# Tiel living with Sun Conure. Need tips!!



## Saxonmalone (Jul 19, 2011)

I have a 6 month old tiel and a 3 month old sun/jenday conure hybrid living in the same cage. Ive heard all the bad stories about them living together but I dont really have a choice thx to my impulsive dad...So far there has been been no problems. I figured my tiel wouldnt like sharing a cage he had by himself for 6 months but he has not been teritorial at all! Im wondering if its cuz I have always kept there cage door open. But So far the only problem between the two is the conure will be eating and my tiel will come take the food right out his mouth lol prolly learned it from me allowing him to do the same to me. Im guessing this might cause a problem in the future so Im just looking for any tips on housing the two together, helping the two bond, and stopping my tiel from bothering the conure while eating. Note that the conure doesnt really get annoyed of my tiel doing that I just figured it would once it got older. Once again I dont have the option of getting another cage.


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## Saxonmalone (Jul 19, 2011)




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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

*Once again I dont have the option of getting another cage.*
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The first thing that come to mind is have you set aside $$ towards vet bills if the conure injures the tiel?

As to cages you can look in the newspaper or Craigslist for inexpensive or free cage. There *are* options.


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## Saxonmalone (Jul 19, 2011)

Thx for the quick reply but like I said Im only lookin for tips on helping them bond and avoiding fights. Another cage is not an option my dad insist that they will be fine and will not allow me to take up more space with another cage. In his defense he has been raising birds since he was a little boy and he has had different species live together he has also never used the internet and when i show him what ppl say on here he thinks they dont know what there talking about.


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## DesertDweller (Oct 8, 2011)

I have a sun conure and a 'tiel. They are both 5 months old. They get along really great. BUT, I would NEVER trust them in the same cage. A cockatiel is too passive and a conure is too aggressive. No matter how sweet the conure may be most of the time, all it takes is just one bite from that MASSIVE beak and the cockatiel's neck is broken.

I have a feeling that nobody will give you the advice you're looking for. It's just an extremely BAD idea to keep those birds in the same cage.


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## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

Unfortunately there is not much you can do to make them bond or avoid fights, even if they bond a sun conure has a large beak and can injure your cockatiel even if it is playing or by accident. When they are living in the same cage you cannot watch them while your gone to stop a fight or notice if you conure is playing a little too rough like you could if they only got supervised out of cage time, and cockatiels are huge pushovers and are easily bullied. I think the only advice you are going to get here is to get another cage, even if you think your conure wouldnt or couldnt hurt your cockatiel accidents do happen.


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

If a second cage absolutely is not an option, then I recommend you look into rehoming one of the birds. As others have said, it is not safe, and caging them together is unfair to both birds.


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## Saxonmalone (Jul 19, 2011)

I found a couple people who say they have the two living together. One girl even has two sun birds with one tiel. Although I am scared of some of the stories I have heard I think they are just as likely to fight as if i put another tiel instead. My tiel isnt territorial but wont get pushed around either and the conure is really mellow and will not bite me or the tiel so far. My cage is pretty big and the door is always open with branches all over the outside of the cage where my tiel usually sleeps and the conure likes a corner on the inside of the cage. Me and my dad were talking about making a cage that connects to the side of the main one out of drift wood which will always be open for both birds. Im hoping with all the space and a little bit of time they become friends. Ill update everyone on how my taboo bird pair is doing lol


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## Dekey (Apr 21, 2011)

No advice ... BEAUTiFUL BIRDS BY THE WAY !!! OMG that sun conure is amazing <3


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## Saxonmalone (Jul 19, 2011)

Thank you!! I guess he loses alot of the green when he molts though like this one: / Oh well still beautiful


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## AnimalLuver (Dec 23, 2011)

I would love to see a picture and dimensions of the cage so we get a better idea. AND I STRONGLY SUGGEST TO REHOME one or both of them if you don't want to get a cage (like srtiels said, bunch of free cages on craigslist, ect.) 
Also, if you don't want another cage, then can you pay all the vet bills? I don't mean to sound rude at all, I'm just saying that avian vets cost a lot a sunnie + tiel would cost $$$$$


