Aren't cockatiels supposed to be monogamic?

[Gris]

I have four cockatiels, Their names are Grey, pearl wild and harlequin. Grey and pearl were hand fed and are docile, but recently my dad bought other two wild and harlequin. Harlequin is a young pies cockatiel and is in the taming process and wild, well the name says all, he likes to sing with us, but doesn't like us to get close.

Today I have noticed a different behavior. Grey and Pearl are a bonded pair, they have been breeding for a long time, but today they were together (the four of them) and I noticed that wild and pearl were breeding.

I don't know if this is normal between cockatiels, I have noticed in this in lovebirds and ruppel's, but there are usually one male and two females, never two males. Should I separate them? is this going to affect them?

Pls answer me I really don't know what to do

 

[Kassiani]

Hello Gris, and Welcome! I'm afraid I don't have cockatiels and can't answer your question. But someone will be along soon who can help, I'm sure!

 

[Gris]

Hello Gris, and Welcome! I'm afraid I don't have cockatiels and can't answer your question. But someone will be along soon who can help, I'm sure!

I hope so. I'm thinking on separating them for now until someone can answer me. I will also talk to some local breeders to ask if this is normal

 

[GreenThing]

Other users can comment on tiels more specifically, but most species with monogamous habits in the wild will mate with additional partners in captivity. The advantages of monogamy in increasing the offspring's survival rate are mediated by the abundance present in captivity (plus expanding DNA studies have shown that a lot of species aren't as purely monogamous as we have characterized them). That article is from the 90s, too! Not the study I was looking for, but you get the gist.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

I don’t know about how monogamous cockatiels are, but I don’t think it’s something to be concerned about. If they are all getting along and there isn’t any fighting they don’t have to be separated. Are you planning on breeding? Unless you are extremely experienced in breeding birds, I strongly suggest you don’t. Just make sure you replace any eggs with dummy eggs, and don’t offer any nest sites.

 

[Gris]

I don’t know about how monogamous cockatiels are, but I don’t think it’s something to be concerned about. If they are all getting along and there isn’t any fighting they don’t have to be separated. Are you planning on breeding? Unless you are extremely experienced in breeding birds, I strongly suggest you don’t. Just make sure you replace any eggs with dummy eggs, and don’t offer any nest sites.

I plan on breeding but not commercially. I did a research and saw that it is common for males to have more then one female, but saw anything about a female with two males. There is no fighting between them and wild and grey became best friends.

 

[MR. Mango]

on a seperate note can we see pics of all your other birds?

 

[Gris]

on a seperate note can we see pics of all your other birds?

Of course
I will take the pictures and post it

 

[keirieski17]

I plan on breeding but not commercially. I did a research and saw that it is common for males to have more then one female, but saw anything about a female with two males. There is no fighting between them and wild and grey became best friends.

What would be your reason for breeding? Are you prepared to hand feed if the parents reject a clutch? Do you know about eggbinding and other health issues that can occur when breeding? I encourage thinking about these questions before you consider breeding.

 

[Gris]

What would be your reason for breeding? Are you prepared to hand feed if the parents reject a clutch? Do you know about egg binding and other health issues that can occur when breeding? I encourage thinking about these questions before you consider breeding.

I have already hand fed multiple birds. Grey and Pearl were raised with 4 peach faced lovebirds. about egg biding, would it be when the egg is stuck? I don't know many English terms for birds breeding. But yes I know about most risks and I am ready to treat or even losing them if it happens. I never had this sort of problems and bred lovebirds for a few years now.

But now I will be more aware and I think I will get a domesticated reproductive couple rather than breeding them, since they are inexperienced and were raised with humans. But that's the thing about loving birds they are always more complicated than they seem.

 

[Gris]

Of course
I will take the pictures and post it

They are kiving in temporary cages so it will be a little difficult. My dad is building the lovebirds and doves aviary

 

[Phoe Phoe]

Song birds mating for life is not mutually exclusive with cheating. In fact it is well documented. Not specifically sure about parrots, though.

 

[BrianB]

I have a female that has two male partners. They both breed with her, feed her, and feed the chicks. They all sleep together at night. The males are attentive to her, but don’t exhibit breeding behavior with each other. They don’t fight or show any aggression towards each other but if she goes off to eat or whatever they don’t pay seem to pay much attention to each other.

 

[Gris]

I have a female that has two male partners. They both breed with her, feed her, and feed the chicks. They all sleep together at night. The males are attentive to her, but don’t exhibit breeding behavior with each other. They don’t fight or show any aggression towards each other but if she goes off to eat or whatever they don’t pay seem to pay much attention to each other.

Thanks for answering. Grey and Wild are friends and never fight so I think it must be normal. But I will not breed then now, I will wait for a few more months.