New cage and a new chapter

[natalia_stan]

SO! My new cage has finally arrived and I'm very happy with it. My question is, are my tiels happy? I've owned Rosie and George for about three years. They are both from shelters and arrived separately. I suspect Ro was handfed and George is not. He doesn't really trust anyone or anything and will try and bite when he feels threatened. When I got them originally, I put them in separate cages since they'd often get into squawking and beaking spats and I was afraid they'd get hurt. However, when I boarded them to go on vacation last year and agreed to let them stay in the same cage, I was pleasantly surprised to come back two weeks later to find that they were fine. They hadn't bonded, but the technician working with them said they behaved quite nicely, despite some minor beaking. So this summer I finally decided to get a large cage 20x32x36 and place them there together. Today was their first day together and I am very nervous. I've only seen the usual, occasional sqwawking matches, some minor beaking, but overall they just ignore each other. I have never seen any climbing or feather pulling. I called the vet tech and she told me that this behavior is pretty common in cockatiels establishing dominance and to watch where they sit, etc. So far they have chosen to sit on the same level, which she said is good. They each have their own food/water bowls. Anyone have any comments or suggestions for my situation? Any words of wisdom or encouragement? I feel like a mother would feel and I'm constantly imagining the worst. I've told all my family members to watch them closely. The last thing I want is for them to get hurt over something that I did.

[Axis]

If they aren't acting too aggressively with each other, I think that they're going to be fine. Overtime, they should get along.
However, if they grow to be hostile with each other, I recommend you put them in separate cages again.
Good luck with your tiels~ ^^

[natalia_stan]

Thanks for your reply!

This is pretty reassuring Although I've owned tiels for over three years, I guess I have a lot to learn! As the days go by, they seem to be getting along better. They're definitely not best friends by any means, but at least I am not seeing as many spats. Even then, it's been reduced to just sqwawking if someone walks too close, no more beaking so far. They stick to their own areas of the cage and mostly ignore each other. It's almost like they're tired of bickering :P

My trust in them has definitely increased, and I've even been comfortable enough to leave them home alone for a few hours, only to come back to find them calmly preening themselves, without acknowedging the other's presence :P

Ro is still a little nervous about the whole idea of a new cage, but George seems to be warming up to it faster.

We'll see!

[AmberMuffinz]

Haha, my cockatiels do the same thing. I call them babies about it though. They've been in the same cage for 2-3 years and they still will open their mouths at the other if they get too close. XP Such whiners, I swear. lol. Some birds won't get along though, personalities clash sometimes. Sounds like yours will be just fine though. In the years I've housed mine together, there's never been one aggressive fight. So I'm sure, even if yours don't have fitting personalities, that they won't do much harm to each other. At least that's what it sounds like. :P