# What"s your opinion...



## aidan724 (Mar 8, 2008)

I'm sorry if this is rather lengthy but I thought some back story might be helpfull to clear up any confusion. Forgive me...

My mother and I have been taken in by Jewel and reached a mutual decision to get a pair of teils with the intent to breed. We plan on keeping at least one as a friend for Jewel. I haven't decided on if I will breed her or not and I have a way to go as she is only just now reaching 6 months. My mother may keep one but she is hesitant due to her age and their life expectancy. We also already have family and a few friends awaiting some babes. So we have no problems there.

So I went to a local breeder whom I have developed a good relationship with over the course of a few years. Her husband is "The Rabbit Man" and she is "The Bird Lady". She has been breeding/raising birds for about 60 years or so, owned a pet store and now runs her breeding business out of a flea market by word of mouth. I know that she has MANY repeat customers and have talked to them etc. That said I am confident in her flock and her practices etc. So 2 weeks ago my husband and I went to see her and came home with 2 tiels (1 male, Drako and 1 female, Gracie) and 2 budgies. I can't help it but I fell in love. They were meant to be breeder birds so they have had no real human contact and are extremely wild. I have made some progress in getting them used to my hand being in their cage and they don't go to the opposite side of the cage when someone is close and they seem to be settled down nicely. They are only about a year old and were not a bonded pair. She had the males in one place and females in another. They are fairly well ignoring each other save for a few nips to get the other out of the way. They sit near each other and will drink and eat at the same time but show no affection. Not a problem for me as I know they had and are still having a stressfull time. 

My problem or potential problem is my husband and his not listening. I explained quarantine etc and he blew that as soon as we got home. We had no sooner come through the door unloading all the goodies and he took Jewel out of her cage. She is the most curious little thing and before I could get in the door and know what was going on she was on the tiels cage. Drako had been singing (I'm assuming) to Gracie on the ride home but the moment he caught sight of Jewel he was performing. He was eyeballing her while doing his heart shaped wings and singing his head off. Jewel was enjoying the show so much she kept running all over the top of the cage and flying away from me. She is such a naughty girl. Then he started beak banging away on everything. I have tried to keep the seperated but whenever I let Jewel out (she is usually out from the time I get up till she starts getting sleepy) she flys right back there to them. They are constantly calling to eachother. I don't think that Jewel really gets the point because she pays Gracie just as much attention and even tries to preen them through the cage. Gracie just seems to take longer to warm up than Jewel or Drako. So is this love a first sight? What are the odds that Drako will continue to ignore Gracie who is right beside him for the unreachable Jewel? Should I strangle my husband? Just kidding. It kills me to keep them seperated since they are so interested in each other but they don't seem to care what I think. I don't want to rush anything but I would like to see them do more than just tolerate each other. I had hoped that Jewel would not end up being a temptation for him. So any thoughts? Thanks!


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## Plukie (Aug 26, 2007)

Well, this is my opinion. That's quarantine blown to pieces, so keep an eye on them all to make sure that no illnesses occur. Jewel is far to young to mate and have babies, so if that seems to be Drako's intention, then I would keep them separated. As for your husband.......well, I'll leave that up to you. lol.

Now, I know that someone else will be along to give you a lot more information that I can, so, hang on in there for more advice.


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

I would also keep a close eye on them all. Here is a site with lots of bird info http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-diet-and-health/default.aspx


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## Laura (Jul 30, 2007)

I agree with Plukie the quarantine is out the door, and yes Jewel is way to young to be breed she is only 6 months old so she has another year to wait, they have to be at least 18 months before you can breed them, if the new pair are only a year then there all to young, breeding tiels to young usually ends up causing a lot of problems and the eggs don't usually hatch because there to young to understand what there suppose to do. If Drako and Jewel are showing that much interest in each other I would also keep them separated till there older, I would leave the two new ones together for now seeing as there not bonded you won't have to worry about them breeding to young and hopefully by the time there old enough they will have bonded.


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## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

You've already been giving great advice, and I really cant elaborate on any of it 

but I do know how ya feel when your husband didn't listen. My boyfriend is the same excat way.

he Has me do all the research (not just on breeding but all different things), wants all the info, then I tell him how it says its supposed to be done. and he goes and does his way anyway... The man knows how to make my blood boil rapidly. really fast!

I just don't understand some men!

And I also know how ya feel, having a Male bird that you want to 'bond' with a certain female and he has complete differnt intentions!

I have a Normal Grey Split to Pied, that we were planning on putting with either a Pied, A cinnamon pearl or a Pearl Pied.... well he only likes our 2 Lutinos and doesn't pay the other females any attention unless its to hiss and peck at them to make them move out of his way. 

but the other day I did catch him Running after Nibbles (our Pied) but she wanted nothing to do with him - it was very funny to watch though, he did the wolf whistle, he did the heart wings, and all his other "mating calls" and would try to be slick and sit real close to her (he'd move real slow) she'd take off either to the other end of the play gym or down the ladder of it and he'd be hot on her Tail, and she was just running in circles around the floor of the play gym as fast as her little feet would let her and he was right behind her - he finally gave up about 10 minutes later LOL

but Nibbles isn't interested in any of the boys. Just her "sister" she came with Baby. 

But I'll tell ya I should of named every male tiel i have ROMEO, one day one of them was doing thier mating call and he got our Pearl Pied Tiel and about 5 budgies come running to him, and he didn't even want the tiel who came to him he wanted Baby - and at the time she wanted nothing to do with him LOL


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## aidan724 (Mar 8, 2008)

Thanks everybody. I'm keeping all of them in the more winter conditions to avoid any breeding and don't intend to let them have summer for about another year. I am just glad that they aren't being aggressive and don't hate eachother. They need time to mature, get to know the other animals and people of the house etc. before we have any babies. I do already have the essentials just in case they pull one over on me though. I'm also trying to keep Jewel completely out of eyesight of either of them for a few more weeks quarantine blown or not. She is just so sneaky. LOL Thanks again.


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