I introduced my young CAG to my new baby 'Too today :)

[Bear]

I've had my baby U2 almost a week now, and she and my 6 month old CAG have been surveying eachother across the room and from our shoulders during that time, today we decided it was time for the two to meet properly! Bear (the grey) is super sweet and Bean (the U2) is a baby and just wants to love everything, so I wasn't too worried, anyway here are some pics of their first interaction.

Bear was madly in love with Bean from the first second, grooming her and wanting to play. Bean was a little wary at first and just tried to feed from Bear (She is 2 months old) but after a minute or two she was following him around and trying to climb like him ont he sofa. Anyway they love eachother which is great news as I was getting concerned that Bear was getting too old to accept a new bird so easily (he has bonded strongly with myself and my boyfriend and is not interested in strangers much already) so I was very happy to see these two love eachother!

Excuse the porridge caked to her, she arrived with lots of it plastered on. We've managed to get most of it off but still got a bit to go, it's winter here so we have to be careful.

Bean not sure at first:

Then Bean decides she loves Bear too

The grooming began

Bean trying to feed from Bear:

Bean and Bear grooming Bean:

Happy birds

Anyway they are both very happy chaps, no biting or aggression at all

 

[antoinette]

Congrat's you have done a splendid job !!!!!!!
Those pic's really touched my heart, amazing how they took to each other, without a hitch.
Your pic's get a "High Five"
Sure is one big happy family.

 

[Spiritbird]

Wow what great photos as Ant. states. Fantastic. It speaks to having more than one bird. The porage should be off in no time flat.

 

[SharonC]

How cute is that!

 

[Ratzy]

Quarrantine....

 

[Bear]

Thanks everyone We were also amazed at how they just instantly loved eachother! I knew Bean loved Bear as she has been desperate to see him, Bear I wasn't sure if he'd be bothered about her but he adores her I wanted to introduce them asap so that jealousy didn't build up from Bear towards Bean 'the new addition.' But yes it was very very sweet, espec when Bean was trying to follow Bear climbing around the sofa

I took some vids of the first introduction and will try and upload them, they are very sweet!

It was hilarious when Bean fluffed up and opened her wings ect, Bear froze as if to say...ooh she is quite big!! They were brilliant to watch, I think Bear is enjoying showing her the ropes

Ratzy I never quarantine a bird unless I think there is something wrong with them. I've never had a single problem, nor has anyone else I know. Bean is an 8week old baby who has never been near another bird as she was raised from an egg, and I had no reason to think there was anything wrong with her, and my current birds are very healthy.
I don't see the benefit of sticking a bird in another room for a month, then upsetting it all over again by moving it to whre it will actually be living a month after.
I know some people don't agree but I know for a fact none of the big bird shops here quarantine, with 1000 birds in some of them and some only being there a week before being sold, it would be impossible to have every single new bird in a different place. Bean came from a private lady who only had her and hatched from an egg, so I have no worries that she has mixed with 'suspect birds.'

You wouldn't quarantine a puppy from your other dogs for a month just because it was new and its exactly the same principle. Unless I think theree is a problem I see no reason to do it. I don't actually know anyone who does do it here in SA.

Anyway, back to the birds. I'm over the moon at how it went and bean is learning sooo quickly! I'm hoping to be able to take her down to work in a month. Bear comes down now for half the day already (work is a 30 second walk from home, we live on a game reserve.) guests love them and I really think it helped with Bear's so******ation as he sees new people and kids every day, I think this helped him accept Bean so easily.

 

[Ratzy]

It's just I have has bad experiences not doing quarantine. Birds can hide illnesses soo well. Even if you're sure they are healthy, there could be a secondry illness that could kick in after the stress of being introduced, new environment, or even a long time after they have been introduced.
Why We Should Quarantine - The Budgerigar Breeders Club Inc. Budgie Community Forums
This is mainly for budgies but same principals apply.

 

[Bear]

I hear what you're saying but I don't see how it's less stressful for a bird to be kept seperate in a room for a month Then moved to where other birds are, surely that move is just as stressful as the initial move?
If any illness kicked in due to stress then it could just as easily kick in after moving from the quarantined area to the 'normal' area with other birds, as that is equally stressful, new environment, new surroundings.
And if as you say something could happen even a long time after they've been introducedn, the basically there is no safe time to introduce them!
I'm happy in what I'm doing, as are my birds and I've never had reason to change what I'm doing. I'm careful where I get birds from, and judge each bird as an individual. Anyway, they are very happy, Bear is giving Bean a grooming session again as we speak, and I really don't expect to have any health problems. As I said its exactly the same as saying quarantine a new puppy, it just wouldn't happen as the pup's socialization, how it settles and how it gets used to a new routine as soon as possible is very important. People might not agree but I wouldn't do it if I thought I would harm them. I breed dogs and horses too and certainly don't quarantine foals from the other horses, unless there is a reason.

 

[Ratzy]

I'm giving up trying to convince you. I've had SIX birds DIE from not quarrantining, because, like you, I thought that because I got them from a private breeder that they would be perfectly healthy. Here I think they can fine you if you don't provide adaquate quarrantining. Cats, dogs and horses are much easier to treat for illnesses once they start going down hill and they show the symptoms before it is time to panic. Quarrantine allows time to settle in a new environment before being introduced to other birds. So you can get them used to new schedules and so you may observe them for signs of illness. Just don't come crying to me if yo're birds get ill and/or die. It may seem harsh, but it is you're desision.

 

[Mel]

I don't mean to drag on the quarantine issue but I think it's a personal decision. I hear what you're saying Ratzy and having lost 6 birds I can understand why you are so passionate about it - I'd probably be that way too. But I can also understand Bears decision and must admit I introduced my girls on day 1 as I had no reason to think my too would be ill as her carers had her for several months.

As for photos bear they are priceless

 

[Bear]

Ratzy I really don't think there is any need to be spoken to like that, I'm not asking you to convince me of anything. I have my views on quarantine and you have yours because of your very sad losses, I wont argue about something I don't feel I need to defend. Thank you for the advice though

Thanks Mel, absolutely it is a personal decision, as is the way everyone on earth cares for their animals big and small, no one has bad intentions as we all do what we think is best.
I see you have dogs and snakes! I used to breed Royal pythons (love them!) and I have St Bernards and Labradors Your sulfer crested is gorgeous! We nealy got one instead of a U2 but the sulphur was a bit older and a bit feisty so we chose the younger U2. We also have a pair of Vosmaeri Eclectus who are finally starting to breed, it only took 4 yrs to decide they loved eachother haha.

 

[greycloud]

I am 100% with Ratzy on this topic of quarentine! I have bred birds for over 35 yrs. I have bred and shown dogs for over 20 yrs. You cannot even compare these two Apples and oranges! I have never lost a bird due to illness for lack of quarentine. I can tell tell you of at least 50 birds that harboured unseen diseases and were passed on to established pets due to lack of quarentine. Most were babies brought home. The "best breeders" are not always the safest. Young birds harbor illnesses due to poor immune systems. I wish you luck on preventing your birds from getting diseases from eachother. If I remember correctly this Too was pretty dirty when brought home. Makes me wonder how thier husbandry was in thier aviary. What ever the case your grey has now been exposed.

 

[Mel]

I see you have dogs and snakes! I used to breed Royal pythons (love them!) and I have St Bernards and Labradors Your sulfer crested is gorgeous! We nealy got one instead of a U2 but the sulphur was a bit older and a bit feisty so we chose the younger U2. We also have a pair of Vosmaeri Eclectus who are finally starting to breed, it only took 4 yrs to decide they loved eachother haha.

Wow your house sounds a bit like mine - crazy haha. It's fantastic to come home to so many critters... big & small.

 

[Bear]

I wish you luck on preventing your birds from getting diseases from eachother. If I remember correctly this Too was pretty dirty when brought home. Makes me wonder how thier husbandry was in thier aviary. What ever the case your grey has now been exposed.

She just had porridge on her from the previous feedings that the breeder hadn't washed off. (Her son had fed the bird that day and wasn't as skilled as his mum at it.) The breeders husband is also a vet. She is in very good condition, eating very well and has settled immediately and is very happy. .
I wouldn't judge someone as not caring for their birds because it had some food down it's chest, just as if viewing a puppy I wouldn't worry if he had been playing in the mud, it's part of life. I have no doubts as to either birds health and no concerns but thank you anyway for your advice.

Haha Mel it sure is!! I also have horses but they don't live with us here as we run a game reserve and erm I don't want them eaten by lions Yep our animals are our kids!