Best Way To...

[Lovely]

I want to try to get Nips and Dino back in the same cage. Seeing as they shared the cage for over 1 year that shouldn't be hard, but I'm afraid they will fight.
How should I do this?

 

[DallyTsuka]

get a much much bigger cage than the one you posted. the one you have is wayyy too small for 2 birds, especially temperamental lovebirds.


2 lovebirds, you should have a cage 30"x18"x30" ideally so they can get away from eachother if they bicker. preferably for a pair that doesnt always get along, i'd go bigger than that, OR not even risk it--lovebirds can kill eachother, easy.


mine do not share a cage. visits are fine, but not living in the cages.

tried the last time and that was the last time ever they will share a cage. for one whole month they were fine, cuddling, preening, playing together.... then munch tried to kill mango over a bowl of veggies, took a good chomp to his leg and he took a few weeks to heal from a nasty bite to the joint in his leg! it could have been worse. it was a split second thing. i would not trust putting 2 lovebirds in the same cage who have a history of not getting along.

 

[Betrisher]

Before I knew about parrotforums.com, I used to do all sorts of things with my birds that are, apparently, not the go. Putting the same species in the same cage and expecting them to get along is one thing I've always done and (touch wood) never had a problem.

Of course, you need a cage that's big enough for both birds to fly and also for both birds to have their own feeder, drinker and toys (saves arguments over who gets what). You can foster togetherness by putting one short perch in the highest part of the cage. That will encourage them to roost together and, hopefully, sort out their differences.

You will always get the odd peckfest between birds, but I don't think there's any reason to expect out-and-out fights to the death UNLESS you're adding a new bird to an established bird's cage. In that event, you'd have to decant both birds to other cages, completely redecorate the communal cage and then introduce the pair to it at the same time. So long as there's room to fly and escape from conflicts, things should percolate along OK.

 

[Lovely]

I do have a nice large cage, the one Nips is in. It is large enough, but Im hoping Dino and Nips can get in the same cage again. Dino isn't close to Gabby or Nips. So I don't want her to feel alone, even though she can see them.

 

[DallyTsuka]

you've posted photos of your cages, not a single one of them are large enough for two birds. frankly, they're all the smallest a single lovebird should be in.

in my experience, i would not risk it since they have picked on her before. i'd place their cages side by side, but would keep them with their own space.

 

[MonicaMc]

Lovely has gotten a larger cage...


I think the cage would be better if it was larger to house two lovebirds in, though.