# Should I get a second 'tiel?



## TheRubixHorse (Jun 14, 2010)

Please excuse the giant size of this post, but I'd appreciate it if you guys read all the way through!

I have been thinking for a few weeks now that maybe it is time for me to get a second 'tiel for my female Cade, and I happened across a cockatiel in a pet store just yesterday and my mind has been stuck on her ever since. She was scruffy looking, but as soon as I put my finger in front of the cage she crawled right down and started chewing on me (not aggressive, just sort of teething maybe). They had her right in the front of the store so my guess is she looks scruffy due to stress. I usually don't think about birds I've seen in pet stores for long after I've left, so the fact that I'm still thinking about this particular one has me a bit baffled.

Anyway, onto the real question.

Cade is going to be turning 7 years old in November, and has been the only bird in our family for all of those years. She is very bonded to me (hates pretty much anyone else) but I'm concerned that I am away from home too long each day for her to be truly happy. I will be going back to school in just over a week now, and I also work a part-time job. I am home between classes for a few hours and am up after work for a few hours. When I am home, Cade is ALWAYS out of her cage and either with me or will be investigating something nearby. When she wakes up in the morning before me, I open the cage and she will fly over and go back to sleep on my bed.

She doesn't play with the toys she has in her cage (has a TON but is afraid of virtually everything, and I can't seem to fix this problem so if anyone has any suggestions about that please let me know!). She does have a mirror which she sits next to whenever she is in her cage and isn't eating or drinking. I have no idea how she would react to another bird in the house, and I am also concerned she would not be as friendly towards me, even if the other bird I'm considering is also a female. Cade has never laid eggs, and I was also unsure whether having another bird in the house would change this. Cade's cage is 20 inches deep by 30 inches long and 34 inches tall, so I think this would be plenty large enough to house two birds if they get along.

Basically, I guess my question is whether you guys think it sounds like it is even necessary to consider bringing another bird into the home, or whether it sounds like Cade is getting enough attention as it is. And as for the whole being-afraid-of-everything problem...I have already tried playing with her toys myself to try to make them seem interesting...so far she is either not interested or still afraid -.-

Thanks!


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## Abby (Jul 30, 2010)

I really think you should. 

It's not fair for your bird to be left alone all of the time, especially if she's afraid of her toys.

She might become a little less attached to you, but if you're not going to provide the socialization she needs during the day, I think you should get her a little friend. 

I've read countless times, too, that you can become your bird's friend all you want, but for your bird, it's nothing like having a friend of the same species. You can't fully replace other birds in your cockatiel's life. As unhappy as I know that makes us all feel, I guess it's true. (That's kind of hard to word, sorry...)

So I'd say go with buying a new bird. Warm them up slowly. 

Good luck!


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## Cockatiel132 (Aug 27, 2010)

yea i would also say go for it. but make sure nothing is actually wrong with the one at the petstore..the last thing you want is for the new cockatiel to pass it down to yours. maybe it had a bath and it looks scruffy? ask the people, and check on her again. there are lots of breeders that have healthy hand fed birds. if you do choose going with this one, check with a vet and make sure you quarantine. after quarantine period is done you want to gradually get them used to eatchother. and i also agree with myheartbtsneva, she might not be as attached with you like she was before..i remember the first cockatiel i ever had was a grey female. she loved bein with me and never wanted to be near her cage. i decided to buy another one, snowball, as they grey attached, if i didnt have them both on my hand, she would fly back to the cage to her birdy friend. but i mean, its better for cade, its not fair for her be lonely, especially now that school is starting.


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## clawnz (May 28, 2009)

Hi! Tiels are generaly not into toys as such. So I would not over crowd her with toys.

I feel haveing another female around should not mean more chance of eggs. but having a female does mean there is always a chance of eggs.
Another Tiel should be good company, but things do not always work out well. And your Tiel is 7yrs old. She maybe receptive to a very young Tiel coming in.
You need to think Quarantine! Then I feel it is best to introduce two birds out of the cage. It can be very hard on a bird to suddenly have another bird share it's home.