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

someone on one of the sister forums of this one lost their budgies to their sun conure recently in a total freak accident. sun escaped cage when she was gone to school and opened the budgies cage and killed her two budgies.

i would not advise it, its not fair to the bird who gets feet, beak, whatever ripped off or injured or killed. i agree with animalluver. if you cant have a spare cage, rehome one. its NOT fair to the bird who gets hurt in the end. those are species you do NOT mix together. tiels are passive birds who are bullied even by budgies.

i have lovebirds who are smaller than tiels. our female would KILL our birds if given the chance. thats why she is in a separate cage,

if you cant have another cage, its not fair to the tiel at all. rehome one of them or else pay either rediculous amounts of money in vet care or pay with a dead bird. your choice. hormones come swinging around with conures, especially as they get older! dont mess around with mixing species.


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## Puppydog (Oct 13, 2011)

That was my thought. These are young birds. Wait until hormones kick in. It will be a disaster.


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## Kenziekenz (Dec 5, 2011)

Well everyone pretty much thinks the same thing I do, but I'll make a different suggestion. Maybe if your cage is big enough you can do something to make a divider in the cage to make them two separate enclosures. If your cage isn't big enough, maybe you can talk your dad into trading whatever cage you have now for a larger one. I think a cage like mine could easily separated. (I have a recent post in cages/housing). Thats my suggestion. Animals are truly unpredictable. They might get along great for a long time, but it only takes once to cause a lot of harm to someone. Hopefully that helps some.


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## NickinKona (Nov 2, 2011)

I know a breeder in town who has caged a cockatoo and a conure together. They were handfed together and they bonded very well. Hopefully because your conure is still young it will bond well enough to your cockatiel. This may or may not help but if you see them starting to go the opposite direction and not bonding then they sell cages that are partitioned so that they are still in the same cage but just separated to two different sides of the cage. Either one on top of the other or just directly down the middle. You could also try putting alot of foraging toys in the cage to keep them busy and it help bring down some anxiety. Conures can be nippy so just keep a look out!


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## morla (Aug 15, 2011)

Your sunconure is awesome! There a lot of cheap cages out there. If your dad wont buy one, maybe you could ask your grandma, or aunt or someone your related to. Your could also save that money up to get the cage yourself.


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## meaggiedear (Nov 20, 2011)

I like the divider idea. I understand what your dad is telling you. He only wants one cage because it takes up less space. But you can have one cage and put a divider in it so the birds can't get to each other.


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## DesertDweller (Oct 8, 2011)

Oh, one other thing I thought I'd mention. Birds are very territorial. Some birds are willing to share - up to a point. But, they are all much happier having a spot they can call their very own. It's their place to retreat to, a place where they don't have to share, a place that they know is theirs and theirs alone. Very important for the bird's peace of mind.


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## DesertDweller (Oct 8, 2011)

How are your birds doing? I hope all is well.

Thought I'd share 2 videos of my 'tiel and sun conure preening each other. In one video, Kahnee is preening Misty. No problems there. In the second, Misty is preening Kahnee and must have pinched a bit too hard because Kahnee turned rapidly and let Misty have it! Kahnee didn't hurt Misty, but you never know when such a reaction could cause problems. I just took the videos today for you. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWlV4jr0Yvs&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7ocVTmJ2G4&feature=channel


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## JennyLynn (Feb 13, 2012)

That definitely was a rapid change


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## adellelauren (Jan 14, 2012)

I have a female Sun Conure and her cage has always been next to my Male Tiel's Cage. They each have individual out time and also have out time together. I personally would never cage them together even though so far they gey along. I do see what your saying about cage space. I would like to do one cage also. But for me I am going to purchase a cage down the road that is big and has a divider to make it two cages. Like this one I have posted.

http://www.birdcages.net/alachua-bird-cage.html


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