Introducing Cockatiels

[a11ycat]

Hi, I did kind of ask this question in another thread... but I want to ask specifically.

What do I need to know about introducing a 6 month old 'tame' cockatiel, to a new '10 week old' cockatiel.

Potential problems?
My 6 month is bonded to me, will that change (he'll still get loads of attention)?
Will getting him a cockatiel friend be of benefit to him?
What are the chances of them fighting constantly? - I know it is always a possibility... but is it more a certainty?

[lin]

I'm no expert on tiels, but I have introduced quite a few birds. Of course, talking about birds isn't a concrete science, and they are all sure to be awkward no matter what
Firstly, make sure that if the worst happens, you can house the two seperately, in their own cages. They will probably be able to have supervised flight time together, but the worst case scenario is that they won't be able to be housed together. Just be prepared for that.
Secondly, you need to quarantine a new bird for at least 30 days, preferably 45 days. This is because illness in birds isn't obvious until it is quite advanced, and it is devastating to cause the illness or death of your existing bird by introducing a disease needlessly. This needs to be done, if possible, in a seperate room. That means a different airspace. If that's not possible, then as far away as possible, and ensure during flight time that neither bird goes anywhere near each other. This is also a great time to bond with the new bird.

I would then introduce the birds, in their own cages, next to each other. Once they seem to be interested and settled with each other, supervise some joint flight time. See how they go, and they might choose to share a cage, or you may feel the time is right, do it during a time you will be home just in case. If you are buying a new cage to house the two, try to introduce them together to it, so one doesn't feel like it is 'theirs'. Provide 2 food containers and drink containers, at opposite ends of the cage, and make sure they aren't in too small a cage.

You may lose some of the bonding with your existing bird, but not necesarily. It depends on the bird, how strong your bond with it is, how strongly it bonds to the new one, and how much you interact with them. Sorry, no definate answers on that one. I know Terri has two tiels, and one of them would rather perch on her than anywhere else. So, it really is an individual thing.