When she nibbles you she maybe preening you. It's a love thing. Your her companion.

Are there any Rescue's near you?

Good luck, and keep us informed.


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## shy bird (Feb 13, 2009)

My tiel is not as old as yours but she loves other birds.She does not play with toys either.I would get another tiel as well. I would take the introduction slow at first in case cade does not like new birds.


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## clem&peeps (Nov 17, 2009)

I also think you should get another tiel. In my opinion i think tiels do a lot better if there is more than one. If you have to be away allot they have each other for company. I bought my female 6 months after i had my male, and also worried he would not be as bonded to me, but it turned out great. They really like each other and both are still very attached to me. Even though they have each other i still spend a lot of one on one time with each bird so they remain tame. 
Like everyone has mentioned, make sure you quarantine the new tiel for at least 6 weeks.
Wishing you all the best in your decision


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## clem&peeps (Nov 17, 2009)

Forgot to comment on tiels and toys  
My tiels love toys that are easy to shred. Anything made from balsa wood is good. Toys made with popsicle sticks is fun for them. They also like simple foraging toys. For example, I buy the smallest paper bags i can find and fill them with pellets or treats and tie them to the cage (close to a perch) and they will spend hours going from bag to bag and nibbling holes to get at the food.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I'd say go for it, they are flock animals and will get lonely. My sister bought a semi-tame one but since she's been in school and working a lot it has gone back to its wild roots and is completely scared of her while everyone in the house is afraid to pick her up for fear of being bitten. I got some work ahead of me when I go visit. But anyways, another tiel wont really hurt your bond with the one you have now, my Cinnamon is very bonded to me and no other bird has ever affected that.


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## TheRubixHorse (Jun 14, 2010)

Thank you to everyone who's replied...I still would like another bird for Cade but at the moment my mother is the main obstacle. She is dead set against getting any more birds, even though I am the one who cares and pays for everything having to do with my lovely little Cade <_< I'm working on getting a friend to purchase the bird for me (after I take another look at him, of course) and keeping him for another week or so until I wear my mother down...but we'll see what happens. In the meantime, I have been working on getting my girlie not so terrified of her toys, and so far it seems to be working. I caught her playing with one of the bells today :yes:


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Good! My tiels love bells, its their favorite toy out of all the ones we have for them!


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## Siobhan (Mar 21, 2010)

Freddie loves toys. He's probably checked out every toy in his cage, and he has a LOT of toys, though of course he has his favorites. If you want to provide your bird with companionship without the fear of eggs or losing the closeness you have now, you could get a couple of budgies. Budgies are so much fun, and low maintenance, and they can all chirp at each other and be company without forming an alliance that excludes you.


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## TheRubixHorse (Jun 14, 2010)

Lol I really rather dislike budgies to be honest...my friend has a ton of them, along with a cockatiel, and not only does her 'tiel lay eggs, but she HATES the budgies because they're so flighty and move too quickly. I did actually sit down and figure out how much I'm going to be home and such to see whether I should really go about getting this 'tiel and hoarding him at my friend's house until I can convince my mother to let me get another...Cade would be out of her cage every morning for about an hour and a half, then when I get home for a couple of hours before work, then again when I get home from work and before I go to bed, and then also all weekend. I'm just so friggin' indecisive lol! On one hand I don't want to tick my mom off, on the other I want my bird to be happy, and then I'm also thinking well maybe she IS okay as she is now, and I don't want to risk losing the bond with her or having her start laying eggs and risking all the problems that can come with that, and gahhhhhh! So yeah.


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## Dave & Tito (Aug 1, 2010)

I've been asking around about getting a second tiel too, it's a resounding yes out there, and the great thing is I hear the tendency to bond less with you when the second bird arrives is NOT as true for cockatiels as it can be for larger parrots; she'll love you just the same.

