# Can this age difference in tiels be bad?



## Raven2322 (Mar 1, 2008)

So I'm trying to decide what to do. I have a 3 month old boy cockatiel. Now I want to get a girl that will be his mate later on in life. I'm going to a bird show on the 25th of this month. I want my next cockatiel, a girl to be a different mutation that any I have now. Best place to find those is where I will be going. My mom thinks I should wait, but I think that if I wait until he is 6 months, 1 year or more then it will be a problem. Granted I have no plans to breed them anytime soon, but it can't be a good idea to have a sexually mature male and a baby female. Keeping in mind my other 4 are already pair up and bonded and currently all 5 are living in the same flight cage. I would be able to seperate them into boy and girls later on in the future, but not anytime soon and they are all getting along now so it's not a problem. I was planning on having them all live in the flight cage unless I decide to try and have a couple breed and then I was going to move that couple into their own seperate cage. 

So I guess I need to know what you all think. Would it be better to get a girl now to pair off with my young boy so that they grow up together. Keep in mind come their teenage phase I have a number of extra cages and can seperate them for periods of time if need be. I told my mom I wouldn't make any quick decision and that I'd ask the experts first.  So I need input please.


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## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

I don't see a problem in it and at Bird Fairs (at least ours) there are all sorts of ages when it comes to the birds. So you may even be able to get a female who is the same age as your male or really close to it, So there wouldn't be any huge age difference 

and your already prepared for separating them if they decide they want to mate and they're not supposed to  

Just don't forget to Quarantine


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## Cheryl (Dec 27, 2008)

An age difference shouldn't matter too much, even at a couple years. That is only if you keep them separate until they both are of age.  Oh, and like ATV said, quarantine!


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

It would be best to get one now so that they can grow up together so to speak. You are correct. It sometimes doesn't go well when you try to put a baby girl with a mature male.


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