# Does my cockatiel need a friend?



## aslan74426 (Sep 16, 2011)

Hello,

I've had my cockatiel, Joey, since he hatched. I didn't hatch him, but I visited him everyday until he was ready to go home with me. He's 3 years old now, but has never been around other birds. He can become cranky with me sometimes, but LOVES his reflection in the mirror. 

Here's the problem. Recently, my schedule has changed so that I don't have as much time to spend with him as I used to. That also means he doesn't get to come out of his cage as often as he used to, either. He still gets to come out everyday, but now he has to stay in more, whereas before he spent most of the day out of his cage. 

Anyway, I am feeling really horrible about it, but the situation can't change. So I was thinking of getting a larger cage, and another cockatiel. 

Is this a good idea?
Male or female? (He has a toy he likes to 'make love to'.) 
Adult or baby?
How should I handle the introduction process? (I know better than to just stick them together.) 


Advice?


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## morla (Aug 15, 2011)

Hi! Welcome to the foums! I hope you like it here! And i hope everything goes well with you!


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## Raheel (Aug 22, 2011)

I would definitely get another tiel along with a larger cage. It will help your current tiel from getting depressed


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

I think it depends. How much time will he have with you now? It could help to have a friend for him, but if you have less time, you have to be careful you don't end up with more birds than you can responsibly take care of. A second bird will also mean that Joey may have less time overall with you, or less quality time with you. I'm not saying don't get a second bird, but make sure you think all of these things through.


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## Siobhan (Mar 21, 2010)

I brought my first tiel into a household with two Quakers and two budgies. For a couple of weeks, he only came out of his cage after the Quakers had gone to bed. Freddie was only a baby and I didn't want them picking on him. However, Hubby is of the opinion that they might as well be thrown together as not, and he started letting Freddie out when the others were out. Freddie found his niche and they all learned to co-exist, and I think Freddie was happier to have company, even if the Quakers wouldn't play with him (the budgies don't come out, their own choice, so we quit coaxing them to). Then we got a second tiel when a friend moved out of state, and this time, I just opened his cage and let him out with everyone from the start. He and Freddie stared at each other for about an hour and were suddenly best buds and they spend most of their time together. I would suggest, if you get a second tiel, that you get one of the same sex as yours, and after quarantine, you set the cages side by side for a day or two to let them look at each other, and then let them out together. I would not expect them to share a cage from the start. Let them get acquainted first. THEN you can get a big cage and put them together. Freddie and Johnny spend most of their play time in Johnny's cage together (with the door open), but at bedtime, they go into their own cages to sleep.


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