As for toys, my tiel is a male and loved any toy that has a bell (like yours Roxy!), swings and is a smiliar size to him. He knocks them about and screams at them when they swing back and hit him but I think he likes it, he's having little pretend arguments with them!


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## TheRubixHorse (Jun 14, 2010)

So it's official, and my mom is peeved at me, but we had a little sort of heart-to-heart and I think it'll work out now. I bought the bird in the pet store, he's not so friendly as anticipated, but he's very interested in people and has already been yelling when I walk away. He is very active and rode home in my Jeep quite well. He's obviously never seen sunflower seeds before, because he was totally unsure what to do with them when he went down to investigate his food. His wings are clipped but poorly, and he is in mid-molt, I think, considering I can see new solid grey tail feathers coming in and the barred tail feathers are starting to fall out. He is currently quarantined from Cade, but aside from his feathers' appearance he seems quite healthy. The picture I have is dark and blurry, since I was trying not to startle him with the flash. And I have also worked it out with a friend that, should he and Cade not take in a few weeks' time once they have been introduced, she will take him for me and give him a good home =]










We'll see what the vet visit brings once he's settled in for a week or so!


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Aw he's a cutie...even if he is a boy and Cade is a girl, with the long nights treatment (12-14 hours of sleep a night) you should be able to avoid egg-laying. Also, if you only give enough food for them and not a lot of extra food, they will think there isn't enough food for them to have babies at that time. Plently of people have opposite sex birds together with no babies. And losing your bond shouldn't happen if you keep having your time with them, keep working with him since he seems interested, take it at his pace and in no time you'll have two birds who want your attention. Being a boy, he'll even sing to you!!


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## TheRubixHorse (Jun 14, 2010)

Haha yes the people at the pet store said he is quite the singer and that they're going to miss his songs, but I haven't heard him yet. Then again he's covered up right now xD He looks so funny right now because he has all his new feathers poking through ^^


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## brittbritt (Oct 25, 2008)

Today I was able to introduce my new cockatiel Midori to my handtame Moonshine as quarantine was finally over. They did better than I expected and they seem to like sitting by each other. I hope your bubs take to each other too.


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## luffy3001 (Sep 1, 2010)

u should the cockatiel its for the better of ur bird so you wont have to spend as much time with it and it will have a new friend to play with


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## mpayjr (Aug 16, 2010)

Its the funniest thing when you see them interacting with each other, especially if they end up being best friends with not only each other but you too! You'll love it so much, when you see them together after the quarintine period


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## TheRubixHorse (Jun 14, 2010)

So Cade and the new cockatiel (hereby deemed Ira), were calling back and forth to each other for the first time today. I'm not sure that Cade has realized it's actually another bird down there, and she still whistles more happily when I'm talking to her than when he is, but it's definitely a good start for the two of them. Just a few more weeks!!


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

i got dally as a handfed baby and she overly bonded to me to the point of screaming every time i left her sight. so i made the choice to get a second to keep her from screaming and to give her some company. i found a 5 month old male, same age as dally, and bought him from bad conditions. his previous owners smoked around him, his cagemates plucked him, his cagemates also nipped his eyelid and thats now a permanant injury. but besides all that hes very healthy. hes parent raised and wasnt hand tame but hes making good progress and let me tell you, the screaming when i leave the room has stopped! getting a new bird for your single bird is probably the best thing you can do for her! it may take awhile, but trust me its well worth it. and its a bonus cuz the birds do still bond well with you if you spend the time!


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## TheRubixHorse (Jun 14, 2010)

Ira just started letting me scratch his neck today! W00t! He still won't step on my finger, but I'd say he's doing pretty darn good considering this is only day two since his arrival here ^^


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

congrats! hope he warms up even more!


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## mpayjr (Aug 16, 2010)

lol. I can't wait to here how he is doing! He seems to be very socialable! Unlike my anti-social tiels. But we are doing bonding exercises. I'l' feed them millet from my hand and things like that. But they HATE scritches from me. hahaha. But I'll convince them sooner or later.


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