My Greys dont get on

[nims]

Hi All,

 

I have had Ice now for 4 weeks and he just doesnt get on with Indy at all! I knew that this might happen and am OK with it but it would be nice if they got along.

 

At the moment their cages are side by side in the same roomso they spend a lot of time together. They are happy to be out together but they cant get along and have to be in separate areas.

 

What can I do to help them get along.

 

Any advice welcome!

 

Thanks:)

[Jane08]

You should give them more time. When we got our second grey it took about 3 months for them to finally get on. What do you mean they don't get along, what do they actully do to make you think this. Do they clash beaks, go for one another?. Is it one particular bird that is the problem?

 

At the start we had a lot of beak clashing. I think one thing for us that helped is that we hand fed them once a day together and then each time after feeding they got all affectionate and started to bond more. They would eat the leftovers off each others beak and start to preen each other.

[nims]

Yeah they just go for each other. Indy wants to be friends I think and she is curious cos she is a baby. But its Ice thats the problem (he's not very gentle:dry:) and their beaks clash and then they go for each other.

[Tycos_mom]

I think time will help allot give them a couple more months to get to know each other and they will stat to at least except each other as flock mates. all my tolarate each other and I can have them all out at the same time. This didn't happen over night but eventually they did all except the other as part of their flock.

[Kaedyn]

You are definitely expecting too much too soon. Three months did the trick for my two as well. That seems to be the consensus here. I wouldn't say they are best friends now, but they will play on the same net and take showers on the same shower perch. They still occasionally beak each other, so I tend to keep an eye on them--just in case--but it doesn't really get that brutal.

 

My recommendation would be to include both of them in your daily activities. If you have two perches, I would perch them near each other and slowly move them closer and closer over the next few months. Eventually mine were close enough that they could reach out and touch each other--if they wanted. If they didn't want to, they could take a step in the other direction and be out of the other's way. I also placed them both on the floor with tons of foot toys and let them wander around. Every now that then they'd encounter the other and there would be some interaction, but it was a neutral place and they didn't feel defensive.

 

Of course, bear in mind that there is no guarantee that any two birds will ever get along. That doesn't mean that they'll attack each other. They might simply ignore the other's existence. Just give it time and effort and hope for the best.

 

My two started out one scared of the other, that turned to beak-ing each other, yet now they are sitting about 8 inches apart playing on their net. Like your situation, my three month old just wanted to be friends, but my year old grey wouldn't have it. She would tilt her head down and make coo-ing noises and he'd hit her with his beak.

 

So, after many months, they at least get along. They don't snuggle together, but then again that's my preference. I prefer that they not bond too closely with each other--making me the third wheel.

[nims]

I know that both my greys might not ever get along and I am happy with that.

 

With the feeding. Ice is not handfed and probably hasnt been for years now so it will be difficult to hand feed him (we have tried). Indy loved to be handfed! Well I'll see how it goes.

 

Thanks

 

Nims