Introducing a baby cockatiel to two

[iMoosker]

Hello all. I realized how awesome it is to have a community of like-minded people to talk to about bird care. I have two budgies (male and female, they are bonded) which can do step-up and give me nose kisses (trick). This week, I got a new hand-tamed 11 week old male cockatiel. He's very sweet already and knows how to get my attention and beg to be let out of the cage (I'm home all day but I put him in his cage when I go eat or whatever). My budgies and cockatiel are in separate rooms right now. I was thinking of introducing them to each other after they are properly quarantined, like in a month.

My budgies can fly to my hand for millet, or do the nose kiss, or fly back to the perch on command, and I can also put them back in their cage at night. But they are still pretty scared of me and don't trust me, especially when I do care around their cage. Unless I literally move at a snail's pace, they don't freak out but they do move as far away from me as they can (when they are inside their cage). They don't fly away from me if they are outside and on top of the cage, but they definitely move away a bit on the perches lol. I bought a clicker and going to start target training them tomorrow. But point is, they are very skittish around me unless I have millet on my person. On the other hand, my cockatiel is hand-raised and thus very friendly and socialable and is getting comfortable and exploring everything.

So I have a few questions.

• Could my cockatiel choose to bond with my budgie instead of with me when I put them in the same room (separate cages)?
• Will my cockatiel realize that the budgies are scared of me and figure out he should be scared too? Right now I'm doing really well with him, I'm reading his body language and never force any situation EVER.
• Should I give each of them separate out-of-cage time at different parts of the day?
• Can the budgie bully the cockatiel? Or can they get along happily?
• Could it be possible that my budgies learn to enjoy being around me by watching me interact with my cockatiel?

Some pictures...

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[sunnysmom]

Your birds are very cute.

• Could my cockatiel choose to bond with my budgie instead of with me when I put them in the same room (separate cages)? You never know. But just because he becomes friends with your budgie doesn't mean he can't be friend with you too.
• Will my cockatiel realize that the budgies are scared of me and figure out he should be scared too? Right now I'm doing really well with him, I'm reading his body language and never force any situation EVER. I think the opposite is more likely. That the budgies see your friends with your tiel and they become more tame.
• Should I give each of them separate out-of-cage time at different parts of the day? It depends on how well they get along and if you want one on one time.
• Can the budgie bully the cockatiel? Or can they get along happily? I think if they're out of the cage and have separate food dishes, etc. it will likely be okay. Are they both flighted and can get away from each other? You need to watch and see how it goes.
• Could it be possible that my budgies learn to enjoy being around me by watching me interact with my cockatiel? YEs.

 

[iMoosker]

Your birds are very cute.

Thanks so much! It's so funny, SunnysMom... a lot of time I will use Google to search up something I have a question about first. And with the top Google Search results for AvianAvenue, I constantly see your name! You are doing some amazing help for people! I've learned so much from reading your posts, specifically.

• Could my cockatiel choose to bond with my budgie instead of with me when I put them in the same room (separate cages)? You never know. But just because he becomes friends with your budgie doesn't mean he can't be friend with you too

Oh okay! I would be so stoked if they got along and the cockatiel still likes to sit with me sometimes. That's what I'd be happy with!

• Will my cockatiel realize that the budgies are scared of me and figure out he should be scared too? Right now I'm doing really well with him, I'm reading his body language and never force any situation EVER. I think the opposite is more likely. That the budgies see your friends with your tiel and they become more tame.

That would be really cool. I'd love for my budgies to have a boost of confidence!

• Can the budgie bully the cockatiel? Or can they get along happily? I think if they're out of the cage and have separate food dishes, etc. it will likely be okay. Are they both flighted and can get away from each other? You need to watch and see how it goes.

Yeah, now that you mention, I think it would be a better idea if I would wait for my cockatiel's flight feathers to grow out before I take them out of the cage at the same time. I'll have the caged in the same room before then, to get used to each other!

It was NOT my idea to get his wings clipped - the breeder does it automatically and I did not contact her in time to ask her to please not clip (she is comfortable with this option). His four primaries were clipped like on the week when I contacted her about the baby cockatiel. I will never clip his wings ever unless he somehow is mentally disabled. He's not a lutino though, so probably will be fine.

 

[sunnysmom]

Thanks so much! It's so funny, SunnysMom... a lot of time I will use Google to search up something I have a question about first. And with the top Google Search results for AvianAvenue, I constantly see your name! You are doing some amazing help for people! I've learned so much from reading your posts, specifically.

Oh my goodness- thank you. I had some great cockatiel mentors when I was new to cockatiels who helped me so much with my first tiel, Sunny. Now, I just try to pay it forward and pass on things that I learned. But now I am wondering if I post too much.... LOL.

 

[ksa]

We have 2 bonded 1 year old budgies and introduced a hand raised cockatiel. They share a cage but we never close cage doors. They fly in when they want a nap or ready for bed and budgies usually sleep side by side and cockatiel on other perch. Sometimes they are all lined up. Cage is 75% blanketed and we have a night light now to prevent night frights. They play and sleep as a flock but cockatiel is closer to my husband and I. Budgies fill in his time when we're not around. He is the leader and has made my budgies braver to investigate house. Also made them more trusting. Our first budgie was hand trained but getting female for him reverted him to solely be focused on her.

 

[tka]

This is an old thread. The original poster hasn't logged in since February 2021 so is unlikely so is unlikely to see your response.

 

[Kiwi's Dad]

We have 2 bonded 1 year old budgies and introduced a hand raised cockatiel. They share a cage but we never close cage doors. They fly in when they want a nap or ready for bed and budgies usually sleep side by side and cockatiel on other perch. Sometimes they are all lined up. Cage is 75% blanketed and we have a night light now to prevent night frights. They play and sleep as a flock but cockatiel is closer to my husband and I. Budgies fill in his time when we're not around. He is the leader and has made my budgies braver to investigate house. Also made them more trusting. Our first budgie was hand trained but getting female for him reverted him to solely be focused on her.

You should create a new thread so more people can answer the question.