It is recommended that you don’t keep only one cockatiel at a time, two or more cockatiels in the same cage are recommended, but, can you keep 2 birds of the same gender?
This article explores whether you can keep 2 male cockatiels in the same cage.
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Can 2 male cockatiels be in the same cage?
Having a bird friend for your cockatiel is always recommended, this will allow the birds to socialize with each other when you aren’t around.
This is what you need to know about keeping 2 male cockatiels in one cage:
Keeping 2 male birds in the cage:
Yes, you can definitely keep 2 male cockatiels in one cage, cockatiels who are the same gender, and who are not rivals fighting for the same love interest, can definitely be kept together in one cage.
Note: Some birds are good about living in cages but some birds are not, you will only know which camp your bird falls into once you add a new male into the cage.
That being said, there are a few things that you’d need to look out for and consider before taking in a new male bird.
Fighting over space:
There may be some friction when you introduce a new male cockatiel to the cage of another male. These birds are territorial and no male wants to have their space taken over by another male.
Thus, if you introduce a new cockatiel into the cage of another then the old male may start to squawk as a way of showing dominance over the new male and communicating that this is his space
What to do:
Makings sure that each bird has enough space in the cage is a must.
If the cage you bought for your first bird was designed to house one bird then you’d need to get a new cage for the new bird, or, you would need to get a bigger cage for both the birds, one that is big enough to house both birds.
When purchasing a new cage for the two birds pick a cage that is at least 24 inches high, 24 inches long, and 18 inches deep, this will give each bird enough space to live comfortably.
Cages can’t be too big either, if the cage is too big then the birds may start to feel overwhelmed.
If the cage is too small then the birds will feel cramped. Giving the birds a rectangular or square cage is also recommended as these are easier to move around in.
Also, the birds may fight over toys and perches if enough of these aren’t provided by you. Adding more toys and more perches into the cage is recommended if you want to keep 2 birds.
Other things that you should consider when getting a cage is to get a cage with bars that aren’t too far apart or else the bird’s heads can get stuck inside
The bar spacing should be half an inch or less, also make sure that the cage is made out of sturdy material like stainless steel. Stainless steel is durable and will last even if the birds chew on the bars
Foods:
Just as the birds may fight over space in the cage, birds may also fight over food. Birds will fight for their food, cockatiels included, a bird will not allow another bird to eat its food as this means that it will starve.
Keep this in mind when looking to add another bird to the cage.
What to do:
If you’re wanting to keep 2 male birds together then giving them double the food and water that one bird would eat is recommended.
The recommended amount of food to give a male bird is 1,5 – 2 level measure tablespoons of food a day, double this when feeding 2 birds. If you need to and they want more, fee them more than this.
You may even want to give the birds separate food bowls and waterers to make sure that the dominant bird doesn’t bully the less dominant bird when it comes to feeding.
The upside to having two birds in one cage is that if you introduce a new food to the two birds and one bird is willing to try it, the other bird will also be willing to try it as the bird recognizes that the food is not poison.
Make slow introductions:
These two birds may warm up to each other and may like having each other around but you’d need to make a slow introduction when introducing them, even introducing them without having them come into contact with each other.
Doing this will allow the birds to get used to each other in their own space without being able to attack each other
Start off by housing them in separate cages about an inch away from each other, this will show each bird that the other is not a threat. Do this until both are comfortable.
If the two birds sit near each other and start vocalizing to each other, then this is a good sign.
Once they are comfortable with each other you can put them in one cage, and keep an eye on them to make sure that they don’t fight to the point of injuring each other
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other bird related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Why Are My Parakeet’s Feathers Turning Brown?, Can You Bathe A Baby Cockatiel?, Baby Cockatiel Not Digesting, Baby Cockatiel Not Pooping, Cockatiel Diarrhea Egg-Laying, My New Cockatiel Is Scared Of Me, Cockatiel Flirting Behavior
