Cockatiels And Other Pets – How To Mix Them

Cockatiels are smaller pets, so you will need to watch that your other or existing pets do not harm your cockatiel when you move it into your home.

This article discusses cockatiels and other pets and which ones to put together.

Dogs

In most cases, dogs will not be a problem for your cockatiel, as dogs will generally ignore the bird. If however, your dog takes to chasing your bird, you will need to separate them.

Cats

Cats, on the other hand, are natural predators, and are more likely to look at your cockatiel as their next meal.

They will tend to lurk and wait for the cockatiel to be removed from the cage before attempting to catch it.

Some will even be so bold as to climb onto the cage and attempt to reach it through the mesh. Although this may not cause direct harm, it will upset your cockatiel, which may injure itself by flapping around its cage.

A tame bird is especially vulnerable to a cat, as its natural fear is lessened.

Try to keep your cockatiel in a room that your cats aren’t allowed into, and if letting your cockatiel out of his cage, first check that the cats aren’t around. Never be tempted to leave the bird unsupervised in the room, even for a short time, especially if you have children.

They could open a door and let the cat in by accident, which could well spell the end of your bird.

Rodents

These include mice, rats, guinea pigs, and gerbils. Rats are omnivores and if they are hungry enough they will attack your bird if they can get to them.

Rodents sometimes carry various diseases that they can transmit to your pet birds, so it’s best to keep the two separate.

Wild rats and mice will be attracted to the seed left on the bottom of the bird cage, and also can attack your bird so watch for these.

Snakes

Some species will eat birds, so to be on the safe side keep your snake away from your pet bird.

Fish

Open fish tanks can present another hazard for your cockatiel. If the bird falls into the tank, its plumage will become saturated, which will cause it to sink and drown.

To avoid an accident, make sure the fish tank has a cover over it at all times.

Other Bird Species

If you own a parrot or bird of another species, like a budgie, you will need to introduce them very slowly.

Your pet parrot could be jealous and attack your cockatiel. Your established bird may object loudly when you are working with your new cockatiel, and also attempt to bite his feet through the meshing if the cockatiel lands on his cage.

If the cages are placed close together, the established bird may also try to bite the cockatiel through the cage bars.

In order to reduce conflict, try to spend more time with your established bird. Try letting both birds out together, and this may reduce aggressiveness, and in time they may form a close bond, perhaps even roosting side by side in the same cage.

There is no risk of a cockatiel crossbreeding with another bird species. They have never in history been successfully cross-bred with any other species, as they are so different from the other bird species.

So when it comes to cockatiels and other pets, keep this in mind before buying a cockatiel.