If you’re considering expanding your pet family and wondering about “Can Parakeets And Cockatiels Live Together? Then the answer is yes. However, it’s advisable to house these birds in separate cages due to several factors which we will discuss in detail.
Can Parakeets And Cockatiels Live Together?
Parakeets and cockatiels are highly recognized parrot species that make wonderful pets. Known for their sociable, tranquil, and gentle nature, these birds are among the most popular pets globally. They both primarily consume seeds and are native to Australia.
In this blog post, we will discuss factors that why it is better to keep Cockatiels and Parakeets in different cages.
Can Parakeets And Cockatiels Be In The Same Cage?
Parakeets and Cockatiels originated in Australia. They have coexisted in the wild for a long time which explains their familiarity and lack of perceived threat toward each other.
However, when they are kept in captivity, it should not be assumed that they will peacefully coexist in the same cage. Several factors contribute to this, making it advisable to keep them in separate enclosures. Some of the factors are as follows,
Size
Budgies are relatively smaller in size compared to cockatiels as budgies typically reach a length of up to 7 inches from head to tail, whereas cockatiels can grow between 11 and 13 inches in length.
It is necessary to provide a spacious cage to accommodate their needs due to the larger size of cockatiels.
Budgies are known for their high energy levels as they can become hyperactive in which case, conflicts between the two can arise. The larger size of the cockatiel may put your budgie at risk of potential harm.
Territory
Budgies have a natural inclination to protect their territory, especially their nests, to prevent interference from other bird species or predators during the breeding season. This is why budgies can exhibit heightened aggression and protectiveness towards their nests.
If you are aware about this characteristic of budgies then keeping other birds such as cockatiels in the same cage can potentially lead to conflicts and fights between your budgie and cockatiel.
Energetic
Budgies are known for their high activity levels, playfulness, and energetic nature. Whereas cockatiels tend to have a calm demeanor and do not require as much entertainment.
Budgies thrive on attention and stimulation, often vocalizing and whistling throughout the day to combat feelings of loneliness.
This is why Parakeet’s hyperactive nature can potentially cause distress for the calm cockatiel and there is a risk of them inadvertently injuring each other.
Night Terror
Cockatiels commonly experience night terrors where they can become frightened during nighttime, this is why sharing the same cage can pose problems for both birds in such situations.
Due to Cockatiel’s larger size, they may unintentionally harm budgies during night terrors through constant flapping and whipping.
Can Cockatiels And Parakeets Eat The Same Food
Budgies and cockatiels are both parrots that primarily eat seeds, but they have slight differences in their dietary preferences. Cockatiels typically require seeds with a higher fat content such as sunflower seeds, which can potentially lead to heart problems if consumed by budgies.
On the other hand, budgies benefit from a pellet diet however, if cockatiels feed on pellet diet for a long term then it may potentially cause kidney problems in them.
This creates a challenge for pet owners who have both birds in the same cage as providing different foods becomes problematic.
Can Parakeets and Cockatiels Live In the Same Cage?
If you are still willing to keep Cockatiel and Parakeet in one cage you need to take some precautions, but there is no assurance that they will not fight at some point.
Here are a few tips you need to follow if you want to keep them both in one cage.
Introduce them to Each Other
If you have decided to house them in the same cage for the budgie and cockatiel then do not leave the new pet directly in the same cage where your old pet budgie or cockatiel is living.
Put the new budgie or cockatiel cage beside each other so they can know each other and form a bond.
Let them both out to a neutral place so they can play with each other, repeat this process a few times in a week and after that put them in the same cage for a shorter period and keep an eye on them.
If they are comfortable with each other and not fighting then start keeping them together for a longer period.
Cage and Food
Select a cage with enough space where both can live peacefully. The bigger size of the cage, the lesser chance of any conflict. Provide enough perches where they sit separately and also provide enough toys so they can play with them individually.
Provide separate bowls for seeds because the foods of both cockatiel and budgie are different so they both cannot get ill after eating each other food, but it will be very complicated because there is a high chance that they will eat each other food.
So it is better to let them out of the cage and provide food to them individually so they cannot eat each other food.
Keep a Constant Check
Lastly, keep an eye on the activity of both, if you see any aggression between them, then it’s necessary to separate them otherwise they will hurt each other.
