# looking for advice new recue bird



## Tony169 (Apr 18, 2010)

Hi guys, hope you guys can help, We have 2 cockatiels, both where taken in as rescues, the first cockatiel a female "sam" was already somewhat tame, and is now completely tame. A year later we took in another female "alex", and the poor thing has some serious issues.

firstly she was extremely noisy during the quarantine period, bit anything and everyone, however after the quarantine she was introduced to the other bird, Sam wants absolutely nothing to do with the alex, however alex is absolutely inseperable from sam, she keeps trying to crawl into sam's nesting box which infuriates sam (i have to cage her beside the nesting box while sams nesting).

Other issues alex has is she refuses to groom or bathe, she is handlable and doesnt bite anymore, but she will only sit on my shoulder is sam is also on my shoulder.

all her tail feathers are broken and have been for some time, and her clipped wings wont grow back in..... 

I beleive she is faily young but cant be certain.

Any words of wisdom would be much appreciated


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## Chez (Feb 17, 2011)

Hi Tony, sorry I can't offer you any words of wisdom due to inexperience, but I wanted to congratulate you on taking in rescue birds. 

Is it possible that Sam has bonded so much to you, that she won't accept Alex into the 'flock', as she sees it? Could they live in seperate cages placed beside each other for a time, in the hope that Sam might eventually warm to Alex?

I'm sure the experienced members of this forum that are better able to advise you will be along to help you soon.


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

why does she have a nest box?


and they grow out clipped feathers every molt... so she may not have molted yet


pictures would be helpful


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## Eileen (Mar 11, 2011)

I am wondering why she has a nest box as well. Having a nest box may be the problem. Sam may be protective of it and won't let Alex near it.


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

my concern is chronic egg laying as well. but yes, she could be aggressive because of that.


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## Tony169 (Apr 18, 2010)

yeah thanks guys ill get onto the photo's im not a computer guru by any means so ill try to figure that out tonight.... 

Sams nest box is just a cardboard box in bedroom.... i left a cardboard box out in the kitchen one night she crawled into it and started laying, we couldnt find her for hours, so i just kept the box and she uses it every nesting cycle. Should i remove the box? i think she is a little attatched to it though.

With the feathers though, it kind of perplexes me... thats why i think she is young... maybe she hasnt molted yet and some of these problems may be resolved by time and attention. Alexes wings are clipped a little too much i think, id like her to have some flight ability, maybe not 100%, but have the ability to fly from the ground up to her cage and possably a little more.

if anyone knows how soon is a tiels 1st malt form birth?

And definately yes Sam is definately a people person... maybe never seen another cockatiel... thats the struggle with rescues though, its hard to know their background, possable abuse and so forth.


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## Tony169 (Apr 18, 2010)

oh i should state sam is only ever caged at night... so she gets loads of attention, she demands headrubs constantly.... and between my wife, my friends and myself gets insane ammounts.

she is a little unusual she LOVES water she often just likes to sit in her water dish or bath for half an hour to an hour or so and sleep.

I just feel sorry for alex though sam seems to be so happy while alex is missing out on so much!


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

after she gives up on the eggs, remove the box. she should NOT be laying eggs after eggs, it can eventually kill her.


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

and 6 months is when they molt on average


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## Tony169 (Apr 18, 2010)

ahh cool thanks 6 months is about the time we have had her so ill hope to see a malt soon... or pray she does more to the point!

Sam doesnt lay constantly, her cycle does vary a little, but she seems to lay one to three eggs... after they are removed she seems to take a week break then lay another one to three.... all up she averages about 5 eggs then she will not lay again for roughly 2-3 months, i think her laying cycles ok, eggs look normal and she seems happy.

What will removing the box do? will she still lay eggs or refrian from it? and will it possably upset her? given that she has been through 3 nesting cycles in that box... i know how much change can upset birds.

when my friends leave the house, she has to check every room to find them, then has a little tantrum... i try not to change too much!


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## Tony169 (Apr 18, 2010)

oh im still working on the pictures, ive got pictures of both birds they where taken a month ago, cant get them tonight, sams nesting and alex is sleeping ill rty to get them up soon


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

removing the box takes away the nesting spot which most hens want to lay eggs in. and that there is not healthy at all for her. she should not be laying eggs that frequently. she can develope calcium deficiency and become egg bound very easily. take away the box and start covering her cage for 12-14 hours to slow down her cycle and lower her hormone level. this is very unhealthy for her. its stressful on her system and even with all the calcium supplements you could offer, that kind of pointless excessive egg laying will create some health problems. maybe not immediately now but it can and will happen some point down the line. best take away that chance of losing her than to allow her to continue this. egg laying gives a great strain on her system. shes using her energy on egg laying and sitting which is not a good lifestyle for her.


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## Tony169 (Apr 18, 2010)

this is alex when she was in quarantine


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## Tony169 (Apr 18, 2010)

and sam getting stuck into my wifes dinner


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

alex is a hen over a year old for sure. she'll molt soon, dont worry


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## Tony169 (Apr 18, 2010)

another i found of alex on her swing, since this pic she has lost all her tail feathers


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## Tony169 (Apr 18, 2010)

oh cool good to know thanks dally


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

not a problem


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

hey you have 2 good looking tiels there


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## Tony169 (Apr 18, 2010)

I thought id add this its sam feeding her water addiction, sorry about the shakey camera hand... the red on her face isnt blood... just a red pencil she found beside the TV, sorry i dont know how to URL it so i uploaded to you tube.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOR27Cb6m_8


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## Tony169 (Apr 18, 2010)

thanks, just wish alex would start grooming and bathing, it also worrys me a little.

just breaks my heart seeing sam get all the attention and alex being in fear.


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

she'll come around soon.

she may want mist baths. have you tried them?


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## Tony169 (Apr 18, 2010)

ive have to bath her, otherwise she really starts to smell.... mist baths dont seem to work very well... the water just beads off her, must be too much oil on the feathers or something, ive been bathing her in the bathtub, it takes some time for the water to penetrate the feathers.

She wont groom after the bath, something i notice sam takes a long time with, although alex does seem to mimic sam... maybe she just needs to watch sam bathing more often... which wont be hard, sam bathes 3 times a week or more when not nesting.


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

dally doesnt groom either. havent been concerned lol she just air dries.


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## Tony169 (Apr 18, 2010)

ahh cool thanks maybe when she malts a lot of her problems may solve themselves then... i dont mind bathing her, i really dont think she minds at all as long as the water is lukewarm and there is no breeze.... 

thanks for the info, so much on the info ive found on the net really didnt help too much


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