# Can I put two pairs together?



## cowgirl2011 (Jan 8, 2012)

Hi everyone,
I recently purchased a bonded pair of cockatiels and have them in a pretty big cage around five feet in diameter..They are sitting on a clutch of infertile eggs right now.. My question is.. I have another pair of cockatiels, they are a boy and a girl but they aren't a mated pair..I'm not sure if they like eachother too much yet (i've had the boy for 2 or 3 months and i have had the girl since she was a baby) and they are both tame. Could I put all the birds in the big cage together or will that really disrupt the breeding pair?

Thanks!


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Since the eggs are infertile wait until they abandon the clutch THEN add the new pair as adding them right now may make the breeding pair attack them because they would see them as a threat to their "babies."


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## cowgirl2011 (Jan 8, 2012)

Ok thanks for the quick reply!  
I was also wondering if I should take the eggs out? They've been on the eggs for two weeks now and NEVER come out of their box. Not even for sun. They eat at night when it's dark..


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## 4birdsNC (Dec 4, 2010)

If the eggs are infertile, and not DIS (dead in shell), it is best to leave them until they decide to abandon them. If you take them out, it could cause them to lay another clutch. If you want them to lay another clutch, do not put the other two in the cage with them.


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## cowgirl2011 (Jan 8, 2012)

I do want another clutch from them, eventually out of curiosity why would putting the other pair in stop them from having another clutch? I read somewhere that one pair of breeding cockatiels may help another pair want to breed. Thanks!


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

If you want another clutch pull the old eggs, and freshen the bedding in the nestbox. If you add another pair to the cage have *one extra nestbox* (meaning 2 pairs, 3 nestboxes) in the nestbox so that there is a choice of boxes available.


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