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From: bonnie@hanauma.stanford.edu (Bonnie Rippere)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: INDOOR : So how well do parakeets and cockatiels mix?
Message-ID: <803@helens.Stanford.EDU>
Date: 20 Jul 90 17:28:56 GMT
References: <10521@lindy.Stanford.EDU>
Sender: news@helens.Stanford.EDU
Organization: Stanford University, Department of Geophysics
Lines: 33

In article <10521@lindy.Stanford.EDU> AS.RLS@forsythe.stanford.edu (Rosemary Switzer) writes:
>
>  I'm begging some information from all you folks who have
>more than one species of birds as pets.  I have a mated pair of
>cockatiels, Rikki (15 years old) and Ariel (13 years old).
>   Anyway, I've inherited a 7 year old parakeet
> [stuff deleted about how to introduce these birds together, etc.]

My experience has been that cockatiels and parakeets get along very well
together.  The age of your birds, however, might make the acclimatization
process take a bit longer.  My parents currently have two parakeets and
one cockatiel.  All birds are male, but the cockatiel and the green
keet both have enormous "crushes" on the blue parakeet.  They're almost
like groupies and follow him around everywhere.  It can be rather amusing
to watch the cockatiel serenading the budgie as the budgie tries to
ignore this big grey bird in his face.  I've also heard from other
people that their budgies and cockatiels get along rather well.
  The fact that your "new" parakeet is very interested in your cockatiel
pair is a good sign.  It wasn't clear in your post whether you have
been letting the budgie out much, but you should probably start doing
this.  Make sure you are around and let all three birds be out at the
same time.  As you know, cockatiels are relatively gentle birds but
there is the possibility that they might hassle the parakeet.  In general,
though, the cockatiels should be excellent examples for the parakeet
to learn from.  If he's skittish, but can observe how the others
trust you, and how they fly/walk around, he will learn these things
more quickly himself.  My parents' three birds all share the same cage
by now - originally they all had separate cages but were so distraught
every time they were separated at night, we eventually couldn't bear
to do it.  I would suspect that your cockatiels will want to keep
their cage their own dominion, though.
  Good luck!
	Bonnie Rippere - Stanford University