# Advice



## Johnston (Mar 4, 2011)

I have a male and female cockatiel as well as two budgies (one is male the other i am unsure of) I put up a breeding box to see if my cockatiels would mate as they have been acting as if they may. The male goes into the box and then make a low call and my female goes to the door, but then one of my budgies comes over and she leaves.... I think my budgie might think he is calling it.... Also my female cockatiel spends a lot of time with my male budgie.... could she be bonded with the budgie?? The male budgie was there before the male cockatiel as well.... 

What can I do to encourage my cockatiels??


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Take the budgies out...they could be distracting your tiels or making them too nervous to mate and have babies. Budgies can be very mean to tiels if they so choose, they're more pushy then tiels. Separate the two budgies from the two tiels and see what happens.


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## Johnston (Mar 4, 2011)

Thanks! About a week ago I got a spare cage and took the budgies out.... I have not actually seen the cockatiels mate but the female has been having larger poops (I saw a pretty large one happen as I was feeding them today) and she seems a little bigger, so it seems like she may be getting ready to lay.... I will keep everyone posted if she does lay!!


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

Good luck don't forget to make sure she gets enough calcium. I would let them play out of the cage together supervised but I would not house budgies and tiels in a cage together.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Also do they get any natural sunlight? If not, a full spectrum light will help them to absorb the calcium they eat so their body can use it.


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## Johnston (Mar 4, 2011)

They are getting calcium, she has been going crazy with the cuttle bone for one, and they are in a room with a large picture window that lets in lots of natural light!


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Do you ever leave the window open for them? Otherwise they aren't getting enough because glass only lets in about 5% of that light and they need lots more than that. Its just to prevent egg-binding.


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## Johnston (Mar 4, 2011)

Yes, Now that the weather is getting nicer the windows have been open


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## Johnston (Mar 4, 2011)

She laid lastnight!!


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## Debbie05 (Feb 9, 2010)

congrats!! Hope it's fertile.


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## Johnston (Mar 4, 2011)

I guess we will just have to wait and see now!! I am hoping that she will have at least one that is!


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## leeisme (Feb 4, 2011)

Johnston said:


> I have not actually seen the cockatiels mate


In my experience you don't have to see the cockatiels mate you can hear them with their chortling. It is kinda vocal.


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## Johnston (Mar 4, 2011)

I know that my male has been singing songs to her a lot lately and have even heard her singing a little bit... so who knows.... also it could have happened when I wasn't around!! I am really hoping that there are some fertile eggs!!


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## j-9 (Mar 12, 2010)

It's a unique sound low chirping....almost like outside birds....makes you look over...and then...wa-la....there they are  You may not have been home....Hope they are fertile! Good luck...& keep us posted.


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## pknight1120 (Feb 9, 2011)

Good luck!


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## Johnston (Mar 4, 2011)

We are up to 2 egg... she laid again on Tuesday night! Perhaps a Third will come tonight!!


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## Johnston (Mar 4, 2011)

We are now up to 4 eggs.... I haven't tried to candle the first yet.... still hoping that at least one is fertile!!


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## leeisme (Feb 4, 2011)

Congratulations Johnson  Breeding cockatiels for the first time is definitely an experience. Heck breeding them for the hundredth time is too since each clutch laid can be a totally different experience.


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## nwoodrow (Feb 13, 2011)

ok the best time to candle the eggs is when you know that the parents are brooding(sitting full time) the eggs this may happen with first egg laid, but most often not until 3rd-4th egg is laid, once you know this then count five days from that day and that is when you should know if any eggs are fertile.


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## Dekey (Apr 21, 2011)

I have th same problem I'm not breeding them yet but my male budgie and female cockateil are closer than her soon to be mate it's them to and one budgie in there I want the male and female to bond but my budgie is distracting them.


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## Johnston (Mar 4, 2011)

Hey Dekey! I Would try separating them. You may also want to look at getting another budgie to put in with this one! 

Good Luck!!


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