# My cockatiels are mating for the first time!



## kbeirne (May 2, 2011)

We have 2 beautiful cockatiels. The male, Sheldon, is a year old this month, and has definitely been hitting "puberty" full on! Our female, Mona, is about 2 1/2 years old. We have had Sheldon for almost a year, and Mona for about 4 months or so, and they've been really hitting it off. In fact, They've mated twice in the past week (that we've seen...) and I'm starting to wonder (and secretly hope) if there's a chance we may have some chicks on our hands in the near future! So just some questions- if the tiels do mate, is there a good chance they'll lay eggs, or is it just a once in a blue moon type deal? Also, they do not have a nesting box, and don't even sleep in the same cage most of the time, so will she still lay eggs if she has no nest? Thank you!

Please help!


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## 4birdsNC (Dec 4, 2010)

She may lay eggs even if there is no nest. But usually the presence of a nest box is what triggers the egg laying. If they are not sleeping in the same cage, cuddled up to each other, the chances are they have not bonded into a mated pair. It is best to breed cockatiels that are a bonded pair, they will help each other care for the babies. Cockatiels have been know to do it for fun too....


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## kbeirne (May 2, 2011)

Ok, thank you so much!


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## 4birdsNC (Dec 4, 2010)

Your very welcome. I would hold off on putting a nest box up right now, unless she starts laying eggs.


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## geenz (Apr 4, 2011)

I can second on the doing it for fun bit! My parents have 3 boys and 3 girls and they all swap and change partners all the time. No nest box. Only my brother's girl lays the occasional egg, the other two girls (which are mine) have never laid any


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## kbeirne (May 2, 2011)

Thank you all very much! I guess birds just need to have fun too


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

If you do ever decide to breed them, putting them in the same cage is the way to go about it. In tiels, the males help raise the babies and are more maternal than the females.


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