How do you introduce a new bird to the one you already have?

[Mare Miller]

I'm picking up a B&G Macaw this weekend. Many have advised against this because I already have a U2, dust and aggression issues. I plan on nobody getting hurt and I've gotten an air purifier for their room. The owners of this macaw know what their bird is getting into and are totally prepared to take him back if things don't work out for the best for their bird. So...any advice on their first meeting? What behavior should I expect? This new bird is 25yrs. old and never been in a cage, perch only. I'll keep Amigo in his cage and set Max's stand up a ways away. I'm not sure if I need to bond with this bird before introducing him to Amigo or not? Help?! Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[MikeyTN]

You must form a bond with the new bird, alone! After giving the bird time to settle and making sure the new addition is healthy then introduce to the rest of the flock. Bring the new bird into the same room and they will eventually get used to one another. There was someone on here nit long ago giving up his Macaw cause he was too lovie with his too...

 

[Mare Miller]

Thanks Mikey, I see that you have a U2 and a B&G macaw. Have you ever had respiratory issues with your macaw due to cockatoo dust?

 

[Spiritbird]

do not forget to quarantine them.

 

[Safira]

My plan,as I may be getting 2 greys soon, is to put them in a sep room first so they can get use to me and for quarantine purposes. Then I plan on bringing my macaw into the room on a sep playstand so she can see and watch them. If all goes well all their cages will go into my soon to be bird room.

I plan on buying a rabbit air filter to help with dust and dander.

 

[MikeyTN]

Thanks Mikey, I see that you have a U2 and a B&G macaw. Have you ever had respiratory issues with your macaw due to cockatoo dust?

I do run fan and air purifier 24/7. But I have not move Willie into the bird room yet. We vacuum often, keep cages clean, etc. We'll see once Willie is moved in. I need to finish the quarter round and the closet friday so we can proceed with moving Willie.

 

[roxynoodle]

This might be harder since the macaw isn't in a cage. At least when one is in a cage, if the other goes over there, it's less likely you will have an injury if one gets aggressive.

Yes, you do need to form a bond with the new bird, and yes you should quarantine. Look at all my recent trouble with Merlin catching and infection on the plane or in one of the airports and Pete catching it as well. I had 2 sick birds and $600 in bills over that mistake! My previous vet had told me bringing home a bird in it's 20s was probably ok as far as not quarantining if it came from a private home. Well, maybe, but I didn't take the airport/plane into account! It was an airborne bacterial infection so Merlin caught it just by breathing and spread it to Pete the same way. Now, maybe I still would have had a problem with it going through the forced air heating system, but hopefully where you are, you don't need the furnace on right now. It's probably safest to bring a new bird home during a time of year when no heat/AC is on.

 

[MikeyTN]

Unfortunately my too and macaw would never get along. Both are boys and they both have other bird aggression if they get close to me.

 

[Mare Miller]

Quarantine...how long? And what am I looking for, sickness in the new bird?

 

[Safira]

I plan on at least doing 10 days (which I do with horses.) 30 is better, though most sicknesses take about 10 days to show. I would look for water eyes, discharge in the nose, lethargy (sp) or inactiviness. Things of that nature.

 

[MikeyTN]

An actual quarantine is actually in a different building period. But you basically do this as a precaution like with parasites and such. During the move, the bird can become stressed that the dormant bug can take over. I would do it for at least 30 days. Watch for the poop and all the other stuff its being mentioned above. Try to stay on same diet for now, if they feed seeds so be it as you can change it down the road. The main thing is letting the bird adjust!!!

 

[Mare Miller]

We use fireplace only for heat, except in the bird room, that's an electric oil heater. I keep a large, metal bowl of water on top of the fireplace stove to humidify. Thank you everyone for the input, I appreciate it.

 

[roxynoodle]

Some illnesses can be carried by birds. My vet told me cockatiels can be carriers and not get sick themselves, but spread it to other birds. As for Merlin, it was some bacteria she caught, probably because she was stressed. It was 6 days before I knew she didn't seem right. They do say at least 30 days to quarantine. The only room though I have with a separate heat source is my back porch. She would have been very sad and lonely back there. Her previous owners were pretty insistent she be with the other birds right away to feel safe. We didn't think about her catching something on the flight though. I should have at least put her in a different room though!

 

[Mare Miller]

My 87 yr. old dad called me 5 days before leaving to pick up Max. Dad is having health issues and needs my help, he lives 7 hrs. south of me, he lives in southern cal. I couldn't bring in another bird without being there, even though my husband will be, it wouldn't be fair to the bird or my husband. My husband and daughter are now Amigo's caregivers till I get home. Thankfully, Amigo loves my daughter, she's the only other person I know that can handle him without needing bandaids!

 

[MikeyTN]

I hope everything goes well!!! We'll keep him in our prayers!!!

 

[Mare Miller]

Thank you Mikey, my dad has always been so healthy. He would ride his bicycle for 50 mile rides, once a week, till he hit around 80yrs. old. At 87 he's starting to slow down. I'm so happy I can be here for him, he's needing help getting to and from his doctors, an hour away. Thanks again, and everything is going along well on the home front. I hear Amigo is a bit louder than usual but the fam is dealing with it, he has not been shot, yet!

 

[MikeyTN]

LoL....Java is finally showing his true colors with his loud calls. He's learn the alarm call from his previous household. He started out low and up and up and up....lol....But he's been pretty good when I told him to quiet down with indoor voice. Then he starts to chatter away. His previous momma asks me just few days ago that she don't mind having him back since she's moving out from the divorce and getting her own place. I told her IF I ever decides to, she will get him back, but for now I'm getting attached to him. As I put in a lot of hours and money to finish the bird room to accommodate him. Plus I change him to a much bigger cage with dragon wood perches. Plus she smokes in her house and I really don't want him to go back into a smoking house. I spent around $800 on redoing the room and new perches. Plus getting him on a better diet then he was on, but still needs adjustment as he is under weight so I'm trying to fatten him up. Then I will be working fully on switching him to pellets permanently as he is on seeds right now. He gets his veggies and fruits in the morning and he's been eating them really good. I cut out all the bad habits she was giving him, fried eggs, coffee drinking, etc. Plus I'm trying to cut out the rest of the bad habit with trying to run over me. lol...Like your Amigo is trying to do with your family...lol....

 

[roxynoodle]

I wish you the best with your dad and hope everything is ok.

 

[Mare Miller]

Thanks for your wishes roxynoodle. Not only is my dad developing health issues, his wife, my step-mom just got diagnosed with breast cancer, she's 82 yrs. old...when it rains, it pours.

Mikey, sounds like you've got a U2 for life! Amigo can be a tyrant, if allowed to be, that's for sure!

 

[roxynoodle]

My parents live 1000 miles away, and I do worry what is going to happen when they need us to help them. My sister is in Michigan and I'm in Ohio, and the parents are in Florida.

We already had mom in the hospital for several weeks a couple of years ago and it's amazing my dad didn't burn the house down. He was trying to do laundry for the first time ever and didn't know to empty the lint trap. Good thing I mentioned it when on the phone with him because he had already done several loads without emptying it. He knows absolutely nothing about taking care of a house or cooking. He had to ask me once how to turn on a vacuum cleaner.