It is difficult to stop cockatiels from mating. If you are concerned about laying eggs then there are a few ways such as hormone therapy and special diets which might help.
Cockatiels breed in the wilderness where there is abundant food and the temperature is war. If you are keeping a cockatiel in a cage at home, then this environment needs to be provided for your bird so that they can safely mate.
Female cockatiels can sometimes even lay eggs if they have not even met their male counterpart. Sometimes, the call of the male is enough to trigger the mating process and laying eggs in them.
Also, the effects of hormone therapy and special diets to stop cockatiels from mating have not been researched very well and shouldn’t be repeated every time. Consult your vet for more information.
Why are my cockatiels always mating?
There have been instances where cockatiels have been found constantly mating. Even though there is no specific answer to the question a lot of cockatiel mating has been attributed to the environment and diet.
There is a general misconception among breeders that cockatiels always need to mate physically in order to lay eggs. Female cockatiels do not need their male counterpart to lay eggs. Even the call of a male cockatiel is enough to trigger laying eggs.
If you are concerned about the constant mating between your birds, then try putting them in separate cages. Put a nest inside the cage of the female bird, if you see signs that it might lay eggs.
There are other ways to stop your birds from mating or reduce the frequency. Try removing seeds from their diets. It has worked well among breeders.
How do you stop a cockatiel from being hormonal?
Cockatiels are extremely moody birds and their behavior can worsen when their hormonal pattern changes. These are the signs that you can look out for in your feathered friends when they are experiencing hormonal changes–
- They can be aggressive even towards their favorite people. The breeders need to keep a distance at this point in time.
- A cockatiel experiencing hormonal changes will mark its territory.
- Your bird might scream a lot. They might call out loudly.
- The bird might show signs of frustration and lash out.
- They might vigorously pluck their feathers to show their anger and discontent.
Their hormonal patterns can be controlled with a few changes in their environment. Start by keeping them in dark enclosed spaces. Primarily, cockatiels breed inside hollow tree trunks. You can provide similar environments at your home by covering the birdcage with a breathable blanket.
Provide your feathered friends with a nest inside the cage, so that laying eggs balances the hormonal levels in them. In fact, a nest will trigger your female feathered cockatiel to lay eggs.
If your bird is extremely hormonal, try moving the bird to some other place, or putting it back in the cage.
How to stop your cockatiel from laying eggs?
Cockatiels are more prone to laying eggs compared to most birds. They will lay eggs when there is no mating call and there are ways to stop them from laying eggs.
Try the following to reduce the frequency at which your cockatiels lay eggs by-
- The diet of the cockatiel should not have much fat and protein content in them. Fat and protein content makes your bird ready for mating and that should be avoided.
- Remove their nesting sites. As mentioned earlier, you can place a nest inside the cage for your cockatiels to lay eggs. But if you want them to stop laying eggs then do not provide them with a nest. A nest can be any dark quiet place such as a cardboard box or a heap of clothes where your bird can hide.
- Move your cockatiel to a place where there is not much direct sunlight. In the wilderness, cockatiels mate during springtime and summer when there are more than 12 hours of direct sunlight. Another option is to partially cover the cage of your bird with a blanket.
- Molting is the process when a cockatiel sheds its feathers right after it has laid eggs. You should encourage your bird to molt, by changing the location where the cage is situated. Manipulating your cockatiel into thinking it is time to molt will decrease the mating desire in your cockatiel and hence will reduce the frequency by which they lay eggs.
How do you keep a male and female cockatiel apart?
If you pet both male and female cockatiels then you can keep them in the same cage. But if you notice any excessive mating tendencies, then keeping them in separate cages is a good idea.
Male and female cockatiels usually get along together. They show normal habits like any other birds when kept in the same cage. They will eat, play and fight together from time to time.
But if you see any unusual activity such as excessive mating, then it would be wise to separate their cages. A female cockatiel should not lay eggs more than twice a year, preferably maintaining a six months gap.
Even if they are in the same cage then make sure that the cage has plenty of space for the birds to move around. In case your birds are fighting and bickering, then there should be ample space for the two birds to sit apart from each other.
Conclusion
If you are wondering how to stop cockatiels from mating then try moving them where they are, to a darker place. Also, changing their diet and other techniques as suggested in the article will help you to answer the question “How to stop cockatiels from mating”.
Discouraging breeding behavior in your pet is always a problem because breeding is a natural habit of living beings. But too much mating can cause health issues in your birds and should be discouraged immediately. There are hormonal therapies and implants available on the market for such purposes. But consult your vet before going for these treatments.
