Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have recently acquired my first cockatiel and I have a few questions regarding socialisation with my budgie. They have cages right next to each other and are often grooming each other through the bars. I have allowed my budgie to enter the tiels cage a few times with me watching closely, and they mostly groom each other. However, I have noticed them snap at each other a few times and I cant work out if it is vicious or playing. Neither of them seem too worried about it, I say stop and they just step back for a sec or one will fly away then come back again and continue preening.

Should I stop this interaction until they are more familiar with each other? Or could they be simply mock fighting? Instinct tells me it is nothing to worry about, but I have never owned a larger bird before so my budgies have always socialised with birds their size.

The fact that they groom each other is a sign that they have a good relationship. They are friends. I think just like all close friends they will have their occasional spat. Let it go and see if it escalates or gets worse. If it doesn't I wouldn't worry about it.

Budgies tend to be more bossy than cockatiels. There have been stories of tiels biting the legs off of budgies but I think this is rare. I only say this to let you know that it CAN get serious but it sounds like yours are good friends.

I'd be careful with them together. Out of the two breeds it's the budgie to watch out for, even if they're grooming each other. Budgies have a tendency to attack tiels & often peck at their feet until they can't walk, budgies are very nasty to tiels. If you put them togetehr make sure they're watched VERY closely. Personally I wouldn't put them together, if they're happy grooming between bars let them do that, it's safer.

I've had tiels and budgies live together for years on end. I will admit the budgies are bossy and would harass the tiel but they never physically injured them.

You said that they preen one another when together in your tiel's cage perhaps the spats are over territory. If they could meet together in a "neutral" place that may minimize the spats.

I bought a teil for my other teil and she was more of a menace than the budgies ever were. That is my personal experience.

Now my tiel lives alone. I gave the budgies to my neice.

Yes plenty of us have had experiences with this sort of thing. Infact I don't know a bird owner who hasn't, Never the less WATCH THEM CLOSELY is all I was saying. Just because someone has no problems all their life it doesn't mean it can't happen & just because they preen it doesn't mean it won't happen. Occationally people are lucky & get the 2 that do get along, & yes I have known budgies to do alot more than just harass a tiel when they've gotten along normally.

Thanks for your advice guys. It definately seems to be the budgie that starts it, even if it is in the teils cage. He has started going for him through the cage now, biting at his feet and grabbing his tail, so I think I will leave them apart for now. Im still working on taming the teil, so maybe once he is tame enough to have out of the cage I will bring out the budgie again.