Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 4/25/2007

Question
Hello Tania, I would love another pet bird but am having diffaculties deciding which one to get. First let me say I own 6 handfed friendly Peach faced lovebirds that come out and play with me every chance I get they are all very sweet so I'd perfer another bird that might be able to come out the same time as them if possible I'd be thinknig of getting a Parent raised just weaned baby budgie or a handfed just weaned cockatiel.....would one be better then the other or I have acctaully heard and seen people keeping tiels and keets together is this a real possiblity in a large cage? Would you know the life spans of the budgie and cockatiel I'd perfer not loosing my little buddy after 5 years I'd like a bird with a 9/15+ year life span something like a dogs would be great. Now I know both of the birds mentioned can learn to talk is a male in either breed better then the other for talking...my oldest lovebirds will make kissing sounds wehn I kiss his beak but never tryed to mimic anytihing else but I hear lovies arent good mimics. Is a budgie louder then a cockaitel I know they are always chattting to them selfs lol. In your apinion which would make a better companion(sit on my shoulder while I'm n the computer...watching tv ect ect) I'd like to know also if it matters where I get the new bird I would be buying from a locale pet store that is well kept. Do you know if budgies or cockatiels are more interactive with people more over the other? I know my lovebirds love to be into everythng I'm doing and are very exploratory birds. Thanks for any advice you can offer I apprecate it really I do, ~Tara.

Answer
Hi, Tara.

I'm not Tania, but your question was in the question pool, so I'll attempt to help you as much as I can.

Whether you can keep tiels and keets together in a large cage depends on the personalities of the individual birds involved.  Some keets like to pick on tiels to the point of stressing the tiel(s) out, so this type of situation would not be good.  You'd have to carefully select the right birds to mix together and/or be prepared to separate out any that don't fit into the mix (house them in separate cage[s]).  

Life span of a bird is directly related to how well a bird is cared for during its lifetime and the genetics of the bird.  You might lose a bird in a year or so (a bird can become ill and die 2 weeks after you purchase one) or a bird could live to be 20...just depends on many factors that can't be predicted in advance.

Yes, males in both tiels and keets can learn to mimic, but there are no guarantees that any males will learn to mimic.  It's a risk we take when we buy parrots.

I'd say keets and tiels are about the same as far as decibal levels are concerned!  Some of my keets are louder than the tiels and vice versa, depending on how they feel that day and what's going on!

As far as which bird species would make a better companion, again, depends on the individual bird(s) involved and what you expect out of the bird.

I recommend you always purchase your birds from a reputable parrot breeder and purchase just-weaned baby birds that have been handfed.  It doesn't matter if a pet store is well kept...doesn't mean they offer good quality birds and whether the staff is knowledgeable enough.

If you want an "interactive" bird, you need to buy a tame, just weaned baby bird from a reputable breeder.  The answer to your question depends on the individual bird(s) involved.

Chrys