Mike
New member
I just got a second Macaw (8 year old Miligold). I'd like to hear how others introduced a second bird to their first bird (4 year old Greenwing). Both are female. I'd like to hear what behaviors you observed. Most of all, I'd like to know how to tell if a bird is playing, or if they're attempting to fight with the other bird.
There are two other birds (Sun Conure and Hahn's Macaw) in my house who make it very clear that they are attacking -- not playing. Most often, one bird will bite me to "save" me from the other small bird. These other two birds are much smaller than my Macaws. I do not try in any way to get these two smaller birds close to my Macaws. Their role in the house is to be pets to my daughters.
The role of my second Macaw is to be a companion to my first Macaw. Both birds are great with me and the other members of my family. For the past two months I've very slowly started bringing the Macaws together. I started with their cages in separate rooms. After hearing each other for about a week I'd take one into the other's room and let them see each other across the room. I did that for about two weeks, then gradually started bringing them closer and closer to each other's cage. They both seemed interested in each other. I didn't see any signs of aggression.
I'm to the point now where once a day I bring one bird to the other's cage and let them approach each other on the cage. There's a lot lunging, but very little contact. After about five minutes they'll get close enough to where they're hitting beaks together. At this point I break them up. I've never let them actually lock their beak on the other bird. I think they may be challenging each other or they may be simply playing with each other. They do not show any of the aggression I see with the two smaller birds I mentioned above.
My plan is to place both cages in a neutral room -- a room which neither considers their own. I plan to keep the cages apart and to gradually bring them closer together over a week or two. I will not leave the birds unattended together.
I'm building a large PVC playground and plan to place it in my home office in front of the window. I plan to take both birds to this new playground at the same time so neither feels ownership. The birds will continue going back to their sleep cages in the neutral room until I see that they can be safely left together. At that point I will bring their sleep cages into the same room as the playground. At that point my home office will become a bird room. I will be moving my office upstairs.
So, what do you think? Am I over planning this? Is there anything I should consider which I haven't mentioned here? Under no circumstances will I put one bird in danger, but sometimes I feel like maybe I'm interfering with their desire to play with each other.
Here is Mardy:
Here is Georgie:
Here they are eyeing each other in the family room:
There are two other birds (Sun Conure and Hahn's Macaw) in my house who make it very clear that they are attacking -- not playing. Most often, one bird will bite me to "save" me from the other small bird. These other two birds are much smaller than my Macaws. I do not try in any way to get these two smaller birds close to my Macaws. Their role in the house is to be pets to my daughters.
The role of my second Macaw is to be a companion to my first Macaw. Both birds are great with me and the other members of my family. For the past two months I've very slowly started bringing the Macaws together. I started with their cages in separate rooms. After hearing each other for about a week I'd take one into the other's room and let them see each other across the room. I did that for about two weeks, then gradually started bringing them closer and closer to each other's cage. They both seemed interested in each other. I didn't see any signs of aggression.
I'm to the point now where once a day I bring one bird to the other's cage and let them approach each other on the cage. There's a lot lunging, but very little contact. After about five minutes they'll get close enough to where they're hitting beaks together. At this point I break them up. I've never let them actually lock their beak on the other bird. I think they may be challenging each other or they may be simply playing with each other. They do not show any of the aggression I see with the two smaller birds I mentioned above.
My plan is to place both cages in a neutral room -- a room which neither considers their own. I plan to keep the cages apart and to gradually bring them closer together over a week or two. I will not leave the birds unattended together.
I'm building a large PVC playground and plan to place it in my home office in front of the window. I plan to take both birds to this new playground at the same time so neither feels ownership. The birds will continue going back to their sleep cages in the neutral room until I see that they can be safely left together. At that point I will bring their sleep cages into the same room as the playground. At that point my home office will become a bird room. I will be moving my office upstairs.
So, what do you think? Am I over planning this? Is there anything I should consider which I haven't mentioned here? Under no circumstances will I put one bird in danger, but sometimes I feel like maybe I'm interfering with their desire to play with each other.
Here is Mardy:
Here is Georgie:
Here they are eyeing each other in the family room:
