Introducing a young cockatiel to an older cockatiel?

[A Curious Mind]

I just bought a 3 month old baby cockatiel about a month ago and have a question about introducing it to my roommates cockatiel. I'm in college so over summer break I bought him. My roommate who went home for the summer also has a cockatiel who is about 6 years old. We have an apartment to we both have our own rooms. I was going to put my baby in the room with me while my roommate kept her bird with her.

My question is, should I introduce the two birds, and when should I introduce them. Should they sleep in the same cage when they are introduced or in separate cages. And finally, I've spent a lot of time with my baby cockatiel, training him and taming him. If I put him in the cage with this new bird, will all that training go out the window.

 

[Jane]

Keeping them in the same room in separate cages is your best bet you don't want to take any chances they could end up being attached and then separations going to be hard on them or they could be mean to one another just watch them closely and make sure the other is healthy before allowing it near yours

 

[Divya]

There is a huge difference in terms of maturity between the 6yr old and 3mnth old. You may introduce them under supervision on a neutral perch so the older one does not get terretorial or possessive of his toys. See how it goes. Do it once each day or if you have the time, a couple of times in the day. Its like introducing a 10 year child old to a 2 year old child.

I would suggest that you still put them in their seperate cages. You and your roomate will one day go seperate ways. You dont want the birds to bond with each other so much that your bird gets dipressed in the absence of the other one.

If the other cockatiel is also hand tamed, it wont affect your bird. But if he is a wild one, then it might. You want your bird to be more like you. You need to spend more time with the bird so he learns from you. So keep the interaction between the birds limited. Go by your instinct. If you are not comfortable with the behaviour, dont encourage it.

 

[Joshua Rhoades]

I i heard that Parakeets if you put a young one with an old one he will take care of it and feed it so I think they will get along just fine.Cockatiels love to have freinds so why would it matter to add an old one with a young one?

 

[Poetic Ramblings]

Definitely only have them interact with supervision. Make sure they start out with seperate cages. Over time, if they bond, and you can discuss them sharing a cage with your roomie.