Cockatiel & Parakeet Mating

[azbirdlover]

Anyone ever have a male parakeet bond and mate with a female cockatiel? We do!! The good news is no eggs (yet)....We bought snowball (male parakeet) a female parakeet but Snowball loves, feeds, mates, etc with Lucy (female cockatiel). This is so neat to watch but I don't know and assume it is not good to do. We place the birds (10 cockatiels(2 females), 2 lovebirds, and the 2 parakeets) in an outdoor aviary (10x16) during the day all together and they all get along well. At night, we bring them in and of course the 2 keets are caged together away from the cockatiels (they are next to the cage tho). I have pictures if anyone wants to see them. I would hate to "break" them up as they like each other very much but any advise out there?? Thank you
PS...We also have 2 males mating right now and 2 brothers trying to mate with each other...I just don't get it..

 

[Auggie's Dad]

TYPO ATTACK...

PS...We also are 2 males mating right now and 2 brothers trying to mate with each other...I just don't get it..

I suspect you mean "we also have..." Otherwise that's WAY too much info for this website.

Sorry, couldn't resist that one.

 

[azbirdlover]

Oooops my bad. Thanks for the catch and I will try and correct it. We are definately not two male brothers mating!!

 

[zarafia]

LMAO Good catch there Auggies Dad!
Ok it is normal for parrot type birds to "experiment" sexually and to make their choices based on compatability rather than procreation. If they are happy let them be. You will not end up with any cockatiel X budgie hybrids. Its just not possible, they are not closely enough related.
The only other thing I can think to mention is for you to watch the lovebirds closely. If they start to get interested in nesting they could get aggressive especially towards the budgies. I have kept similar mixed aviaries and I have had to remove redrumped keets and budgies while the cockatiels were well tolerated by the lovebirds. This was just my experience though and it sounds as if your birds are all pretty happy.

 

[azbirdlover]

Thanks for the info especially since momma (Lucy) has 3 eggs now. Snowball (keet) stays very protective of you. We will see what happens although sounds like nothing will....Thanks for the help