Ask Lafeber

Male cockatiel rubs his butt on a toy

I just got my female cockatiel for my male and he keeps rubbing his butt on a toy, why wouldnt he just mate with his female?

Hi,

If this is the same pair you just asked about, as I said they need time to get to know each other and bond. You need to remove the toy for sure, as he will get obsessed with that instead of showing interest in the female. He may or may not accept her as a new mate. They do not always like the mate we choose for them, plus he just lost his mate. He needs time to grieve and time to get to know the new bird. Not all birds are compatible, so give them time to see if they warm up to each other.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda