Aggressive Cockatiel!

[xCypress]

This is gonna be really to-the-point.

My Cockatiel, Peaches, is really aggressive while she's in her cage. I've tried many taming methods but none of them seem to work. If I can manage to get her to step on a perch and out of the cage, she acts perfectly fine. A bit nippy, but still willing to sit on your shoulder, you finger, etc. I was considering buying a parakeet to share cages with her, but I'm afraid she would try to kill it.

Anyone have any ideas on how to calm her down? Should I end up buying a parakeet?

 

[Feather]

How big is Peaches' cage?

Parakeets and cockatiels should generally not be housed together. There may be rare exceptions between individuals, but this is a fairly universal rule of thumb for differing parrot species. If you get a budgie, it will need to be kept in a separate cage.

A better companion for your cockatiel would be another cockatiel, though I personally am against caging birds together at all as even lover's spats can escalate to injury in an enclosed space.

 

[Fergus Mom]

I surely would not buy a Budgie (aka parakeet) to be housed with a Cockatiel. As Jasmine said, this is the rule of thumb. How long have you had your Cockatiel with you now? It takes time to socialize them, and there are many articles in our forum which speak of this. Just go to the 'search' function and use the key words 'taming cockatiel'.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

Many birds are aggressive while in their cage. If Peaches will step on a stick, and then is mostly fine out of her cage, then I don’t really see a problem. Just keep earning her trust and working with her. Budgies tend to be more aggressive than cockatiels, and should not be housed with them because they can seriously injure tiels.

 

[meheartbirds]

I have two cockatiels with 7 budgies..at one time I had one cockatiel with 4 budgies before I got more. The cockatiel once or twice did a bird version of a growl to the budgies to assert dominance .... now they all live together in peace and harmony. The smallest budgie who is a rescue bird, LOVES Phoenix my first cockatiel and wherever Phoenix goes...Banana Pop goes. So cute. I will also say that I have two large cages and I leave the doors open so they have options.

 

[Monica]

How have you tried getting her out of her cage?

What is the exact behavior that she does when you try to get her out?