Does your Birds Share the Same Cage?

[MARIR]

I took Izzy (Gabby's sister) to the vet on Saturday, and the vet said that we should keep them in separate cages. These babies have been together since hatching...We brought Gabby home on the 15th of April and Izzy came home on the 22nd...they've been in the same cage since. The vet said that they won't bond to us but with eachother, if we don't separate them. what do you think?

[Guest Monique]

It is very important that you keep your parrots in separate cage. Your vet is correct. Your birds are going to change a lot in the next 5 years as they grow up. It is important to raise them up right now (even if you don't see a problem) to avoid problems when they are mature. A baby parrot and an adult parrot are very much different. Habits ingrained or set as a baby are very difficult to change once your bird becomes an adult. If you were planning on breeding your birds, then it would be advised you allow them to grow up together. Even if you feel like there is not a bonding problem now, that does not mean there won't be on in the future. I'm not going to say that noone on earth has two birds in one cage and they've maintained tameness because there are always exceptions to the rules, but I wouldn't go w/the exception on this one, I would follow your vet's advice.

[MARIR]

They're girls...sisters actually from the same clutch.

[Guest]

Maybe it's a decision you gotta make: separate them and get closely bonded with you, or let them stay and enjoy eachother's company and get less bonded with you.

[MARIR]

i wonder if we keep them separated while we're home and then when we are at work or to sleep keep them together..

[Guest Monique]

I don't think I would put them together at all. I posted your question at another board and in addition to bonding there were two people who lost birds to one another suddenly turning upon one another for no reason. I wouldn't leave them together at all unless your goal is to really have them bond with each other instead of you, and that it is important enough to you to risk something possibly happening. I know the same happens with breeding birds as well on occasion. Even though you don't see problems now your birds are going to be completely different as adults than babies. If they stayed babies forever there would probably not be an issue.

[MARIR]

Thanks for the advice...after lastnight, we're going this weekend to purchase a separate cage...My husband went to get Gabby out of their cage and Izzy ran over and bit him,(drew blood)...needless to say he was upset. Of course I told him it was because he had been smoking and they HATE that smell...ha ha ha (he smokes on the golf course) I think we just need to separate them so they will love US more than EACHOTHER

[Guest Monique]

What a little stinker!!! Haha your husband and you sound like at my house . Let us know how it goes when you get the new cage. I am sure you will have a ball with them. You are so lucky - not just one sweet little baby ... but TWO!!!!

[MARIR]

I will, I hope they don't have "withdrawl" from being separated... Your right Monique, they are hilarous! This morning I had Sesame Street on, and Izzy and Gabby were making some pretty funny and new noises...I started watching the tv and Bert was doing this episode of how does the telephone,car,cat sound, here the girls were trying to mimic Bert...I was laughing so hard and enjoying the fun, I didn't want to come to work today..but I guess if they want toys, I've got to work.

[Guest]

Hahahahaa... I can imagine you'd rather stay home watching and playing with them

[MARIR]

We're going on Saturday to get another cage to separate the girls. I was off from work Thursday and Friday and I started noticing that they're acting like two peas in a pod, where one goes the other goes, what one does the other does, and if I have one out the other stands on the play stand and jumps off and runs over to me...if she's in the cage then they stand there "babbling" at eachother, and does not pay attention to what I'm doing.

[Guest Monique]

Marir they sound so sweet :blush: .

[MARIR]

They're hilarious....we're still in one cage but going Saturday to get another and maybe a play stand too. This weekend we noticed that Gabby prefers my husband to me and Izzy prefers me over my husband, we've been trying to switch by playing with each of them, but they run to each of us and gurgle...

[Guest]

Hahahahahaaaaaa.... they've made their choice already :laugh:

 

I am really curious to know how they'll react to being separated - please let us know

[Guest Monique]

Look you are having no prolem telling them apart now then are you!!! ? Can you tell just by the personality or did you give one of them a special "do" just to be certain?

[MARIR]

For a couple of days now, they're personalities are really taking shape even though Ms. Izzy bit me lastnight, but I think it was because we had company and she was stressed at having this big tall bald man in the house, and he kept talking to her...this morning she was in a much better mood, but boy did it hurt.( plus it kinda bruised my heart that she bit me in the first place-1st time for everything) Gabby has a little area where she has some baby feathers that are ruffled and as of yet that is the best way to tell them apart...I think they actually get upset when I mix them up! At least I haven't called them by our dogs names yet, with my old age, you just never know.