Multiple Birds

[Amali]

For those of you with multiple birds who get along with one another, how did that friendship come about? How did you go about letting the birds progress to the point of being near one another?

 

We've had Tucker for 1.5 weeks now, and I still watch the two of them like a hawk when they are both out of their cages. Amali seems very interested in Tucker, but Tucker doesn't seem very confident just yet. I am not interested in pushing the issue - and I'm perfectly fine if they never become friends. I just would like to hear how others have handled it. I would at least like to hope that one day I won't be so 'on guard' when both are out at the same time.

[Ray P]

I have a Congo African Grey named Corky and a Blue Fronted Amazon named Cricket. Now as to weather they are friends or not, who knows, but they have learned to tolerate each other

They will even eat off the same plate at the same time, but will go off on their own to do what they think is fun for them self.

When they are in their cage they will talk back and forth for hours, but out of the cage they do their own thing.

Every thing will depend on the two birds as to what they want to do.

Edited July 6, 2012 by Ray P

[Amali]

I know it will depend on the birds - but how did your two progress to the point they've settled at? Did it take a long while before you'd allow them near each other to eat off the same plate?

 

Right now, I hold them back ... out of fear that something will happen. Should I just let them be and let them work it out?

[Ray P]

You have to supervise their outings and watch what they do when there out.

With mine they would talk back and forth when in their cage and I would bring them out onto the table and let them walk around. They new each other from talking back and forth.

You have to watch them and see what their reaction is to each other so if there is a problem you are there to interviene.

Some times they do go beak to beak but thats why you are there.

Some birds never will get along and there is nothing you can do about that.

Always supervise when they are out even if they get along.

[Dave007]

I know it will depend on the birds - but how did your two progress to the point they've settled at? Did it take a long while before you'd allow them near each other to eat off the same plate?

 

Right now, I hold them back ... out of fear that something will happen. Should I just let them be and let them work it out?

 

 

You can ask that question to 100 people and get back 100 different answers about length of times and methods.

 

The usual standard method when introducing birds to each other is both birds being far apart and the distance gradually getting shorter and shorter distance wise. At one point, you'll see if they tolerate each other. Just putting them together immediately causes problems. You also need to go by species. There's a big chance that 2 greys won't tolerate each other as opposed to 1 grey and 1 amazon. You also need to go by the type of personality of a species.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Dave has excellent advice. I am lucky to have three birds of different origins, whom love each other. Sunconure and Amazon are paired. Sophie, rules the flock, including dogs. ALWAYS supervise. Nancy

[Jayd]

My post isn't for or against, right or wrong, not even a opinion:). Our home is set up a lot different then many members, other than the bedroom, bathroom and kitchen, the whole mobile is a aviary, being a rescue and a orphanage and our home, we did things a little different than most with the limited amount of money we had. The general structure is home to large birds, than we have a small bird room and a breeding and rearing room and our rescue room....

We had a friend who set up a quarantine room for us in her home...

When we brought a parrot or parrots home, we did just that we brought them in and said welcome to the flock. [babies were a different story] We would always introduce the large parrots to the eldest first and maintain that regime. [side note: at the time of Spock, we introduce Joe to Spock, we were surprised at what transpired, Spock went over to Joe, bowed his head [as if foe a scritch] and cooed. [? respect] In the small bird room, now problem, most of them stayed in their rooms, some were more adventurist... Our rescues were treated accordingly to each of their need.

Our service was free, we took no cash, but accepted bird food, used cages etc for service rendered. When we breed "Tiels, conures and keet's we donated them to a pet store for resale to raise mony for many rescues, in turn, we received food and supply's etc.

It's been a wonderful and rewarding life, been out of it for almost 2 years now, would do it all again if we could...Luv Jay and Maggie and the flock....

[levesque]

Past experience for me: I had two birds that were very friendly and each had a cage. When allowed to be together, they bonded and were agressive towards me.

[thenabrd]

we haven't and won't try to get our girls together. yes they are curious about each other, watch what the other does intently, etc. kallie speaks mostly in "athena" rather than her own voice with whatever words she might have. the biggest reason we won't attempt this is because athena has always hated flying. i've tried my best to help her with this, but to date she still gets terrified. it scares the crud out of her, always has and probably always will (she's 9 1/2 yrs old now). when she does fly, she says everything she knows in a high pitch rapid fire and hovers more than goes straight. the size difference between the girls is huge-athena 70 grms, kallie 413 grms. even though athena believes she's the biggest bird the universe has ever created or seen, its just too big a risk since kallie flies pretty well and athena wouldn't be able to get away if she needed to. if you can get your birds "together" go for it!!

[katana600]

We had Java, our smaller red-bellied parrot first. We were fostering Milo, a cockatiel and kept them on differnt floors of the house for a month while the cockatiel acclimated and settled down. Then we put the cages in the same room. I was going to introduce them gradually when Java flew to Milo's cage. He rushed over to bite her toe and she responded by grabbing his beak and pulling his head through the bars. We were ever so lucky he wasn't severely injured and they were close to the same size. When we got our greys, we tried the gradual introduction and Java was still unpredictable. Gilbert, our older TAG rehome has been very reluctant to make friends with Java. He seems to refer to her as a harpie or a raptor, LOL. It has been fifteen months and the best we have accomplished is to have them each out on their respective cage playtop while I am on my feet between the two cages. They have reached a peace accord, for now, while I am vigilant but I would not trust them a second or turn my back to them. We have just reached the stage where Java can ride around the house on my shoulder without her trying to fly on Gilbert's cage to pester him. He can't fly so it is easiest to just bring her past his cage and encourage her to stay off his turf.