Can Parrots & Parakeets Live Together?

Video Transcript

"Specifically in this segment we are going to talk about socializing with your birds and teaching them to get along with one another. I have a number of birds, a couple of dozen and they all do get along although I do have to be watchful that we don't have any squabbles that they can't handle themselves. In trying to have birds get along I am often asked can parakeets and larger birds be housed together or can they be kept together? The answer is yes and no. I have seen little budgies get along with Molakin cockatoos. I have seen smaller birds get along with birds much larger than they are. I have got a hawk head parrot who enjoys being with my red tails that are probably five or six times her size but as with everything you have to exercise some common sense. I have developed a program for my own birds to teach them to get along. Basically we have a spa day and I wet all the birds down and because they feel vulnerable during that period everybody pretty much minds their p's and q's. But you have to watch such things as range of motion, the actual physicality of the bird, the timidity of the bird, and just whether they an really hold up to being threatened by another bird. If your birds are flighted it is much easier because birds go on an operative basis of fight and flight and if they see something unpleasant they will leave. If your bird is not flighted it won't be able to escape as readily and you have to be extra watchful in that sort of situation. Cockatiels especially and budgies are pretty much unsuited to be in flocks of larger birds because of a couple of things. Number one they are much more delicate in their physical build than a lot of birds. A budgie's foot could be snapped off in an instant and you would probably not even have the time to do anything about it. The same with a cockatiel. However, you also have to watch range of motion. If you have got a budgie that is flighted and he flies over a Molakin, the Molakin is probably going to wig out and that is not good for either bird because the Molakin could do something that the budgie would regret and the budgie is probably already doing something that the Molakin regrets. So when you are trying to have your birds get along do exercise common sense and watchfulness and stay alert to the possibilities of somebody getting injured. It doesn't mean they can't get along but it is a long process rather than an instantaneous love affair when you have more than one bird."