Conure off to college!

[SamBeben]

Hey all!
I’ve been stressing about this nonstop and worrying about my baby. I’m moving to an apartment for college and an taking my green cheeked conure. He’s about 2.5 years old and my husband and I are both going to be in college. He’s going to be doing online school so he’ll be home more often but he is going to work. My schedule is looking pretty busy but I have a few days off from school. I will not be working. My question is do you think we should get another GC conure to bond with Einstein? Kind of be his entertainment while we are busy?
What all goes into bonding birds?
What should we expect if we decide to get another bird?
Thank you!!!

 

[YSGC]

Hey all!
I’ve been stressing about this nonstop and worrying about my baby. I’m moving to an apartment for college and an taking my green cheeked conure. He’s about 2.5 years old and my husband and I are both going to be in college. He’s going to be doing online school so he’ll be home more often but he is going to work. My schedule is looking pretty busy but I have a few days off from school. I will not be working. My question is do you think we should get another GC conure to bond with Einstein? Kind of be his entertainment while we are busy?
What all goes into bonding birds?
What should we expect if we decide to get another bird?
Thank you!!!

Getting a second bird is always risky since there's no way to predict how well, or poorly, they'll get alone.
When you're going to have less time for your current companion parrot getting a second bird is an even worse idea.

Parrots are not people; they are in their own world ... the parrot world.
The two birds may bond, like, merely tolerate, or hate each other.
One bird might even injure or kill the other.

If they don't get along and their cages can't even be in the same room your workload will double because you will have a duty to meet all the social needs of not just one parrot, but two.

 

[T00tsyd]

Don't do it - stick with the one - he will adjust!

 

[noodles123]

No, I do not. Unless you personally have a burning desire for another bird. Getting a 2nd bird rarely simplifies anything. They could bond to each other and stop being as close with you, they could hate each other and require equal but totally separate interaction time/ totally separate out of cage time (Which would be impossible at college), they could become hormonal (which can lead to screaming, aggression, self mutilation and even egg-binding in females), there could be increased jealously and screaming etc etc. Unless YOU want another bird and would be able to deal with both birds (in totally separate spheres) in the event that they hate each other, then don't ever get a bird for your bird. Even if they appear to get along, there are cases of bird severely injuring cage and room-mates after many years of apparent harmony. Could they get along? Yes. Is it even a 50% chance? I would say not necessarily. Even then, just because 2 birds seem okay with each other one day, does not mean they will be the next. In my opinion, if your life is complicated now, I would not risk making it even more complicated. Plus, apartment life in a bird is risky...and 2nd bird will double your expenses.

I would strongly suggest that you and your husband schedule classes so that one of you can be home while the other goes to class...Your bird can spend time alone (and they should---you don't want to spoil them completely) but you will want to try not to change his routine a ton from what he is used to, or you could find yourself facing some new behaviors.

OH---Definitely get a a few hepa air purifiers (non-ozone producing and non-ionizing) and use it as soon as you move your bird in (run them 24/7 and rotate them if your are worried about the constant wear on the motor). Smoke and fumes from other apartments can get into yours, and these can help provide a bit of extra protection against some of that. I have a Veva that I got on Amazon and it isn't the best out there, but it's one of the better affordable (but bird-safe) varieties.

 

[fiddlejen]

Hi, I have a Sunny Conure, not a gcc, but this tip Might come in useful. I work 2nd shift and recently many medical appointments so I have to work at getting time for her. I have found that if she is awake (yes, in her cage), and I am SLEEPING In Front Of Her, and its daytime, that counts as people-time for her. In fact she will deliberately play very quietly (I've watched thru half closed eyes), in order to not awaken me. (Unless she thinks Ive overslept, in which case she will start to loudly ring her ring-a-bell.)

(I'm sure that as students you may have late nights leading to daytime naps, you may want to try this then.)

 

[Scott]

Congratulations for pursuing higher education! As others have posted, acquiring a second bird is fraught with chance. Might bond well with the three of you or a lesser combination, potentially leading to hostility.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

Hi, I have a Sunny Conure, not a gcc, but this tip Might come in useful. I work 2nd shift and recently many medical appointments so I have to work at getting time for her. I have found that if she is awake (yes, in her cage), and I am SLEEPING In Front Of Her, and its daytime, that counts as people-time for her. In fact she will deliberately play very quietly (I've watched thru half closed eyes), in order to not awaken me. (Unless she thinks Ive overslept, in which case she will start to loudly ring her ring-a-bell.)

(I'm sure that as students you may have late nights leading to daytime naps, you may want to try this then.)

That's hilarious because Skittles does something along those lines too. While I am home about 90% of the time, Skittles goes to bed between 7p and 9p and I go to bed between 1a-4a. I wake up between 11a and 1p. Skittles wakes up around 7a and sometimes he wakes me up with his 'playing' but he remains quiet otherwise until its almost 1p and then he'll screech to let me know its time to wake up if I haven't woken up already. He and I have a "tap-tap" routine we do during the night to let the other know we are there. Sometimes he gets a little carried away with it though. lol

He basically seems to prefer an 8 hour 'free flight' day since thats about when he'll want to go to bed, after being out for 8hrs.

 

[Iridal]

Hi, I have a Sunny Conure, not a gcc, but this tip Might come in useful. I work 2nd shift and recently many medical appointments so I have to work at getting time for her. I have found that if she is awake (yes, in her cage), and I am SLEEPING In Front Of Her, and its daytime, that counts as people-time for her. In fact she will deliberately play very quietly (I've watched thru half closed eyes), in order to not awaken me. (Unless she thinks Ive overslept, in which case she will start to loudly ring her ring-a-bell.)

(I'm sure that as students you may have late nights leading to daytime naps, you may want to try this then.)

That's hilarious because Skittles does something along those lines too. While I am home about 90% of the time, Skittles goes to bed between 7p and 9p and I go to bed between 1a-4a. I wake up between 11a and 1p. Skittles wakes up around 7a and sometimes he wakes me up with his 'playing' but he remains quiet otherwise until its almost 1p and then he'll screech to let me know its time to wake up if I haven't woken up already. He and I have a "tap-tap" routine we do during the night to let the other know we are there. Sometimes he gets a little carried away with it though. lol

He basically seems to prefer an 8 hour 'free flight' day since thats about when he'll want to go to bed, after being out for 8hrs.

LOL yeah Mango gets quiet when I nap. He also gets shouty in his cage (in another room) if 9 AM rolls around and nobody has woken up yet to play with him.

 

[GaleriaGila]

I got the Rbird when I was in college...
We went through a lot. Now, thirty-plus years later, I'm retired.
I wish you a wonderful journey. Advice? Never give up! And stick with this place... it's a lifesaver.