Other birds with a grey?

[Vycine]

I am thinking about getting a "friend" for Jabber. I put it in quotes because from what I've read they don't do cross species friends much? But, I'd like to have company for during the day for her.

 

Could I get opinions on this? Do you own more than one bird? I am not considering getting another Grey, but something smaller that isn't quite so demanding. (Also, not another powder bird).

 

Thanks,

Jessi

[SRSeedBurners]

My inclination is they won't be 'buds'. However I think they do appreciate having somebirdy else around during the day even though they can't stand them in their personal space.

 

We have three birds, from the oldest: CAG - Caique and Jardines. The CAG can't stand the Caique and tolerates/picks on the Jardines. If I take one from the bird room though the incessant contacting calling begins, so there is an attachment of sorts there.

[judygram]

By all means get another bird but get it because you want it and not just for the other bird's company, you will need to spend some time with each bird every day. If you do get another bird get its own cage so it has a space they can call their home and feel safe in. I have 3 birds and if one is left alone then they contact call, they don't get along with one another when out but I think they appreciate the company when caged.

[Brat Birds]

I agree, get another bird because you want it, not for the bird you already have. I am very lucky because my Sun Conure and Timneh get along well enough to be out together. They have small disagreements but have never attacked each other. But that is not what usually happens. So plan on separate times for each bird. Do you have that much time available? The room for two cages? Double vet bills? Almost double food costs? Take all of this into your considerations. It can work, but it takes lots of work to do it.LOL

[birdhouse]

Yes, I really believe any critter should only be adopted & loved for themselves, too. Particularly in this type of case signing up for double the work, expense, etc. Might just as well go all in, anyway.

 

I've had my TAG Phenix for about 25 yrs. He's coexisted w/a number of resident & foster fids of various sizes & personalities. He's ignored as many as possible. He's actively disliked a few. He's totally dominated by one of the tiels. And he's (not so) secretly enamored w/the ekkie, Kura.

 

From my own experience, I would avoid adding smaller birds into our flock in the future. I hate always having to fear for them & trying to keep them separate but equal.

 

No other greys, either. But only because of Phenix' personality. Phenix was a wild caught & abused rescue who can be hair trigger aggressive & literally dangerous sometimes. As impossible as it is to know how the next fid will change the flock dynamic, I'm pretty sure a grey would cause serious dominance & competition issues. Not worth the gamble.

 

However, Phenix & Kura are really pretty good together. They do actually like each other & it seems to keep growing. Kura's a sweetie pie & Phenix responds better to her than anyone who's lived here, which is why I hope someday they'll become real friends.

 

Also, Greys learn by example & Kura's the first fid Phenix has thought worthy to really watch. I catch him doing things that I know for sure, he's picked up from her.

 

Kura's a snuggler. One of her favs is to bury her head against my cheek. It was a real "Awww" moment when Phenix started trying to make those same kinds of affectionate gestures. Well, kind of, but a little challenging given that he's always been such a biter.

 

Anyway, they're good together, whether Phenix would admit to it or not. And I love them both to pieces. In some ways, they're polar opposites. So between the two, I've pretty much got everything I want in a fid most days.

 

So, getting a flock mate for Jabber Wocky seems like a fine idea to me. But maybe not yet. Once you know what you would & wouldn't like in another fid AND fall in love again, maybe then. But only once Jabber Wocky is old enough to have some idea of who she really is becoming.

 

Your next fid is as much of a commitment as she was & in a perfect world, you'll want everyone to live happily ever after for many, many, many years.

[Luvparrots]

I have lived with a Tag for 7 years and a Cag for about 5. I have also had an eclectus, which my Tag hated and would attack when the eclectus was out of his cage. I rehomed the eclectus. I have also adopted two amazons which I have also rehomed now. I do have the tendency to adopt parrots that need a home but I do find them homes whiych they love. I guess it is my mission. My greys do not interact with each other or with any other parrots I have had in my home. They are individuals and I have had them both since they were weaned. They do not talk to each other or care about each other.

 

Get another bird for yourself from my experience they will not care one way or the other. Mine, frankly, prefer to be alone.

Edited December 29, 2014 by luvparrots

[Vycine]

Thanks for your opinions, you've given me lots of food for thought.

 

I guess I would really like to find a bird species who would fit with Jabber for day company, and not be a one person bird. Although we have plans for socializing her and both my husband and I take equally care of her, we both know there will come a day when she will probably pick her favorite person. And it would be nice for all of us (15 year old son included), if we had another bird who wont play favorites.

 

I was initially thinking a smaller bird like a cockatiel or a parrotlet, but now I'm double thinking that....I would be really horrified if something happened to it. Whatever we end up doing, we are not in a hurry! It took us a year before we got Jabber.

[chezron]

I think my Grey LOVES having other birds in the house. I have a Quaker Parakeet and a Panama Amazon. Brutus, the grey, only interacts with the Quaker, but he loves having Pancho, the amazon, around too.

My grey is pretty laid back but it is comforting to me that he has his other parrots with him all the time. Once I got Pancho, Brutus started saying, "I love Pancho" even though I didn't tell him how to say it. I just feel they get comfort from having other birds around, even though they do not necessarily interact. Brutus ignores Pancho even though Pancho plays with all of Brutus' toys on Brutus' cage. Once, The quaker, Jimpster, got out, and was gone for several days, Brutus got so depressed during that time, so I know he really likes Jimpster. Don't expect a love-fest if you get another parrot, but, at least at my house, they really value each other without contact. They preen at the same time, and get sleepy at the same time, and also fly as a flock if something spooks them.

[robopetz]

My Beemo has grown up with my flock since he was 3 weeks old. He is used to them now. Although the rest of them will keep their distance because he is way bigger then them lol. My lovebird is a lil trouble maker of the flock so he will sometimes intimidate others and when it comes to Beemo my CAG, he will try to chase him away.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

If you are going to get birds of " different species", do so, when they are young!!!!! Sophie and my Amazon, Kiki, got along, but also " challenged" each other! They brought out the " best, as well as the worse", of each other. It was twice the work, and twice the commitment of the entire family! Nancy