only a bonded pair will mate. Some cockatiels will never bond and some will take time to bond.
Putting your male and femae together does not equal babies  introduce them and see how they go. I doubt they'll mate for a long time, if ever. If they do start, there are ways to control their hormones. Giving them long (12-14) dark nights is a great way to stop mating.
So no need to worry about babies  it'd be a rare eventuality and one that can generally be prevented


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## Alemap118 (Aug 9, 2013)

How do I introduce them? I a, afraid of a bird fight and have idea how to break up that. Haha. Does that mean they should live together in the same cage after I introduce them to each other?


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## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

They are familiar with each other? Right?
You can rearrange the cage so they both wont be familiar with the cage so no one will be teratorial


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## ollieandme (Mar 25, 2013)

here's a little thread on how to introduce them - it gives you some good ideas!


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

> Only a bonded pair will mate.


It ain't necessarily so. Henry has boinked several of his sisters, but the only bird he wants for his mate is his mother Shodu. Regrettable, I know. Fortunately she pays no attention to him.

The courtship of Buster and Shodu lasted approximately two seconds. He had been courting Mims, who was reasonably receptive. Then one day Buster looked at Shodu (the first non-casual glance he'd ever given her), nodded his head very slightly and gave the faintest chirp possible. She assumed the position and it was ON. The first time he'd ever mated successfully too, he fell off every time he tried with Mims. Buster and Shodu have been a bonded pair ever since and raised 46 babies, but I wouldn't say they were bonded the first time they mated.

It hasn't happened in my flock unless you count Henry, but birdie adultery is pretty common. A bird has a quick fling with someone that's not their mate, but doesn't leave the mate afterward.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

> A bird has a quick fling with someone that's not their mate, but doesn't leave the mate afterward.


Its like a birdy soap opera!! When I had a larger flock, Snowball was bonded to Hershey, but she would also mate with Fuzzy, while Fuzzy was mated and bonded to Bubbles. It was a mess!!!

My youngest mating occurred when both birds were six months old. It just depends on the bird. You can use hormone reduction techniques to prevent mating and two birds of the opposite sex can live in the same cage together without issues.


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## moonchild (Jul 29, 2012)

tielfan said:


> It ain't necessarily so. Henry has boinked several of his sisters, but the only bird he wants for his mate is his mother Shodu. Regrettable, I know. Fortunately she pays no attention to him.
> 
> The courtship of Buster and Shodu lasted approximately two seconds. He had been courting Mims, who was reasonably receptive. Then one day Buster looked at Shodu (the first non-casual glance he'd ever given her), nodded his head very slightly and gave the faintest chirp possible. She assumed the position and it was ON. The first time he'd ever mated successfully too, he fell off every time he tried with Mims. Buster and Shodu have been a bonded pair ever since and raised 46 babies, but I wouldn't say they were bonded the first time they mated.
> 
> It hasn't happened in my flock unless you count Henry, but birdie adultery is pretty common. A bird has a quick fling with someone that's not their mate, but doesn't leave the mate afterward.





roxy culver said:


> Its like a birdy soap opera!! When I had a larger flock, Snowball was bonded to Hershey, but she would also mate with Fuzzy, while Fuzzy was mated and bonded to Bubbles. It was a mess!!!
> 
> My youngest mating occurred when both birds were six months old. It just depends on the bird. You can use hormone reduction techniques to prevent mating and two birds of the opposite sex can live in the same cage together without issues.


Oh boy! Exciting times, lol.

I wonder if/when I will have such dynamics in my flock. Thus far, I haven't caught anyone mating. I saw Moon trying to mate with Freya once but she was having none of it (probably had no idea what was going on). And once or twice I have seen Juju masturbate. But overall, my flock is pretty asexual. Pretty sure everyone other than Willow is old enough to be mating, they just don't have much interest.


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## Korvia (Aug 3, 2012)

My youngest is 4 months old tries to mate with the other male in the cage, the other one didn't try mating till recently and he is a year and a half.
So really varies between birds.


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