# Pros/Cons of a Second Tiel?



## birdlover4life (Mar 6, 2010)

So, I am highly considering getting Finny a friend. I think he gets lonley when I am at school/basketball. He is an avid toy lover but that probably isnt enough all of the time. He has learned to entertain himself, but I still feel badly for him.

Those who have multiple birds, tell me your experiences with getting the second one. Everybody in my family is telling me its a bad idea to get a second one because they will bond to each other an not me. So, if oyu could, tell me how your tiels were before/after getting a second and if you would advise it or not. Also would it matter it I get a girl or boy?


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Get him a girl so you have the joy of boy and girl, im so glad iv got both.
pros is keep each other company, both make you laugh and smile

cons  i aint got any


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## Sar (Sep 22, 2010)

I had a girl tiel and she got very sad when I was at school. I got another one (the man in the shop said it was a boy...turned out to be another girl) They both loved me best and didn't get on when I was there (competed for my attention) However if I took one out of the room the other one went mad. If I returned without the bird they continued to it was the other bird they wanted. They had to stay with my Grandma at times (uni, holidays etc) and she told me they cuddled up and groomed each other when I wasn't about. I NEVER saw this! 
Basically I feel my birds benefited from having a birdy friend, especially when I was a teenager with a social life. 
If you have the space and time I would always go for two birds over one (which is why we have a tiel and a budgie now).


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## Amber77 (Jan 9, 2011)

Hi birdlover
it is a great idea to get a girl friend for finny.
I have made the experience that two or more cockatiels are more trustingly
They will have fun if you are at school and both can have fun with you. 
I think there is no reason to got a cockatiel alone. 
6 of my 10 tiels are more or less tame.
The other tiels are not tame but it is no problem for me.


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## Clawsworth (Nov 9, 2009)

I also think it's a good idea to get another 'tiel. I got a second 'tiel a few months ago and it was a great decision. They're both bonded to me more than each other, but they keep each other company when I'm in class and are very happy to see me when I get home.

I can't think of any cons to getting a second 'tiel.


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## Cheryl (Dec 27, 2008)

Getting another bird should not make him less tame. I have never had it happen. In fact, Chikee still prefers human companionship to other birds. 
You may want to think about what gender though..getting a female may result in you having to separate them if they begin to mate. This is not always the case, but you should consider that as a possible necessity in the future.
There is also the chance the two may not get along at all and they still need to be separated. More likely than not, they should become friends or tolerate each other. 

Having more than one bird is definitely nice and you don't have to worry about the lonely little bub back at home.


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## olive juice (Mar 30, 2009)

I think it depends on the bird, honestly.

My first cockatiel, Halley, didn't exactly know he was a bird. He was hopelessly attached to me and so getting a second 'tiel didn't do anything negative to our bond. He was actually terrified of the new 'tiel and wanted nothing to do with him. That tiel, on the other hand, Echo, LOVED Halley and wanted nothing to do with ME when Halley was around. He'd actually get quite nasty and bite at humans if we got between him and Halley. I had to keep them separated in order to train Echo at all. (However, it should be noted that Echo tends to get cranky around ANYTHING he likes a lot, not just birds.) 

I just got my third tiel, and I haven't introduced him to Echo yet so we'll have to see what happens. As long as you put the effort into individually training both cockatiels, there shouldn't be a problem.


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## Belinda (Oct 9, 2010)

I am also thinking of getting a second tiel, but I need a second cage etc and vet bills make it expensive so I'm not sure I can afford it at the moment, plus my bf is hesitant - but I would LOVE another baby.


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## lordsnipe (Nov 11, 2010)

I have had a negative experience, my first bird Nibbler looks like he wants to mate or is jealous of my second bird Colbie, who is in a separate cage but next door to him. He gets aggressive if we try to separate them if they are out together, biting humans and Colbie. Get him to a spot where he can't see or hear Colbie, and he turns into the cuddle buddy that he used to be.

Colbie is a softy (being handreared), and he/she doesn't care for Nibbler whether he's out or not. Although it's pretty clear that Colbie is scared of Nibbler at times when he's biting and chasing him/her around.

I'm going through the long nights treatment at the moment to hopefully try and calm him down, so they can spend out of cage time together.

DallyTsuka has similar issues, with Tsuka bullying Dally at times. I'm sure she'll comment when she sees this post.


