barb@pyuxa.UUCP (B E Nemeth) (01/22/85)
We had a cockatiel that was one of the best pets we ever had. We weren't his first owners but he took to us right away. He ran the house. At that time, we also had two dogs, two cats, and a large variety of finches. We were able to let the cockatiel roam out of the cage. Neither the cats or dogs would bother him, although he felt no fear in walking up these animals backs while they were lieing down or squawk back when the dogs would bark at him. A Great Pet. A few years after we lost "Cock" (his name) we obtained a Cockatoo from the humane society. What a great bird. He was one of the most affectionate animals I ever owned. He did get spoiled. Between me and my husband, I was his favorite. From the time I came home from work until the time I would go to sleep, that bird had to be either on my shoulder, or would follow me around the house. When I got up in the morning I had to take him in the shower with me. He loved that. The only problem was he was very, very loud. We had to find another home for him during my pregnancy because we felt his loudness would interfer with our and our baby's sleep. It was one of the hardest things I had to do. I took a long time in interviewing prospectus owners, but I finally found one who would give him a good home.
grass@uiucdcsb.UUCP (02/01/85)
I have had parakeets and cockateils at various times. The cockateils are
my favorites.
I had one that bit pretty hard when I got him. I gave him time to get
used to me and used to my room. In a few months he decided I wasn't so
bad, then there was nothing he liked better than sitting on my hand or
shoulder. At the time he was the only bird I had, and I guess he decided
that being civil would get him more attention.
The parakeets I have had have always become tame faster when they were
only birds. I have a pair of them now. They will sit on my finger
for very short periods of time when they are out of the cage, but
otherwise they want nothing to do with me.
My experience with cockateils is that they are friendlier, smarter
and even somewhat gentler than parakeets. I have never had a
cockateil bite me as hard as my parakeets sometimes did (especially
when toenails were being clipped). Any bird will want to bite
if you chase them around the cage and then grab them in your hand.
I have heard that cockateils
and parakeets can get along well (better than parrots and parakeets
would), I don't think that I would want to just throw them
together and walk away, though. Let them see each other from their cages,
and if you later let them out together, I would keep a close watch.
Probably if you have just one cockateil and one parakeet, they might
accomodate each other just to have another bird to play with. Definately
keep them in separate cages and feed them separately (after all, they do
have different needs).
- Judy Grass, University of Illinois - Urbana
{ihnp4,pur-ee,convex}!uiucdcs!grass grass%uiuc@csnet-relay.arpa