Cockatiel FAQ Archives

Cockatiels are one of the most popular parrots in the U.S. They are exciting and small and can be extremely friendly and fun pets. But, first-time cockatiel owners wonder if getting just one cockatiel will lead to loneliness and, if so, how serious of a problem it is. But, can a cockatiel die from loneliness? Read on if you want to know more about this topic. Can A Cockatiel Die From Loneliness? Can A Cockatiel Die From Loneliness? Yes, cockatiel can die of loneliness if their basic needs are not met. For example, suppose someone keeps one cockatiel as a pet and does not take a second one as a companion. In that case, the owner will need to be available to keep the cockatiel company themselves for multiple hours per day. If they are deprived of interaction with a parrot of the same species or a good proxy of another species, many social pets will be at risk of severe mental and physical consequences. People who have a long period of solitary confinement, for example, often show signs of mental deterioration. Pets also struggle with loneliness and isolation. A cockatiel that is constantly deprived of interaction and stimulation can fall into poor health and even die as a result. Loneliness is not a deadly illness that strikes overnight, but it can still kill your cockatiel. That is because cockatiels are social and friendly birds. If they lack mental stimulation and can not regularly interact with you or other cockatiels, they will become depressed. The cockatiel will be bored, feel isolated, and become emotionally unbalanced. This will not kill the cockatiel, but stress will wear it down. Stress can decrease the efficacy of a cockatiel's immune system and impact its willingness to eat, drink, and exercise. This will lead to malnutrition, loss of muscle tone, and organ complications. However, these factors can build over time until your inactive and bored cockatiel falls in. In addition, cockatiels will still hide symptoms of illness, so this wear and tear on the body can be unnoticed. This isn't the most likely cause of death in cockatiels. But, if it dies young, dies unexpectedly, or appears to starve to death, loneliness may be the cause. Do Cockatiels Get Lonely? Yes, cockatiels become lonely if you leave them alone for a long time and if they have no one to socialize with and communicate with. Cockatiels are native to Australia and are naturally very friendly and loud birds. However, a too-quiet cockatiel can be a problem, signify depression or other illnesses. Cockatiel depends on numerous trips for safety, finding food and water, grooming, and breeding in the wild. As social birds, they can become quite harmful if they spend long periods on their own. Is It Better to Have Two Cockatiels? Yes, it is better to have two cockatiels than one. Except for the limitations imposed by the amount of space and care required for each, there is no proper limit to the number of birds you can keep. It is easiest to keep the cockatiel healthy and happy with the company bird unless you are willing to put in the time and dedication needed to take its place. A pet owner can sometimes take the place of a cockatiel if he is willing to commit. You can take other steps to make it feels less lonely, but there is one downside to finding an alternative to another cockatiel grooming. Cockatiels groom each other often. This is not just a social exercise; it helps keep them clean and free from harmful skin conditions. However, a single cockatiel may not be able to groom itself and can become sick and die if the skin condition or mite infestation gets out of control. Can 2 Male Cockatiels Live Together? Yes, two male cockatiels can live together without any problems. They will most likely keep each other company, bond, and groom one another. In the wild, cockatiels flocks are formed of males and females, so there is no reason for them to disagree, even though all the animals are individuals. Cockatiels are not like other animals where male rivalry is such a big problem that you can not keep them together. However, even if you keep the female with two males, they will still get along well. Wild female cockatiels can mate with multiple males, so the same competitive pressure does not exist as with other species. If your cockatiels do not agree for some reason, you can separate them into different cages but still keep them next to each other. That way, they can socialize safely until you feel that they can spend time together again. When re-introducing cockatiels that live separately, you should monitor their visits until you are sure that they no longer need supervision. Can 2 Female Cockatiels Live Together? Yes, two female cockatiels can live together, but it can take time to bond with each other because they are more prone to territorials fighting for space. Never put new female cockatiels in the same cage. First, put them in different cages and keep the cages close to each other. This helps them to better know each other. If female cockatiels are kept together in a large cage, fights are less likely to occur than in a smaller cage. Even though female cockatiels are more territorial, they can still live with other females peacefully. Once your female cockatiels bond, they can preen, hand out together, and keep each other's company. What Do I Do if My Cockatiel Gets Lonely or Bored? You can take several actions to alleviate the loneliness and boredom in cockatiels. First, taking another cockatiel is one of the best ways for their physical and mental health. Second, you can spend a lot of time with them and change all kinds of stimuli to which your cockatiel is exposed daily. Getting another cockatiel You already know that the best thing you can do to keep your cockatiel healthy and happy is to have a friend of the same species. While this may not be necessary, it will take a lot of work, worry, and troubleshooting when it comes to managing the condition of your cockatiel. One of the reasons a cockatiel owner does not want to get two cockatiels simultaneously is that they hope to bond strongly with their cockatiel themselves. So the best way to deal with all this is to take one cockatiel first and invest the time to bond with it, and if you want, teach it to speak before you get another and only then introduce them. Getting two or more cockatiels together will make it harder for you to bond closely with a cockatiel because they will bond with each other first. Thus they will be less likely to learn human words and will be most interested in talking to each other. Bonding with your cockatiel You can provide cockatiels with a fulfilling relationship that keeps them happy, but not if you can spare some time for them. Watching them briefly every morning and evening, working around a busy work and life schedule, will not be enough to maintain good mental health. If you aim to be the only friend for your cockatiel, it would be ideal if you are retired or worked from home. It would also be helpful if you do not mind spending time with them and entertaining them. If you enjoy being around them for a few hours a day, then you can be an ideal friend for your cockatiel. A companion from different species Another alternative to getting another cockatiel or spending a lot of time at home with yours is to keep them company with a bird of a different species. Another bird nearby can help your cockatiel feel less lonely even if they do not have perfect communication with each other. Outdoor exposure Opening the window or taking your cockatiel cage out for short periods is very important for your bird. Like us humans, cockatiels need fresh air and sun. In addition, your cockatiel will be able to listen to other birds and vocalize back and forth with them. This will help satisfy their instincts to be with other birds. Turn on the radio Cockatiels love the constant noise they hear from various birds. Some owners try to recreate this by playing recordings of cockatiel sounds, but this may upset them. They are disturbed because they try to communicate with sounds, but the tapes do not respond in kind. As a result, cockatiels become confused and frustrated. But if they need to be alone, a better option is to leave a radio on during the day. The variety of sounds on the radio will keep their minds active, and thus they will be less annoying. Its time to fly Sometimes cockatiels can be depressed even if they do have friends. Factors that make this happen are living in a small cage and dealing with a changeable environment. Designating a safe room in your home can be very beneficial for your bird to explore, stretch and exercise. Cockatiels are birds, so of course, having the chance to fly is an excellent source of mental and physical stimulation. But if you find that they are flying uncontrollably, you can clip off their wings to limit their rapid flight. Their Toys And Entertainment Like all parrots, cockatiels are quite intelligent pets. One of the ways we know they are intelligent is because they love to play. After all, they want novel experiences and can quickly get bored. Because of this, giving toys to cockatiels is a good option for owners. You can put the toys in the cage with them or outside in any space you think is safe for them. In any case, it is better to rotate which toys they like to play with because they may become bored with the same toys all the time.