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Amusing cockatiel story time. A few years ago, one of the pair of male cockatiels my parents had owned since I was in junior high school died. He was the more aggressive and dominant of the pair, and Mr. Subby got REALLY depressed about it. I've had people tell me 'lol birds don't get depressed'. Wrong! The signs of depression were exactly what you'd expect from a person. Sulking and non-responsiveness, surlyness, lack of appetite and desire to play. For week or so he wouldn't even wolf-whistle back at you when you did so in front of him, a favorite pastime. Eventually my parents decided to get a new companion for him, a female. Suddenly he turned into a big macho bird, which was a hilarious shift for a meek aged bachelor. For her part, she acted like all female cockatiels do in the face of male attention: coquettish and standoffish at the same time. I loved watching them and messing with them whenever I visited during this period, it was like a nonstop and really cheesy soap opera. At this point when he replied to your wolf-whistles, he'd puff up and spread his wings slightly, in what I can only assume was an impersonation of The Fonz. She loving HATED this, counting it as hubris or some such, and would hiss and start pecking at him whenever he did it. Unlike the male, the female never got along with people well. The male will snuggle a little and let you pet it, but the female will have none of that poo poo. She doesn't act alarmed but hisses and makes it clear that she wants you to gently caress off. Recently, she apparently finally gave into his advances because eggs started appearing. For the first time in his life, near what's gotta be pushing 70 or 80 in cockatiel years, he is getting some action, and HOO BOY does he know it. Now he divides his time ambling around acting like a drunk fratboy stereotype and ferociously sitting on eggs. Any incursion into the cage while he is sitting results in him suddenly becoming larger than you'd think physically possible and very aggressive 'gently caress off' behavior. Also he rocks back and forth as he maintains an aggressive posture, like you're some sort of snake to be charmed. In another turn around, she has chilled out some and doesn't mind if you clean the cage or mess with her a little which she's sitting. None of the clutches have had any successes yet. We assume he might be too old to successfully breed, which is probably for the best. My parents would have no idea how to help care for cockatiel chicks. Anyway, this might not be as amusing to you as it is to me. Maybe it's a 'you have to have been there' sort of thing. But I find the complexity of their personalities fascinating, and particularly the male's multiple personality turn arounds as he metaphorically grew a pair quite a ways in to midlife.
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Oct 26, 2012 07:12
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| # ¿ May 3, 2024 19:10 |
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Are conures the ones with the liquidy poop? A friend had a green parrot-ish thing about that size that crapped neon orange liquid poo poo everywhere, it was horrifying. Also color me surprised you can potty train birds. I thought they lacked the biological capacity to hold it in.
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Oct 27, 2012 03:09
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It definitely wasn't a sickness thing. Over the course the several years I knew the guy, the bird consistently shat liquid crap. Could have been lovely diet, but as far as I remember he was getting parrot food plus some fruits and nuts.
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Oct 27, 2012 03:22
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How do conures do alone vs in pairs? For cockatiels, I've always noticed that they tend to be happier with another cockatiel. I'd feel really guilty to get one and leave him around the apartment for 8 hours a day or possibly longer, for example. In a family home one would be fine since there are people in and out all day, but for a young person who lives alone it doesn't seem like it would be enough, even with an hour or two of cuddles in the evening. Two though I wouldn't worry about, they can keep each other endlessly entertained with two stooges shenanigans. Then again, having two cockatiels is barely any hassle. They're small and not messy. Two conures seems like a way larger investment of time and energy. Also, do conures need to be clipped?
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Oct 27, 2012 18:16
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Battle Pigeon posted:Clipping is quite a polarising topic, and no bird really "needs" to be clipped unless there are real safety concerns. Here in Europe clipping is uncommon and often even considered cruel. In the US, and I'd say UK, it's more acceptable. Birds can become more laid back after clipping, but they may also lose confidence. Flight is also great exercise and lets them get around much easier than climbing and running (which could be a problem itself). It's up to you-personally I'd say leave them flighted, unless there are real safety issues, or possibly if you want to try and curb aggressive tendencies should they arise. I didn't know it was an issue. I don't know about conures but cockatiels will take off on you, if you let your guard down and give them an opportunity.
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Oct 27, 2012 19:02
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| # ¿ May 3, 2024 19:10 |
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Slaughterhouse-Ive posted:Is there a particular age when cockatiels enter potato mode? Mine are all 3-4 years old so they're still pretty young and they're not lethargic but their ambitions seem to be limited to hanging out on top the cage, hitting me up for scritches, and "foraging" on top of the bookshelf these days. From my experience, no; potato mode is determined almost solely by the bird's personality. Some 'tiels are just natural stoners. The male at my parents' joint was always chill as gently caress when he was younger, but his older male companion died and my parents got him a younger female companion, right around what must be solid 'tiel middle age. That perked him right the hell up and he's stayed that way. He's currently reaching hugh hefner levels of age and debauchery/cuddles but unlike hefner it doesn't come across as a mostly pathetic show.
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Jul 29, 2014 01:46
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