Getting my sun conure a friend ?

[LAsunconure]

Hello fellow bird keepers I'm a new member from Los Angeles CA . I have kept Budgies in my house for the first 20 years of my life in pairs, I've hand fed the baby birds and I've also let nature take it course by letting the parents do all the work . That's just my history with birds

I've lurked through the past 10 pages of this sun conure forum but no real luck with what I'm looking for


At the moment my gf has a sun conure just under a year old . Amazing little bird but I can tell just by looking at it that it's bonded with her and it has become extremely spoiled with the amount of toys that it gets and attention . Which is no problem she's been able to Take care of it and takes it to the vet when she feels the bird might be sick .

Here comes the issue for us

With school just starting and having to go to work .the bird has not been able to get the attention that it used to get . As a result it has started screaming more than ever when we wake up to get ready for work/ school/ or coming home after a long day . Now I know what everyone will say . " it needs attention" "you've spoiled it" "you need to find time" "give it to someone who willbe able to take care of it" " give it time"
Now I do apologize if that sounded rude
But we've grown attached to this bird and letting it go unless it had to come down to it . Is not an option that we want to consider st the moment


Skipping to the point .. We where considering getting it a friend so it won't get so lonely (another sun conure) we understand that it will loose its bond towards us but seeing happy is what's important to us .
My concerns are
A. They will not like each other ( plans have been made to slowly Introduce them in separate cages )
B. Now I will have 2 screaming sun conures needing attention


The ideal outcome would be getting it a friend and not have it go cCrazy for our Attention. Thank you in advance and looking to hear from you guys

 

[Anansi]

Hello, and welcome to Parrot Forums!

Yes, this happens to quite a few parrot owners. No one gives them the advice that they shouldn't get their bird used to a certain level of attention if that level cannot be maintained, and then they wind up with a bit of a screamer. Tough situation, but not impossible to overcome.

Okay, while it's remotely possible for your sun to just stop screaming and forge a bond of camaraderie with the arrival of a new friend, it very often doesn't work out that way. You could wind up, as your B question postulates, with two screaming conures. So my suggestion is that you get the screaming issue under control first, and then revisit the question of whether or not you'd like a second conure at that point.

If you use the search function on the Home page, you'll find tons of info about screaming protocols for your research. And here is a link to one of the best articles I've seen written on the subject, by Barbara Heidenreich: Barbara's Force Free Animal Training Talk: Stop your Parrot from Screaming for Attention Very good reading. Pay particular attention to the processes of Extinction and Differential Reinforcement. I think you'll find that this technique directly addresses your issue.

As for question A, your plan for introduction is sound. There is, however, no way to know beforehand whether or not they will like each other. In this, they are very much like people. They may click, or they may actually hate one another. Which is another reason that I don't typically recommend getting another bird solely to keep your first bird company. Too many birds end up rehomed that way. (Not saying you'd do that, but this does happen.) There's nothing wrong with getting a second bird, however, if you truly want one for you and have the time and resources to do so. (I own two eclectus parrots, myself.)

Anyhow, I hope this helps. Feel free to reach out with any other questions.

 

[jenphilly]

Your situation is something that is presented to AHW not quite daily, but pretty dang often! The answer is always the same, if you are not prepared to have the time, space and resources to have two individual birds and give each bird the proper socialization and such it needs, getting a bird for your bird very seldom ever ends up the way adopters hope.

Being under a year old, your sun is still an open book. We have a sun conure in our home that grew up in a similar situation, received lots of attention and was quite spoiled, Loki came home as a baby before I became involved with the rescue and other birds arrived and has always been one of my favorites (tho she is my daughter's bird). But like your girlfriend's bird, Loki has been very spoiled with toys and lots of things to do. My daughter completed her BA and MBA with having 2 green cheeks, the sun, cockatiels and even adopting an emotionally damaged bare eye cockatoo. The birds adapted to an ever changing schedule.

While right now you are dealing with a young bird essentially having a temper tantrum because they are not getting what they want, but making sure the sun has a large cage (minimum 20x30 flight type cage) and its filled with lots of toys and they are switched out every few days, you spend whatever time you have available with the bird, and you add lots of foraging type activities to keep your little sun busy. The bird adapt to a new schedule, they are incredibly intelligent and very responsive to training and learning new habits and routines. Yes, right now you have the headache of the screamer that you created, but as much as the sun learned that behavior, a new behavior can be learned as well!

And please, please, please do not think of getting another sun that is opposite sex and letting nature take its course. If everyone is not aware, sun conures are on their way to being added to the US Fish and Wildlife ESA which will make them more difficult to find homes for. And we see so many sun conures at the shelter, there is an abundance of sun conures already out there.... But if you do feel compelled or that adding a bird to the home is the best way to go, please have your sun conure DNA sexed and add a bird of the same sex. Birds are not like many mammals that don't accept the same sex as a companion. Many same sex birds live very happily together with no issue. We have many same sex bird friends at the shelter, and in my personal home as well. Again, being involved with a parrot shelter, one thing I have to voice is begging you if you do decide on a second bird, go with same sex.

But, I think with a little time and work, you can easily teach your little sun new habits and behaviors and enjoy another 25 or 30 years with a wonderful and gorgeous little feathered best friend.

Best of luck in whatever decision you make!