Do Budgies Get Along with Cockatiels? [What You Should Know!]

Most bird lovers these days prefer to keep more than one bird species in the same house. The budgies and cockatiels are the names that top the list for ideal pet birds. The cockatiels are popular for their affable nature and ability to interact. Besides, the budgies are sociable birds that are much-loved for their playful persona.

Though both of these are companionship birds; it is difficult to pick one amongst them. The common thing about budgies and cockatiels is that they are sweet and chirpy. So before having them as pet birds in your home, it is necessary to find out their compatibility. For this, one should figure out do buggies get along with cockatiels or not.

Do Budgies Get Along with Cockatiels?

Budgies and Cockatiels can get along if they familiarize themselves with each other. Yet you should not keep them in the same cage as there will always be a risk of injuries. Though budgies and cockatiels are friendly birds; they differ in size and traits.

Why it is not suitable to keep budgies and cockatiels in the same cage?

The size of the budgies ranges around 5-11 inches. Most cockatiels are 12-14 inches tall. It is quite evident that cockatiels are bigger than budgies. In such cases, the bigger bird might try to establish dominance over the smaller one or vice versa.

Most birds are particular about their territory and do not tolerate the presence of other pets in it. Due to such factors, there will be always a probability of one bird harming the other. That is why you need to place separate cages for the budgies and cockatiels.

Besides, putting two birds in the same cage can be congesting for them. Both, the budgies and cockatiels need enough space for a comfortable stay.

Are the nutritional needs of both birds the same?

No, the nutritional needs of the budgies and cockatiels are different from one other. The cockatiels need a high-fat diet along with different food mixes. Budgies can have a variety of pellets that are low in fat. Also, birds do not like to share their food with their counterparts.

What are the main differences between the budgies and cockatiels?

The budgies and cockatiels are not ideal cage mates. Before having both of them as pets in your house, you must assess their diversity. The following are the key factors that make them stand apart from each other.

• Cockatiels need more attention and affection than budgies
• Budgies like to sleep in the dark whereas cockatiels prefer to have a light source near their cage at night
• To stay full of activity, budgies need more stimulation than the cockatiels
• Cockatiels prefer to perch during the day whereas the budgies are high on energy
• A budgie might become frightful of the big toys that a cockatiel plays with
• A cockatiel releases bird dust in greater amounts; it causes allergy in some birds if they are in the same cage

How to make budgies and cockatiels get along with each other?

There are lots of dissimilarities between budgies and cockatiels. So it is very important to look after the safety of these birds if they are in the same house. You can make both of them familiar with each other’s presence with the help of the following ways.

Obedience Training

Give obedience training to both of your pet birds. This would make them more docile and as a result, they will follow your commands. Also, it would ease down the stubborn behavior of birds. For this, you can either train your birds at home or hire a professional trainer.

Brief Introduction

The first step is to introduce your budgie to the cockatiel. At the initial stage, keep the duration of introduction short and then increase at a gradual pace. Such interaction aims to make both of your birds comfortable with each other’s presence in the house.

For this, let your budgie and cockatiel stay around each other for a while. You might have to do it a couple of times till both the birds familiarize themselves with each other. If one of them gets hostile on seeing the other, then put them back in the cages.

Placement of Cages

Place the cages of a budgie and the cockatiel close to each other. It would enable both of your birds to see each other. With the help of this, you can make them aware of each other’s presence in the house.

Let them socialize with each other

If your budgie and cockatiel behave well upon seeing each other, then let them stay at the same place. By doing so, both of them will be able to socialize with each other. You need to make your birds realize that both of them are of no harm to one other.

Give equal love to both of them

Cockatiels tend to get jealous upon seeing their owners with some other person or pet. So make sure to give an equal amount of affection and attention to both of them. Otherwise, the attention-deprived bird can turn hostile and harm the other one.

No interaction in your absence

Never let them stay together in your absence. If you are stepping out of home, do not forget to put the birds back in their separate cages. Do not allow them to roam in the house when you are not there. Also, keep an eye when they are together to ensure optimal safety for both.

Rewards for good conduct

Reward your birds with their favorite treats for good conduct. This would motivate them to stay calm around each other. Besides, you can even give a gentle pat on the head of your birds if they behave well. It would also make your birds listen to you more often.

Wrap Up

Keeping birds of different species in the same house can be a bit challenging for the owner. One needs to take the necessary precautions for their safety. Besides, you need to look after the necessities of both of them.

Having a budgie and a cockatiel together under one roof would need efforts and patience. So it is important to prepare yourself for the same. Though these birds have diverse personas; they would make your home gleam with joy.