So I've been introducing Coyote and the budgies to one another this past week by simply placing their cage near his (close enough to see and squawk at one another, but the cages aren't next to one another so no actual physical contact) I've been doing this on the days I work late, so Coyote isn't by himself all day. He obviously enjoys it to some extent because he's added the classic budgie grunt/squawk to his songs. It sort of sounds like this: <If you're happy and you know it> <budgie grunt/grunt/grunt> <wolf whistle> bang beak, bang beak, <If you're happy and you> <budgie squawk budgie squawk!> bang beak, bang beak. teehee

This weekend I'm going to put everyone in a room, close the door to keep my cat out and let them all out of their cages so they can officially check each other out. I have a secret hope that Waffles, my beautiful lavender/full body greywing budgie (who is sweet and mild compared to Cloud and Ninja) will get along super well with Coyote since Cloud and Ninja have each other (even though that's apparently up for debate now.) I know it's generally not a good idea to have them live in the same cage but surely if the budgie is truly mild and they get along great for a long time, surely it can work, right? Coyote's cage is definitely large enough for them to share with room to spare. Also, Coyote definitely seems more aggressive in general than Waffles does, I'd have a hard time believing Waffles could/would bully him.

I guess time will tell!

Is that a truly terrible idea or does that work sometimes, having a budgie and 'tiel share a large cage (if they get along well, blah blah blah)?

Housing a budgie and cockatiel together can work sometimes. It depends on the personalities of the individual birds, and it helps if the cage is big enough that they can put a lot of space between themselves when they want to. Although budgies tend to bully cockatiels it can happen the other way around too if the cockatiel has a more aggressive personality than the budgie. If they get along well most of the time, it still might be necessary to separate them when they start getting hormonal. Male cockatiels can be nasty during this time. With budgies the girls are usually more aggressive than the boys, and I don't know how nasty a hormonal budgie boy is.

I had a cockatiel and budgie together in a large cage for over a year no trouble at all...

So with the hormonal stuff... is it possible to just keep it under control completely by just keeping him on long nights, every night? Or will he still go through hormonal periods anyways?

On a side note, everyone at work fell in love with Coyote when I showed them a video of him practicing "If you're happy and you know it" that I took yesterday. He bangs his beak on the cage for the clapping part, so cute! I've always had pets but he is totally my favorite pet, ever. Even more than my sweet little rescue canine (I feel awful even saying that, thank god he can't read!)

It depends on the individual bird. Some will get hormonal no matter what you do, which is a real problem with chronic egg-laying hens. Others are easier to control. My cockatiels tend to get hormonal around January or February and then they start losing interest around July. I can keep a lid on it if I want to. I generally follow the natural daylight schedule during the "off" months which keeps their hormone levels at a naturally low level. If they were up till all hours with electric light their hormones would be in high gear.

Can you show us the video too? You can put it on youtube and post the link here. I'd love to see it. He never displayed that much talent at my house lol. The babies all have distinct personalities from an early age, but a lot of them don't really blossom until they leave the flock and spend more time interacting with humans.

I feel weird posting a video on youtube. I don't know why, it's not like this is any less public but there you go. I'm too shy for youtube. lol. I could email it you though!

... incoming...

I've never even known when any of my birds are hormonal... maybe cos' they are in a cage each...

When you upload videos to youtube, you can select "private". Then only people who have the URL can view it.