# Budgies and cockatiels?



## SianChloe (Feb 14, 2014)

Sorry for yet another post.
We bought a new cage for the budgie in preparation for buying him another budgie. We initially wanted to get a female budgie as he was mounting everything - however since he has been in the new, much larger cage he is a lot calmer and not humping things. We also have removed everything metallic because we didn't realise he could see his reflection and it turns out that was one of the things driving him wild.
Someone has suggested that rather than a budgie we buy a cockatiel for him. The cage we bought has one cage on top of another but the cages are seperate, the birds would get play time everyday together though. Even if we got another budgie they would be in seperate cages and playing together because when we've looked after other budgies Dickie has been very affectionate and happy with them but makes it very clear when he wants to retreat to be on his own.
Does anyone have experiences of keeping cockatiels and budgies together? do they get on? and do they provide company for each other?


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## poohdog (May 16, 2010)

*It's a lot down to individual birds,but these two species are often kept together with no problems as in this public aviary.Introduced birds should be watched though as a cockatiel can cripple a budgie very quickly. *


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## ALcatrazbirdman (Feb 27, 2014)

poohdog said:


> *It's a lot down to individual birds,but these two species are often kept together with no problems as in this public aviary.Introduced birds should be watched though as a cockatiel can cripple a budgie very quickly. *


HI in my own experience over a number of years, i have found that keeping other birds with budgies can be risky,tiels ,although larger are generally placid,budgies on the other hand can be very spitefull.However in a large aviary ,given space this could be less of an issue.Certainly would not keep finches ,canaries with budgies, as they are likely to have their legs bitten off.The only hookbill ive ever found placid enough to go in mixed flight is Bourkes parrakeets.Hope this may help, im sure you will get further advice in due course.:thumbsup:


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## SianChloe (Feb 14, 2014)

They would never be left alone together, they'd have separate cages and supervised time out together if they got on.
I've been reading about budgies being defensive and aggressive but I think Dickie would be okay, he's been known to allow other male budgies to walk into his cage as steal food of him without becoming defensive - he just came flying over to us for help 
He likes the finch too - they've never been out together but when he's out he sits next to the finch cage and the finch comes over to him and they sit and chirp to each other.
I know it's really just down to trying it and seeing how they get on - but I'm hoping the fact that he's really laid back with other birds is a good sign.


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## Guest (Feb 28, 2014)

Budgies are social birds and while they can be kept on their own its not very kind. 

If you add just one bird you could risk your boy bullying them and feather pecking from stress.

You should add maybe 2 or three I certainly would advise against adding a different more docile species to a caged environment were the resident could be the more aggresive one. Adding 1 cockatiel could be a success but could also be asking for trouble too. 


Cockatiels are not cheap either and the males can sometimes be aggresive themselves. Cockatiels also tend to be noisey too a sound which your neighbours may not appreciate. They are easy to keep and afforadble as well as hardy.


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