Maybe, you need to know do cockatiels fight with each other? Actually, it is normal to see cockatiels fighting each other. However, the aggression may escalate especially if a cockatiel neglects or threatens another cockatiel. Then, fighting can happen.
Why Do Cockatiels Fight Each Other Suddenly?
If cockatiels start fighting, something outside of their control probably set them off. Sometimes, a cockatiel attacking other cockatiels can lead to serious injury.
However, not every fight occurs seriously. Mild fights can happen because of some factors such as:
1. Lack of Space
You have to pay attention to the territorial when you keep cockatiels in a cage. At least, each breeding box must have a distance of 10 inches. If a cockatiel encroaches on others’ regions, it can cause them to quarrel or fight.
Fighting among female cockatiels can harm the chicks’ growth, metabolism, and ability to nest. If you keep some cockatiels in a small cage, they will fly onto each other. Of course, this will increase hostility.
2. Females Are Less Than Males
If female cockatiels are fewer than male ones in a cage, it can cause lethal disputes between the male cockatiels.
3. Want to Mate
Female cockatiels usually grow more aggressively during the breeding season. If they cannot find a suitable breeding box, they will be restless. Besides that, they can prefer a nest box another female has chosen previously. Therefore, you can increase the number of breeding boxes they have access to.
Females will also protect their territory and offspring. If there is a cockatiel threatening their chick or space, they can kill it. So, if you find a female cockatiel more aggressive, you should put it in another cage. The point is, do cockatiels fight each other? They cannot only fight each other but also even kill each other.
You may also read the following article:
Why Are My Cockatiel Eggs Not Hatching?
6. Fight Due to Food
Female cockatiels feed their chicks 5 to 6 times a day. If there are some females, their maternal instinct to feed their offspring will result in a fight when there’s a food shortage.
So, why do cockatiels bite each other? If you don’t provide enough water and food stations, simple bickering can happen.
7. Introducing a New Cockatiel to Other Cockatiels
A new cockatiel needs time to acquaint itself with others in the cage. Particularly, you should understand its personality & if it will get along with other cockatiels in the cage.
Putting the new cockatiel into the cage without enough preparation time will make other existing cockatiels bully it.
8. Sick Cockatiels
They can kill each other if there’s a cockatiel with an incurable disease because other cockatiels will sense when sickness threatens life. Of course, it can result in fighting and even killing for protecting themselves.
Do Cockatiels Hurt Each Other?
For your information, it is possible for cockatiels to use their beaks to physically harm or injure others. There’re some circumstances when they will hurt each other.
Usually, they pick on each other & bicker long-term. Then, they take breaks to keep themselves & scare off others that encroach on their space.
The question is, do cockatiels fight with each other? Since they are not predators, they don’t have natural instinct to kill others. However, they can still fight and injure each other.
Even though they rarely kill others, is possible that a cockatiel fights against others. So, if you see this happen, you have to immediately intervene. It is better if you can remove the cause of the fight.
Will Two Male Cockatiels Fight?
Two males may fight if the cage lacks space. They can be protective of their territory. Further, it results in fighting.
You can avoid it by providing a big cage. So, the male cockatiels will have enough space to stretch their wings and fly.
Besides that, two males will fight over a female cockatiel if they live together in a cage. It means the odd numbers are not a good idea.
Particularly, having two male cockatiels and one female in a cage will cause a disastrous relationship due to mating rivalry.
It means, when males fight, they are vying for the female’s attention. They are aware that the female cockatiel is going through her breeding season. If you find this, you better separate the males to prevent more fights and even injuries.
You may also read the following article:
Why Does My Cockatiel Hate Me? A Guide To Make Bond With Your Bird
How to Stop Cockatiels from Fighting
If a real battle turns into deadly fighting, you should intervene in it. After you know do cockatiels fight with each other, you should also know that there are a few ways to fight among cockatiels.
1. Breaking up the Fight
Actually, you can frighten your cockatiels easily. You just need to shake a can filled with some coins. Alternatively, just wave a towel near them. If it doesn’t work, you need to use a stick to break up the fight.
2. Equal Attention
We all know that jealousy may cause your cockatiels more aggressive. It can even lead to fighting if they compete for your love.
When you have a new one you want to introduce to the existing cockatiel, you usually give it special attention. Unfortunately, this can make the old one neglected & grow hostile.
That is so, you have to give each equal attention and never give more special affection to one of them. In addition, you should feed them snacks to foster a good relationship between them.
3. Neutral Area
Since cockatiels are territorial and possessive, you shouldn’t let a cockatiel to play in other cockatiels’ cages or enclosures. You can let them interact on a level surface. However, you have always to keep an eye on your cockatiels.
4. Separate Cockatiels Initially
Cockatiels disliking each other to get along can take weeks or even months. Sometimes, they will never be friends. Therefore, you should keep them in separate cages.
It is important not to force two cockatiels disliking each other to live in one cage because they can fight and kill each other.
You may also read the following article:
Are Cockatiels Easy to Tame? How to Tame This Bird
Conclusions
So, do cockatiels fight with each other seriously? There are some reasons they will fight each other. As an owner, you have to understand it well. So, you know what to do when they fight. But it is always better to avoid the fight to happen.
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