Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 12/22/2006

Question
Hello Chrys, I recently acquired a male gray cockateil to go along with my llyr old female english budgie. So far the cockateil is displaying a lot of "wolf whistling" towards the female budgie along with drumming his beak on his perch. The female is responding at times by bobbing her head down low and what seems to be regurgitating seeds at him. It seems like the cockateil wants to approach her but will not, the few times they have come close they flare at one another not showing typical beak feeding when a pair bonds but more so a flare of aggression or perhaps confusion? My question is, will they ever bond thier in a 18x18x36in cage and the territoral lines seem to have been laid out already in only having the cockateil a few weeks now. The budgie has had cage mates in the past but they were males of the same species that she killed as she tends to be aggressive at times. She tried doing this to the cockateil in the beginning but realized she was out matched in size now her behavior has changed to a more submissive state. I don't know what will happen, but its interesting to watch none the less any information on this would be helpful thanks............

Answer
Hi, Tommy.  Thanks for posting!

I wouldn't allow these 2 birds to be housed together.  Even though the tiel is bigger than the budgie, tiels are gentle, sweet parrots.  Since this budgie has killed other budgies, I wouldn't allow this budgie to be housed with this tiel on a permanent basis.  It would be OK to allow them to play together supervised, but the budgie can injure the tiel.  Many budgies like to pick on tiels because tiels are so gentle.  To be on the safest side, I wouldn't house these 2 birds in the same cage.  Side-by-side cages would be fine, and outside the cage together with supervision would be fine.  Perhaps in time they can be housed together, but right now, I'd say not.  

Chrys