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## Duckybird (Sep 13, 2010)

I've had good and a little bad come from my second tiel. Keep in mind, my second tiel, Callie is not that tame. Both birds love each other and have benefitted from each other's company. Ducky has gotten a wifey, and Callie has gotten tamer and eats healthy now. Ducky was my baby boy for 9 months, and he's not quite as tame. That is a recent thing, with his teenage hormones raging, however. Also, while Ducky can be separated from Callie and seems ok, she is very bonded to him and fusses for him whenever separated. Just keep in mind that each bird is an individual and will have their own personalities. But overall it's been a positive experience. I'm hoping Ducky will grow out of his teenage brattiness.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I have quite a few tiels and don't regret it at all...we started off with four originally and ended up with 3 boys and a girl. She picked one boy and that made the others jealous to a point that I got each of them girlfriends too. (Didn't know about the bratty teenage stage at this point.) They settled down but my first girl never lost her bond with me either. No matter how much she liked that other boy I was always picked first before him. She thinks she's a people so she could really care less about the other birds.


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## birdlover4life (Mar 6, 2010)

I am thinking I will get a second one, but I am afraid Finn wont like him/her. Everytime he sees my parakeet, he hisses at it  . Maybe I can bring him to the store and see if he gets along. I would hate to have them in seperate cages... Maybe I can get a lutino or white face


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## Duckybird (Sep 13, 2010)

I wouldn't bring him around other birds, as the risk of infection is too high. It's never a good idea to bring him around unknown birds. If you do decide to get another, and have the space, time, cages for quarantine, go ahead. Finny is young so I highly doubt he'll dislike the other bird. But research quarantine thoroughly, and make sure you have time to develop a bond with the new tiel. That way, they will both be bonded to you. I'm sure they will still love each other and get along. Tiels are some of the most easy going flock birds there are. Most rescue organizations won't even send home a single tiel, because they enjoy the company of their own species so much. But do your research, and after quarantine, make the transition gradual, and you should be fine.


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## babydoll101 (Jul 17, 2010)

I really enjoyed reading this thread as I have thought long and hard about getting a second 'tiel and now I am going to pick a girl up this Saturday. I have been very nervous and wondered for a long time whether I should bring another one into the family. Thanks so much to everyone for posting their experiences


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## birdlover4life (Mar 6, 2010)

I just read my post and I have no clue why I said he could meet them LOL. It must have been because it was too early in the morning for me. Would it be okay for me to get a smallish cage for quarentine? I dont have the money to buy another $100 cage! I think with some time he will be a nice boy to his baby brother/sister. I am thinking of getting my second around March, my birthday month


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## olive juice (Mar 30, 2009)

I am currently quarantining my new cockatiel in a smallish cage. I feel really bad about it but since there isn't a lot of space at my boyfriend's house (where Fox is living for now) it's the best choice I have. Once I can bring him home, he has a nice big cage waiting. A month or so of cramped living will be worth it in the end, I feel.


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## birdlover4life (Mar 6, 2010)

Yeah, there are some ample/small cages at the store for around $40 so at least I can get one


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## Cheryl (Dec 27, 2008)

You can get smaller cages on craigslist.org and in yard sales for fairly cheap. I would just avoid going smaller than 18x18. I'm getting a few more birds to make more pairs tomorrow and I'll have to keep all three in a relatively small cage, but it'll only be temporary.


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

I had Dipsy for awhile before I decided to get a second Cockatiel. Dipsy wasn’t tame, and despite my best efforts and tons of time trying to work with her to tame her down, it just wasn’t going to happen, and I accepted that, she was a parent-raised Cockatiel, but still fairly young. 

When I was searching to get a second Cockatiel, I came across an ad of a local Cockatiel breeder who lives really close to me, so I emailed her and asked her if she had any hand-raised babies and she did, so I organized to go and look at the babies and I ended up choosing a 9ish week old Cinnamon Whiteface hen. (Tilly) I brought her home then and there. 

When I it finally came to introducing Dipsy and Tilly to each other, it turned out a lot better then what I expected!! They got along from go, they were preening each other and snuggling next to each other. After letting them out together a few times and seen that they would be okay together, I put them in the same cage and they were stuck to each other like glue. 

Tilly remained, and still is, the same hand-reared Cockatiel I got when she was 9ish weeks old. (she is 3 years old now) I didn’t lose my bond with her, she still remained cuddly and affectionate, and she even bonded quickly to Dipsy while bonded to me. 

I still have that bond with Tilly, and I have quite a few more Cockatiels now, it hasn’t changed _anything._


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## birdlover4life (Mar 6, 2010)

Yay, you guys are making me feel good!!!


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Speaking of small cages lol
this happened the other night since cookie wanted to be near kiwi (as always)  i had to rearrange the cage to stop them going in


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## birdlover4life (Mar 6, 2010)

Hehe silly birdies!!!


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