Introductions & A Potential Mate

[Stori_Time]

Hi everyone,

New to the forum and intermediate lovebird dad. I have an almost two year old female Fischer’s named Stori and I absolutely adore her. In less than a year I managed to gain enough of her trust to sit on my shoulder, on my cellphone, on my laptop, and eat millet sprays from my hands. She’s still not a fan of fingers but we’re working on that.

All of that is to say I’ve been considering getting her a mate and wanted to hear everyone’s input before I make a decision. I know all about quarantining new birds, placing the cages side by side to monitor behavior, providing each baby with one on one time so they get used to you, etc. What I really want to know is do people think getting her a mate would be a bad idea since I didn’t get them together?

I know it could alter our relationship with one another and that the male would want to mate, making him a little more aggressive. So if it’ll be more of a headache than it’s worth, I’m happy with just my Stori but I do love the idea of her having babies and me handling them so that they’re not scared of hands at all.

So what do you think? Anyone try this and have any success? I’m open to all constructive advice and will make the effort to read through similar posts such as mine.

Thanks in advance!

 

[clark_conure]

Get a bird FOR YOU not because you think your bird is lonely.......otherwise you end up with two birds that ignore you. I'd work on the bird you have until it's completely recall trained (flys to you on command) before you consider a second one.

Also how does the bird react before you buy it, is it already human trained?

 

[Stori_Time]

Get a bird FOR YOU not because you think your bird is lonely.......otherwise you end up with two birds that ignore you. I'd work on the bird you have until it's completely recall trained (flys to you on command) before you consider a second one.

Also how does the bird react before you buy it, is it already human trained?

Oh I definitely want the male for me LOL. If anything it’s because I don’t know if Stori will be safe and happy with the addition of the male that I’m skeptical. We have some time to go before she’s recall trained, but that would be a great project to start with her before getting a male.

And the gentleman who I’m likely to get the male from handles all of his birds by hand before ever sending them to their forever homes so I know it’ll be familiar with people.

 

[wrench13]

It is ALWAYS a crap-shoot if the new bird will affect the dynamics of your relationship with Stori. We see the full run of outcomes here on ParrotForums, and there is no way to predict the outcome. Someone just posted a thread about adding a new parrot and all they do is fight when they are both out of cage or when one is out and the other isn't. That does not sound good, to me.

THere is no way I would want to add another parrot to our household, Salty is more than enough.

 

[texsize]

I think most members would try to discourage you from breeding your birds.

I had 2 clutches of Cockatiels and had to separate the parents not to have more.
It’s hard on the parents.
The female has to produce the eggs.
don”t know about lovebirds but cockatiels both male and female feed the babies. So it’s hard on the father too.

It can also end in heartache.

It was a wonderful experience raising baby birds and not trying to take that away.

 

[Stori_Time]

It is ALWAYS a crap-shoot if the new bird will affect the dynamics of your relationship with Stori. We see the full run of outcomes here on ParrotForums, and there is no way to predict the outcome. Someone just posted a thread about adding a new parrot and all they do is fight when they are both out of cage or when one is out and the other isn't. That does not sound good, to me.

THere is no way I would want to add another parrot to our household, Salty is more than enough.

Ugh it’s stories like this that make me reconsider getting a male. I love my Stori and getting to see how comfortable she’s gotten with me over the last year makes me so happy. But hearing everyone tell me their hesitations definitely helps give me a better understanding of what I could be risking if I still choose to get a male.

Stori is enough of a handful for me LOL

 

[Stori_Time]

I think most members would try to discourage you from breeding your birds.

I had 2 clutches of Cockatiels and had to separate the parents not to have more.
It’s hard on the parents.
The female has to produce the eggs.
don”t know about lovebirds but cockatiels both male and female feed the babies. So it’s hard on the father too.

It can also end in heartache.

It was a wonderful experience raising baby birds and not trying to take that away.

this is also something I was worried about. I don’t want Stori and her mate to have so many clutches. I wouldn’t even know who to send the babies to or want to separate the parents for long periods like that hmm maybe a male isn’t the right decision after all. Thank you all for your help.

Anyone have any HAPPY stories