Chronic Laying

[BeeBop]

Hello. I was wondering what you can do to prevent a tiel from chronic egg laying? I also would like to know how budgies and cockatiels get along, I have heard they get along pretty well? Thanks.

 

[Calpurnia]

As you can see from my vote above I'd say it depends! I've been told parrotlets are too bossy to get along with other species (which was true of Simon) but our mushy love-sponge Julian is the complete opposite. He wants to cuddle and play with everyone and has never raised a beak in anger. I've heard that budgies tend to be more laid-back and "flock-oriented", even towards other species, but our last rescue Erwin HATES our parrotlets and only likes budgies. I've heard tiels tend to be pretty chill and mellow but you'd probably want to decide for yourself based on each bird's personality.

Some ideas to try with a chronic layer: limiting fatty/energy rich foods, increasing their amount of dark, uninterrupted sleep, rearranging their environment and removing anything that could be used as nesting material or a nest box, limiting "sexual" touching, and finally, consulting your avian vet about hormone injections if the problem is very serious.

 

[BeeBop]

As you can see from my vote above I'd say it depends! I've been told parrotlets are too bossy to get along with other species (which was true of Simon) but our mushy love-sponge Julian is the complete opposite. He wants to cuddle and play with everyone and has never raised a beak in anger. I've heard that budgies tend to be more laid-back and "flock-oriented", even towards other species, but our last rescue Erwin HATES our parrotlets and only likes budgies. I've heard tiels tend to be pretty chill and mellow but you'd probably want to decide for yourself based on each bird's personality.

Some ideas to try with a chronic layer: limiting fatty/energy rich foods, increasing their amount of dark, uninterrupted sleep, rearranging their environment and removing anything that could be used as nesting material or a nest box, limiting "sexual" touching, and finally, consulting your avian vet about hormone injections if the problem is very serious.

Thanks for your reply!

 

[barry collins]

I had budgies and a tiel that seemed to get along but in reality budgies are too flighty and permanently chatering compared to a tiel and my tiel is much happier with other tiels....
I think they tollerate each other but prefere their own kind unless they are lonely and try and bond with a different species like they do with people.

 

[BeeBop]

Thanks for your response. So I guess it depends largely on the personalities of the birds. How would I introduce a budgie to a cockatiel and vice versa? What could I do if they didn't get along? Thanks.

 

[BeeBop]

Bump. Anyone else?

 

[sunnysmom]

I agree that it depends on the tiel and budgie. Budgies can actually boss tiels around even though they're smaller and even chase them away from the food dish. You would just have to see how it goes. Although they may be fine sharing out of cage time together, more than likely they will have to be caged separately, is my guess.

 

[Calpurnia]

Thanks for your response. So I guess it depends largely on the personalities of the birds. How would I introduce a budgie to a cockatiel and vice versa? What could I do if they didn't get along? Thanks.

Once quarantine is over you can start by putting their cages near each other. Watch for signs of territoriality or aggression. After they've gotten used to each other's presence you can take them to a NEUTRAL location (like a table or new play gym) and let them share snacks. Try to reward both for being calm or non-confrontational. Once they are alright hanging out together away from the cage you can try letting them socialize around their cages. Always be ready to jump in incase things get ugly!

If they don't get along they may either be happy to ignore each other or will be looking to attack at any opportunity. In the first you might just keep their cages across the room from each other so there are fewer chances of territory intrusions and squabbling. In the second you might have to keep them in separate rooms (if one bird is constantly antagonizing the other, for example) and practice separate out-of-cage times. In both situations you would want to make sure nobody is out without you being around to supervise.

There is also the chance that one bird might want to be friends but the other doesn't. Unfortunately, it still might mean keeping the two physically separated at all times since the pestering of one bird could encourage aggression in the other.

 

[BeeBop]

@sunnysmom thanks. They will be in separate cages, so no need to worry of fighting over food/water/perches. I should introduce them on neutral territory right?

 

[barry collins]

I presume you already have a budgie and you want to introduce a tiel to him i also guess if it's the budgie in your picture it is a boy? (If i guessed wrong stop me now.) Then maybe if you just have the one budgie now a female cockatiel may become friends with him if you let them out of the cage together and like mine did they will seek each others company and spend cage time together. But if he is not totaly tame and your new tiel totaly tame then they may end up just wanting each others company and not yours so much. That happened to mine. Then after a while my budgies where clearly getting on my tiels nerves. Maybe 6 months because of the constant chattering and bothering to the point i had to split them up, then i got another tiel and my other tiel transformed and was so much happier! Tiels spend long periods quiet compared to budgies and i think they made her tired but housed in seperate cages they can be great friends when out..

 

[BeeBop]

Once quarantine is over you can start by putting their cages near each other. Watch for signs of territoriality or aggression. After they've gotten used to each other's presence you can take them to a NEUTRAL location (like a table or new play gym) and let them share snacks. Try to reward both for being calm or non-confrontational. Once they are alright hanging out together away from the cage you can try letting them socialize around their cages. Always be ready to jump in incase things get ugly!

If they don't get along they may either be happy to ignore each other or will be looking to attack at any opportunity. In the first you might just keep their cages across the room from each other so there are fewer chances of territory intrusions and squabbling. In the second you might have to keep them in separate rooms (if one bird is constantly antagonizing the other, for example) and practice separate out-of-cage times. In both situations you would want to make sure nobody is out without you being around to supervise.

There is also the chance that one bird might want to be friends but the other doesn't. Unfortunately, it still might mean keeping the two physically separated at all times since the pestering of one bird could encourage aggression in the other.

Thanks! One more question, if I get another bird that has already been tested, would quarantine be needed?

 

[barry collins]

my two were great out of the cage with my tiel

 

[BeeBop]

I presume you already have a budgie and you want to introduce a tiel to him i also guess if it's the budgie in your picture it is a boy? (If i guessed wrong stop me now.) Then maybe if you just have the one budgie now a female cockatiel may become friends with him if you let them out of the cage together and like mine did they will seek each others company and spend cage time together. But if he is not totaly tame and your new tiel totaly tame then they may end up just wanting each others company and not yours so much. That happened to mine. Then after a while my budgies where clearly getting on my tiels nerves. Maybe 6 months because of the constant chattering and bothering to the point i had to split them up, then i got another tiel and my other tiel transformed and was so much happier! Tiels spend long periods quiet compared to budgies and i think they made her tired but housed in seperate cages they can be great friends when out..

Yes hes a male budgie. And he's very tame.

 

[sunnysmom]

@sunnysmom thanks. They will be in separate cages, so no need to worry of fighting over food/water/perches. I should introduce them on neutral territory right?

Yes, I would introduce them on neutral territory. Maybe even let them see each other in their cages before letting them out together.

 

[JLcribber]

Hormonal Behavior in Pet Birds - Introduction — For The Birds DVM — Avian Vet

 

[BeeBop]

What do you do for quarantine? And is quarantine necessary if the new bird has been tested and doesn't have any illness?

 

[BeeBop]

Bump

 

[BeeBop]

Anyone else? All this info has been very helpful, I would just like to know more about quarantine (post above).

 

[sunnysmom]

I believe even if a bird has been tested, the safest course is to still quarantine for a minimum of 30 days. Not all tests are 100% accurate, etc.

 

[BeeBop]

What is involved in quarantine? A separate room without direct exposure to each other? Does quarantine significantly decrease spreading of illness?