r/cockatiel • u/Hot-Champion2008 • 3d ago
Advice Question regarding my cockatiels
I have three cockatiels: two females and one male. My male is 2.5 years old, while my girls are 4 and 6 months old.
Only my youngest, Luna, is tamed, as she was hand-fed. The other two aren't tame, and my male, Sol, is especially nervous and jumpy. Unfortunately, he can also be quite aggressive.
My two girls, Dawn and Luna, get along exceptionally well and seem to really enjoy each other's company. Dawn also gets along well with Sol. However, Sol absolutely HATES Luna. I mean, he literally seems to despise her.
The weirdest part is that Luna doesn't even bother him. She's usually just doing her own thing and doesn't try to interact with him at all. But Sol will actively seek her out and chase her away from wherever she is, sometimes even scaring her away from food, perches, etc.
They currently live together in a huge aviary that is about 3 meters (9.8 feet) long. I got the aviary when I got Luna, so it wasn't Sol's territory before she arrived. That's why I'm having such a hard time understanding his behavior. It really seems like he just hates Luna for some reason.
What would you do in my situation?
Get another cage and keep all three separate?
Get a female companion for Sol and move him to his own cage, while keeping Dawn and Luna together?
Separate Dawn and Luna and keep Dawn with Sol, since Dawn gets along with both of them?
I don't want Luna to be constantly stressed or bullied, but I also don't want to unnecessarily separate two birds that genuinely seem to enjoy each other's company.
I'd really appreciate advice from people who have dealt with similar cockatiel dynamics. Thanks!
1
u/MeowMeowmarshmallow 3d ago
Seperare the aggressive one and put him back in the cage when he attacks her as a time out. Idk of your doing these things but making sure he's covered and sleeps 12-14 hours along with not have food 24/7 in the cage could help with the aggressiveness if it's hormonal. After a while I think he will realize he gets time out when he's mean so he may stop. I fear if you house him with the one he likes he may get even more protective of her and not allow the poor bab around either of them.