CAGs & TAGs will they get along

[gdl51870]

OK so this is a two part question here. First let me tell you we have a friend that has a friend that is going through some hard times right now... A divorce... They have 2 CAG's and now want to give them a home where someone can spend more time with them. There is a male and female and both of them are around 10.

 

First question... Will they get along with my TAG. He/she is only 18 weeks old and has a great temperament. Last thing we want is for him to become jealous and nasty…

 

Second question is this... Will they breed? We have several other birds and do not want to have babies. If we took them in, we would not want to break them up being they have been together for so long. There owner said that they have never mated and does not think they ever will. Guess the key word there is "THINK".

 

We both know the birds would love it here but the last thing we would want to do is mess with our little guy right now and then end up with more little guys....

Thanks !!

[Talon]

I had a tag for 2 years before I adopted a cag afew months younger. They are both over 3 now and do very well together But my cag is the dominate one. I make sure my tag is still number 1 as she was here first. My cag even tries to preen my tag, but she is too afraid to enjoy it.

[danmcq]

Theres a 50/50 chance they will get along. You just never know.

 

Also, a young TAG such as yours is very needful of attention from you, especially more so than a 10 year old CAG.

 

It would be great if you could rehome them and is admirable of you, but you would really need to consider the possible result.

 

You just never know when introducing new flock members.

 

You friend is right in regards them not being a "Pair". At 10 years old they would have paired and the mating rituals observed whether they be actual copulation attempts or the flashy mating displays.

 

The best thing to follow your gut instinct on this one and consideration of the amount of room you have for cage placement, time to spend individually with each parrot etc. Only you can assess those factors and come to a decision on. :-)

[gdl51870]

Well, i guess that is good news and bad. Good news is that there is a slim chance for them to mate and bad because they may not get along.

 

Maybe i wiil see if I can bring them over and introduce them to my little guy... Just see what happens.

 

One more question will my TAG not talk because of them and become less of a talker. He is just starting to make all the really cool sounds and we can hear him trying to mimic our words.

 

They are such nice birds i would hate to see them get placed in a bad home.

 

Thanks for your help

[danmcq]

Please do not let my response discourage you.

 

That was not my intention. I just wanted you to be aware that it may or may not turn out to be one happy flock that loves each other and welcomes each others company. That would be the best case of course, but many people do have multiple parrots whether they like each other or not. You may just need to keep them at a safe distance from each other.

 

If you have the room, time and patience to bring these needful Greys into our home, then do so.

 

Their presence will not stop your TAG from continuing to learn to talk from you, whom he considers his mom and dad that he is learning how to get along in this big World from.

 

One introduction will not really be enough to see if they will accept each other or not. It takes a little time for them to be around each other and become acquainted.

 

As I said, follow your gut. It sounds like it's telling you to. :-)<br><br>Post edited by: danmcq, at: 2009/01/13 14:38

[judygram]

I would say the chances they would mate are slim to none if they haven't already by now.

 

Greys are notorious for not getting along with even others of their own kind and they definitely need their own cages but then sometimes two or more will get along, its just the chance you take when you get another one.

 

I would say it would not affect your Tag's talking ability, if he is making sounds and starting to say words then that will continue but maybe after a period of adjustment of adding a new member to the flock.

 

I know this is a tough decision but it is one only you man make so think it thru thoroughly before you committ to it.

[casper]

There will be no problem with the talking, in fact my younger greys seem to learn more from my eldest grey than they do from me!

 

I have three greys, the youngest is just starting to talk ( he is 8 months old now ) but I have had no problems with the middle grey talking.

 

You may have jelousy issues, there again they might all get on fine. No one can say!

 

Please keep us updated with your decision.

 

Caroline.

[Irishchicky]

Maybe im wrong but im sure they size difference would intimadate a timneh plus the fact that their would be 2 of them.

 

I would say it would be 50/50 too

[BMustee]

TAGs and CAGs can get along but don't count on it. There is a 1 1/2 year old TAG are my work that is in LOVE with my CAG and sense they met the TAG has become attached to me...I say because she is tryig to butter me up to take her home to Elmo. This TAG has been raised around CAGs so that may be why she is not fearful of them due to the size...but then again Elmo being only 400g makes her only a little bigger. Being a pair of CAGs you want to bring in would maybe overwhelm your TAG because she would be out numbered but in time they could except eachother.

 

As for the breeding...

I'm not a grey breeder myself but from what I have learned of it if they are treated more as pets they prob wouldn't breed. Also if they are not set up for breeding then they prob wouldn't ether. I would say you should house them in seperate cages because it only takes one fight between them for one to end up dead.

[gdl51870]

Well I have to thank you for all of you for your help.

You are right my gut is telling me to go get them right now and bring them home. I have been spendinging a little time with them and they do need some work but they are good birds. They are very hard to get out of the cage but once out the male is good and female is very nippy.... Its trust and once that is is there we will be good. I am also looking around for a larger cage right now. Does anyone have any sugestions as to where to get a nice large cage that wont break us...I am going to take a few more visits with them and then make my mind up. I will let you know what we are up to here.

[danmcq]

Here is just an idea of what you can find on ebay. note this cage price includes shipping. be careful when buying, because the shipping chagers can sometimes be very high.

 

I am uncertain of how large you are looking for, but this cage for example is a good start on your search. :-)

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Large-Bird-parrot-Cage-OPEN-Top-macaw-cookatoo-conure_W0QQitemZ380091193456QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item380091193456&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A2%7C294%3A50

[BMustee]

I love Ebay! I got Elmo's cage there and it's better than the "name brand" cages we sell at my store for more then double the price.

[EFGriffith]

Dan, That cage you gave the link to is BEAUTIFUL!! I think if I'd known about it, I would have spent the extra $150 and ordered it instead of getting ours.

 

As far as inexpensive cages go, I don't think you can beat Craigslist. I trolled it as often as I could, as good cages are posted and snatched up pretty quickly... So it took me about a week to find the one I wanted and snag it up quickly enough. I got a $550 cage for $150. Can't beat that!

 

www.craigslist.org - search bird cage

[BMustee]

I'm not big on Craigslist for cages. Many of the big cages on there are rusted and then I can't get past the thought of what happened to the last resident...to many risks for my comfort. I'll always go new, that way I know that nothing died in it and nothing has been tampered with.