caging together or separate?

[chickymonkey]

If you have 2 conures, and they get along, do you
cage them together or separately?

What are the advantages to housing 2 birds in separate
cages? Does keeping them in separate cages right next
to each other make a difference? Or agitate them
because they really want to be together?

Do they become more bonded to each other when
housed together and do they lose the desire for human
contact? Does the same thing happen when caged next to
each other?

I know I'm speaking in generalities....

Interestingly we've had 2 cockatiels housed together
and they don't hate each other or love each other.
They are kind of like roommates. The male cockatiel
absolutely loves us and has way more desire to hang
out with us than his cage mate. I don't know if conures
are difference in the ways they bond.

 

[ann]

it depends, do you plan to breed them? if it is a male and female pair, chances are they will bond and loose interest in human companions. but that isn't set in stone, i have heard of people who continue to handle their breeding pairs. if it is a same gender pair, they may not get along, and there are no guarantees a male female pair will either. there are allot of problems that can come up and you might not be there to break up a fight, i think it would be better to house then next to each other like you already are

 

[MonicaMc]

It all depends! My cherry head (RIP) wasn't interested in a lot of human interaction, and preferred being around the other birds. Charlie on the other hand prefers human interaction. He did enjoy having a bird buddy in his foster home, but he thrives on human interaction.

When I had both, Noel (cherry head) lived in the bird room and Charlie lived in my room. I've since lost Noel, and have also moved. The new place is smaller, so Charlie is in the designated 'bird room' since there is no other place to put his cage (or in an area that I would consider safe from claws and fumes). At the end of the month though, it'll be our room!

Casey, my first tiel, hand raised and sweet, if not a tad pesky, has lived with Noel as well as 7 other cockatiels (not to mention bourkes and budgies). She currently lives with 4 other cockatiels and a bourke parakeet. Almost every morning, without fail, I go and open up the cages, fill up clean dishes, take out the dirty dishes and put in the fresh ones. As I'm doing this, Casey is eagerly pacing to get out. After I open the doors, she flies out, and either flies straight to me or flies around the room before flying to me. Very rarely does she not come visit me while I'm refilling the dishes. When she's out, she demands scritches!

Charlie on the other hand usually waits for me to go pick him up, even though he's flighted as well.

Later in the day, Casey is still happy to come out and visit with me and get scritches! None of the other tiels are as tame/friendly as she is, either.

 

[Akraya]

I don't know if I can directly answer your question so I'll just tell you my story!
I have my two boys housed together and they're fine, it's been a year. They have their little bicker moments now and then. They've bonded to each other as well as me which is pretty awesome and lucky I guess? I give them as much individual attention as I can and have them out together and all that.
I understand it can be a very touch and go thing, just depends if you have the time to maintain those initial bonds and keep up with training. I know I keep changing strategy whenever I notice any changes in their behaviour towards me.

 

[Thingamagigs]

I have a male and female housed together and while the male has never really been interested in people, the female absolutely loves people time and he simply follows her. If you try to pat either where the other can see you will be bitten. But if you play with them separate they are as friendly as if they were single birds. They both happily sit on my shoulder together. We will see how it goes in breeding season... but for now I am super happy with them living together. They are very pleasant as a couple!

 

[MikeyTN]

It really depends on the birds themselves! With the two conures I've had at one point, they were housed together before I picked them up so they were kept together. It was a male and a female. While the female LOVES human interaction and she loves coming out to play and the male is terrified of people. They were both breeding stocks. So we just let him do what he wants and she can careless in staying in the cage with him. But they're nice to one another, bicker at times but they're pleasant to each other most of the time. With all my birds of Cockatiels, only the girls stay sweet and I am able to handle ALL my girls as they enjoy coming out to play. The boys not so much, but I can still handle them.

 

[chickymonkey]

Hmmm. Thanks for all the feedback. I'm not sure what I'm going to do. They are siblings and I know one is a girl, I don't have the DNA back on the other yet.

My original intention was to house them separately, and I may still do that. They do like each other a LOT and seems to be comfortable and happy together. I would hate for them to lose interest in us, though. They have been separated for now, and have play time outside the cages together.

 

[Kalel]

The info in this thread is really informative so thank you to all who have contributed. I know I learned a lot of interesting things. However, here's an interesting question that someone may have experience with...I have a GCC and what if I got a second GCC but housed in a separate cage in a different room. Would they still be susceptible to the whole birds bonding to each other rather than humans rule? I mean if they play together outside of their cages and hear each other's calls is that enough for them to bond even though they don't actually live in the same cage? I wonder if they would also be constantly calling each other? Our Pi calls to us often so I wonder if it would just be constant screaming which would not be very pleasant either. Anybody has any experience in a similar situation? Thanks!