One New Too Makes Two!

[Bluemoonlvr]

Hey there! I don't usually post anything (more of a lurker) however I have some exciting news to share! I have recently been offered a sweet little female goffin by someone I met through work. She is 7 years old and has lived with this family since she was 1. The couple is not elderly, but they are up there in years and the husband is ill so the wife spends most of her time at home caring for him. They have decided to move closer to their children and cannot take her with them.

I already have two Cockatiels, a male and female named Pikachu (female) and Roo (male) and one Rose Breasted Cockatoo (male) named Taz who all share a large cage and have been together since weaned. So needless to say, they get along just fine. It helps a lot that Taz's breeder had an hour of 'play time' with other weanling birds every day in the months before we could take him home. However, Taz CAN be on the skittish side, but I've read that may be a breed trate. Pikachu also is harness trained and enjoys car rides and field trips where she has to say hello to everyone we meet. Roo is the youngest, but is learning fast and is also learning to be a very sociable little bird.

In short, I have a very friendly flock who I'm not worried will accept the new girl in short time. However, I'm sure this girl has been by herself the whole time, with the few exceptions of when her owner was bird sitting for her daughter, who has two macaws. I am slightly worried about her picking on the smaller cockatiels, so I will be very careful when introducing them to her. I think I'll introduce her to Taz first and see how it goes.

I would like some tips, if anyone has some, on introducing an older bird to a younger flock. The oldest we have is a year and a half and that's Pikachu. We've decided on putting her cage in the dining room, which is one room over from where the other birds are kept, so that she can at least hear the other guys while she adjusts to the new setting. (not that you can't hear them anywhere in the house, once they get going!) We have a small java tree and some loose toys that we bring to the living room, away from the big cage, for play time and I think that's where all the introducing will be.

So, any and all tips on how I might go about introducing her would be much appreciated!

Just for fun, here's Pikachu, Roo, and Taz

Roo is SO silly! He likes to put hairbands and other circular things around his neck - always has!

 

[MikeyTN]

Welcome to the forums!!!!

Beautiful babies you've got there!!!! First and foremost is to quarantine regardless...Then after that's done bring the new bird's cage and sit it where your other birds can see her. They will introduce themselves and letting them interact together is your personal choice but be watchful!

 

[Bluemoonlvr]

Yes we are being very careful with quarantine and introduction. We just brought her home and she's fallen asleep. Here's a picture of her on the ride home:

Her name was "Ace" because they thought she was a boy before she laid an egg. We have taken to calling her "Lacey" as it sounds close to Ace and a bit more feminine.

 

[MikeyTN]

She's a beauty!!!! Let us know how she settles in.

 

[Bluemoonlvr]

Some pics now that she's settled in:

She waved at me when I came up to the cage. She waves, dances, plays 'peek-a-boo', and opens her wings on command.

Still pretty sleepy. It's been a big day!

 

[Bluemoonlvr]

Also, when she flies, if you call to her and put your arm up, she perches on your arm. She's such a sweetie! We love her already! She's been calling to the other guys and everyone is wondering who the new bird is. We have quite the noisy household at the moment!

 

[Bluemoonlvr]

Okay, I now have a question for you all! She screams at night! We turned off the lights, said night-night to the birds and my three others went to sleep. She, however, began screaming as soon as the lights went out. Her past owner warned me of this and said to cover her cage. I did so, but she still screams. Is there anything I can do that might stop this? My cockatiel used to have night terrors if she was covered so I stopped covering her and she stopped having them. With Lacey, the cover seems to help tremendously, but she still is screaming every now and again..

 

[Mare Miller]

My guess would be that she is still uncertain about where she is, still a bit uncomfortable, she'll get past that, be patient and kind, which you seem to be. . She is a beautiful bird, by the way!

 

[SoCalWendy]

Very nice flock you have there.

 

[MikeyTN]

She's looking good!!!

She's going to get scared cause she's still rather new in a new environment. Don't turn all the lights off!!!! Leave a light on for her for the time being! Birds will sleep even with lights on, or you can do night light. I leave a night light on for all my birds!

 

[Pinkbirdy]

Okay, I now have a question for you all! She screams at night! We turned off the lights, said night-night to the birds and my three others went to sleep. She, however, began screaming as soon as the lights went out. Her past owner warned me of this and said to cover her cage. I did so, but she still screams. Is there anything I can do that might stop this? My cockatiel used to have night terrors if she was covered so I stopped covering her and she stopped having them. With Lacey, the cover seems to help tremendously, but she still is screaming every now and again..

I just took in a 25 year old rehome [goffin] .Also just picked up my baby RB2 from the airport yesterday. [So I have 2 new Toos also] . We are having the same problem with the Goffin. What Ive learned I have to have this routine to get him to bed . [just like a kid] I have him out in the evening [and tire him out ] . I throw newspaper balls on the top of his cage and he chases them .Sometimes I give him a bath before bed. I cover his whole cage with dark sheets and quiet the house down.

 

[Bluemoonlvr]

We've been keeping to a strict routine and the crying now only lasts for a couple minutes before she quits. We got a stand the other day and I thought I'd show a cute pic of her taking a bath on it:

 

[forbey]

Might make for a soggy sofa!