Getting bird #2

[CAGLulu]

Hi all

In the future I'm probably getting my secound bird and I want to know which one would be best for me and my parrot. Right now I have an African Grey, so it must be a parrot my African Grey won't kill hehe. I know it is not sure they will get along but in about 22 days I'm getting a doublecage that can be split in two seperate cages so that is a good start for getting them to know each other. Obviously another African Grey would be a good decision but I think I want another parrot now. Any suggestions or advice on getting bird number 2?

 

[roxynoodle]

Will they be able to see each other or even bite each other in that kind of cage? If so, I think I'd be reluctant to use it without knowing if they like each other enough. They could be very stressed by that as well. If the cages are stacked one on top of the other, that would probably be ok.

It's always safest to have similar sized birds. If not another Grey, she might like an amazon.

There is a little Red Bellied parrot at my vet's office that loves other African parrots, Greys in particular. But small as she is, she could get hurt by a Grey that is not as interested in visiting with her. Whenever she sees me and Merlin come in though, she is right there immediately. I had to have one of the vet assistants get her off the door to Merlin's carrier so we could leave yesterday, lol!

 

[CAGLulu]

I've been thinking about a ducorps cockatoo or an amazon but I really don't know...There are so many beautiful and cute birds out there! I also wanted either a senegal, caique or conure but I think it would be dangerous to ever put these small birds in the same cage with my African Grey eventhough they become good friends.
That red bellied parrot sounds cool lol!

this is the cage I'm talking about: http://dyreriget.dk/bure-volierer-huse-21/fuglebure-volierer-129/papegoejebur-dobbelt-1370.html

 

[wenz2712]

Thats a pretty cool Cage I would say maybe an Amazon or another Grey..

 

[CAGLulu]

thanks! I also think it is a cool cage!
An amazon or maybe a galah? there are so many parrots out there! wish I could get a pair of them all lol

 

[roxynoodle]

It is a cool cage. I just don't know if it would be the best option until you know the 2 birds want to be next to each other, and it's always hard to say with birds. If they don't like each other they would probably be more comfortable having some space between them.

 

[wenz2712]

Galahs are beautiful Birds, but totally different to a Grey.. they are very fast, they never sit still and chew anything in site and can be quite nippy!! I had a Galah before I had Codie, but my Daughter had a very bad reaction to the dander dust... so much so, I couldnt let her go anywhere near her ... I was so disappointed!! but luckily the breeder I bought her from kindly took her back.. Maybe you could put some sort of plastic on the inside of the Cage for a while so they cant attack each other through the bars, just until they get used to each other

 

[CAGLulu]

I'm sorry you had to give up your Galah wenz, but that was probably the best thing to do.
Well, I can start by having them in two seperate cages but keep them in the same room but apart from each other.
The galah is really amazing I love their personlity but I dont know if Lulu does
Anyone here having their African Grey living with a Senegal, Conure, Caique or any bird with similar size? Either in the same cage or seperate cages?

 

[wenz2712]

I know Roxynoodle has

 

[CAGLulu]

Haha should have seen that myself
roxynoodle, how is your conure and african grey together? Do you have them out of their cage at the same time and if so, how are they towards each other?

 

[Spiritbird]

I am giving up Cricket this weekend. He has had 2 severe head injuries from Rosie's beak and the last one was really nasty. He jumped on Rosie's cage (never out together) because conures have no fear. In a flash Rosie defended herself the only way bird do, with her beak. Cricket will be going to a friend I work with and it will be very had on him and me but I do not think his little head can take any more. Please do not get a small bird, especially a conure. If I could do it over again it would be another grey.

 

[CAGLulu]

Thanks for your advice Spiritbird! I'm so sorry for your Conure, sounds like he has had some bad injuries. I'm sure he is going to a good home. Good he is going to a friend you work with so you can visit him
I will not get a small bird then. A smart person learns from his own mistakes a smarter person learns from others mistakes hehe. I will get a bird similar size as my Grey, but I am not sure it is going to be another Grey, eventhough it would be cute if I bought a male and they got babies when they matured. I will keep searching and take my time to find the right parrot.

 

[roxynoodle]

I have not let mine out together yet. I know my conure is bossy, domineering and gets jealous. And poor Merlin can't even see hardly. So I'm certain she would bite Rowdy if Rowdy came after her. Same with the amazon. So far Rowdy hasn't flown over there, but I'm sure it's a matter of time. I am worried about her getting hurt. Right now Pete still hasn't gotten enough of his new wing feathers to fly, and Merlin doesn't fly due to her sight.

I'm not sure I'll be able to let the Grey and amazon out together. The amazon wants to put the romantic moves on the Grey, and she is not interested, lol! I wish I could so they could each get more out of cage time. But, when they are out, they all want to be with me anyway, so I don't really see that working as they would all be getting jealous of each other.

 

[CAGLulu]

Oh, I feel sorry for Merlin not being able to see good! That is very sad but I'm sure she is living in the best possible home. Was she born like that or how?
I did not know conures were so bossy lol. You better watch out for Rowdy not getting bit like Spiritbirds Cricket.
Are Greys really that hard putting together with other parrots? I know it wont be easy, maybe if I am lucky, but I also did not know it was THAT hard..

 

[roxynoodle]

Merlin lived with an amazon and a macaw for 2 decades in her previous home. And they all got along fine. I'm sure she would get along with Pete if he wasn't a horn dog who thought she would make a good wife for him, lol! And maybe he is finally getting the picture that she doesn't want to be his wife, and they will be able to be friends. He isn't hitting on her constantly anymore. Although his hormones seem to be waning for the season all the way around.

Yes, many conures are bossy little birds who think they are huge. My Blue Crown conure wasn't like that at all, but it does seem BC's are just different from all the other conures.

Perhaps another African bird would work out though, even though it's smaller? I know that Red Belly at the vet's loves Greys, according to the people who work there. And she always comes to see Merlin even though she doesn't like me (doesn't like women they told me). She even asked me for a pet on Saturday, but then she bit me about 30 seconds in, lol! That's why I asked them to get her off Merlin's carrier.

Merlin has a virus that she has had since she was an egg, that caused her to lose her vision over time. She wasn't born blind. Good thing or it probably would have been really hard to teach her to step up. But, when a bird suddenly comes flying up to her, she gets scared.

 

[lene1949]

I just want to comment on the cage... Please don't let you Grey have access to the whole cage, if you're planning to split it into two later on...

 

[mtdoramike]

I would go with a similar size bird or larger. They might get along better than a smaller bird. I also wouldn't get a double cage that can be split in the middle. To me it's always a safer bet to get two seperate cages in the event they don't get along. This way, you can seperate them and not be afraid of one picking at the other through the cage bars.

 

[CAGLulu]

Hopefully Pete and Merlin will become good friends soon. Pete just need to realise she wont be his wife hehe, but he is a boy so you can't blame him

lene, I won't do that She is only getting the one half of the cage.

mtdoramike, I do have two seperate cages, so when I get my secound bird I can put them in two seperate cages but in the same room to see how they do and after some time I can try to put them in the big cage seperated. If they do not get along I will put them back in their seperate cage

Eventhough I want to try another parrot, I'm probably going to end up with another Grey