Can African Grey's share a cage

[Annias]

HI,

 

I am going to adopt an older African Grey. I have found two birds that really need a home. One is 10 months old and his father is a young boy who thinks chocking him "gently" when he bites is a good way to discipline him. It is horrifying. But I had already found a 12 year old bird that needs a home. I have a large bird enclosrue 8 feet long 6 feet tall and 4 feet deep and wondered if these two amazing males could share this enclosure, even though they have never meet. I want them to be companions with me and each other. Is there any one out there that knows how feasable this is. I can get a divider for the enclosure to keep them each in their own separate large area at first but would want them ultimately to interact with one another and share the space. I know there is no way of knowing for sure, but I would love to know how others with multiple greys have fared with this.

[Dave007]

It sems that because you might need a divider ( which I'm not saying you must have) and because your enclosure is extremely big, I see no problems in trying that out. You just need to make sure that there's a double amount of food bowls, there should be areas where each bird can leave the other if necessary and with ease. Don't have things positioned so that they MUST rub shoulders. It's gonna take a while for each bird get used to the idea that there's another around. One may act like the alpha. That's not unusual. In the beginning you need to keep a close watch on things and watch their behavior towards each other. Just because both are greys doesn't mean they'll get along with each other. Your area is very large and many people would use that size to house many small birds and and as the species gets bigger, the amount of birds in that area lessens. So, try it out. That young bird will be frightened. Don't try and force them to be friends. Birds have different ways of being friends with each other, some obvious, some not. Good luck.

 

PS--you ask about other multiple bird owners..Yes there are those owners in that catagory but if they don't have that size enclosure ( which most don't) they would go with individual cages or choose another method which is a large bird room. Most of those size rooms are larger than yours but they usually have more than 2 birds living in them.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/12/01 05:08

[Annias]

Thanks so much for your reply... It would be great to provide a good home to both. One follow up question. Is it likley that their relatinship with each other prevent them from bonding with me?

[casper]

Annias,

 

Dave has given great advice as always!

 

I have three greys which are all in the same room but in seperate cages. I have found no problems with any of them bonding with me at all.

 

Even though I am lucky that I can now have the boys all out at the same time I always spend one on one time with each of them. I have learnt that they are all individuals and need treating differently.

 

I hope you get to give a good loving home to these greys, please keep us updated.

 

Caroline.

[Jane08]

We house our 2 greys in the same cage. We got our 2nd one a year after our first one. At the start they were in separate cages and then gradually we socialised them to be in the same cage. It does depend on the birds though. There has been no problem with them bonding with us.

[Jane08]

We house our 2 greys in the same cage. We got our 2nd one a year after our first one. At the start they were in separate cages and then gradually we socialised them to be in the same cage. It does depend on the birds though. There has been no problem with them bonding with us.

[Sallas]

We have two greys together in the same cage. What I had planned to do was put their cages right next to eachother at first, then once I saw them interacting and being nice through the bars, I would try putting them together.

 

Now, there are a few issues that you may see. You could put the divider in and just watch them. Once they start interacting nicely together, perching next to eachother (with the bars between them), you could try to introduce them. Now the issue you may have is that the larger bird will think of his side as his territory and "MAY" be territorial and defend it. Ideally, once you introduce them, you would want to move them into a whole new cage, or move them into the young birds cage. But since you would be removing the divider, well it is just a possible issue.

 

Now, I never even had to do any of that. My birds just took to each other instantly, but both of mine are young and of opposite gender.

 

Now I do have to thank you for trying to save those poor birds. I have a spare cage and room for another, I am waiting until I hear of a bird in need of a good home. I had thought about getting another youngster, but I would love the challenge and then the emotional rewards of rescuing my next bird.

[Dave007]

In your situation, the relationship with you more than likely won't be an issue because of the size of their living space. For every person that has successfully put 2 birds into one cage, there's at least 50 people who try that unsuccessfully. You're suppling an aviary type environment. That can happen in a bird or a roomy enclosure. What you have is not even a cage. In something that large, birds tend to leave each other alone and get together when they please. As I already said, it's simply a matter of giving each bird an area to retreat to. Doing that promotes a more natural situation in which more than likely, they will eventually get along with each other. Greys who are possessive, jealous and aggressive with their home ( cage) will lose that personality temporarily when put together in a large enclosure type area. Their relationship with you, whatever it is, won't change. The only problem you may run into uis the establishment of a bond with that new bird. If doing what you intend to do will prevent you from having a physical relationship with that bird, it'll stay that way unless you interact with the bird from the get go. Each bird needs to know that whatever relationship with you exists, it needs to be reinforced. Some people run into problems when they decide to get another bird to cheer the other one up and many times, that just doesn't work because of a grey's basic natural personality. It doesn't sound like you're getting another grey for that reason. A large enough enclosure will allow each bird to develop and maintain their own personality but in order to do this, they need space. You're suppling that space. I have greys that are very possessive and it's imperitive that they each have their own home. I have a 10 ft sq collapsible aviary which I put out in my backyard every summer. All of them are put in there and their flock personality emerges. No major fights, minor nipping, chasing, establishing who's gonna be the boss of that particular day,sometimes playing, relaxing, taking in nature, babbling all day long. Their playing has faded because all are adults and the thrill of playing isn't as attractive anymore.

So my opinion is that I don't see trouble in the future.

[Luvparrots]

Welcome Annias, kudos to you for wanting to take in two greys which need a new home. I hope everything comes to fruition for all of you.