Should I get my cockatiel a companion?

Question

I'm not sure how old my male cockatiel is, because we got him as a rescue [saved him from a cat] about 5 or 6 years ago. He's become attached to me and my family, but he's gotten crankier. He'll scream at us even when he has food, water, treats, entertainment.[yes, we've read up on cockatiel screaming problems and have tried using the remedies in the books, but none seem to work.]

I was wondering if it would help if i got a parakeet to put in a cage next to his? He's a biter and extremely skittish, so I wouldnt put it in the cage with him; but would it help to have a bird to talk to?

Getting another cockatiel or a parrot is out of the question though; they're just way too expensive for us :(

Answer 1

Here is some good info on deciding to get one bird vs two (or having);

http://jamiesparrothelp.wordpress.com/ca...

If you aren't really handling your cockatiel, it would be good to get him a companion to talk to and interact with but if your cockatiel is currently a pet then it might not be the best idea unless you tame and train them both. It really depends on what you want from your birds :)

Here is some info on socialzing them if you do decide to get another bird;

http://jamiesparrothelp.wordpress.com/ca...

Answer 2

Birds in general are very social and need likewise companionship. It doesn't mean he will appreciate it in the beginning, but getting another bird is a wonderful idea. Don't fret about the price of a bird either. I've had 6 cockatiels and 3 parakeets throughout my life, and I didn't pay once cent for any of them. If you do some research in the local news paper or friends and family, you may find a few people willing to give up their pet bird to a responsible owner. These birds might not be well trained, and will need to be worked on to be held and whatnot, but it is definately worth it.

Answer 3

No I wouldn't recommend if.. well it depends if you like spending time with it. If you do then dont get it one because then your bird will only be interested in the other bird and it will not want to be handled anymore.. trust me it happend to me and my bird changed, he was only interested in the other bird it made me sad because he didn't want to spend time with me.