Pros and Cons of Adding a Second Bird

[lplummer52]

We have a Sun Conure. She basically has the run of the house and back porch. She's destroyed a chandelier and 4 picture frames. I think she does it for attention and has mastered the words, "Get Down!" And knows what that means. I'm thinking another bird would maybe keep her occupied when we cannot give her total devotion and attention. What's the consensus? Not interested in breeding, but her cage is plenty big enough for two. She's a year old. I'm just afraid they would fight.

 

[SilverSage]

There is an easy way to tell if you should get another bird. Ask yourself the following;

Do you desperately want another bird, even if the two hate each other and try to kill each other and can never be allowed out at the same time EVER and you have to divide your attention between them, causing your other bird to have to be locked up all the time? What about if the two birds absolutely adore each other but both decide they hate YOU and start biting you and want nothing to do with you ever again? If yes, you would still want the bird even if one of these things happens, then yes! Get another bird! If not, then don't.


Some side notes; your bird might love the attention she gets for destroying things, but attention or not parrots are destructo machines and will shred anything they can just because they are parrots. And twice as many parrots means twice as much destruction, not less.

Also, if you bring home a new bird and put it in your bird's cage you are signing a death warrant. Parrots are extremely territorial creatures and your bird will do everything in her power to kill an invader to her cage. Because you let her roam the whole house, this likely applies to the whole house not just the cage, and introducing a second bird safely would be extremely tricky.

In general, adding a second bird to "fix" any sort of problem with the first bird is a doomed venture. It almost always backfires and the human ends up in twice the hole they were in before.

If the problem is a destructive parrot, the answer is proper training, boundaries, and more exciting toys that they are ALLOWED to destroy.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[lplummer52]

Thank you so much for your honest advice. I knew this, but just wanted confirmation I guess. So many people say it's cruel to keep one bird, but she seems very happy with just us and the dogs. She loves the dogs! We'll just keep telling her to get down...HA! She has a million toys and gyms inside and on the back porch. She has three gyms on the porch and is fixated on one of the screen screws.....sigh.

 

[EllenD]

Well said by SilverSage, the answer to this question is NO! And you can never, ever, ever bring a new bird home and put it in your current bird's cage!!! They must be quarantined for 30 days in a separate room anyway, but regardless you can never put them in your current bird's cage, you might not even be able to put their separate cages next to each other. If they hate each other then you've got the same issues times two, if they bond closely to each other chances are you will lose your current bird as a friendly pet. So the percentages are not with you if you want them to just "be friends that hang out and entertain each other when you're not around". That just doesn't happen.

In short, never, ever get another bird as a "friend" or as entertainment for your current bird. Only get another bird if YOU want another bird for yourself, and only if you are planning on keeping them separate from each other most of the time.

"Dance like nobody's watching..."

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I was never a 'one bird' person before getting Skittles. In fact except for the first year and a half I had my first budgie when I was 11 as well as the past year since my Peaches passed, I've always had at LEAST two birds.

I would LOVE another bird, to be honest. I want a pineapple green cheek. But I live in a small apartment and I REALLY don't think Skittles would take kindly to another bird. He used to get incredibly jealous of Peaches (and I had her WAAAAAY longer than him). I couldn't let them out at the same time cause he'd attack her and she would not fight back (but Peaches never was a fighter, she was more of a lover, lol). Skittles is free-flighted all day and with me when I am home- he would not take kindly to 'sharing' me or my time with another bird. It would require keeping him locked in a cage while I am spending time with the new bird and it really wouldn't be fair to any of us.

Truthfully, if you able to give your sunny the proper amount of attention he/she needs, there is no need for an additional bird unless its something YOU want. Even then, other things should be taken into consideration like I mentioned with my situation.

 

[wrench13]

Had to consider this this very afternoon. Was at a parrot shop and the cutest Senegal offered his head to me ( after nipping me) and was such a cutie. BUT, I thought of all the things said above and left the little fella at the store, after wishing him a sweet life and a happy home.

 

[lplummer52]

Thanks everybody for the sage advice. I really knew what was best, but I guess I just wanted knowledgeable people to reinforce my thoughts. Luckily, I do not want another bird. I don't know what I was thinking. This little one has taken over our lives and we can't wait to take the cover off her cage in the morning. She makes us laugh every day. Chasing her around from picture frame to chandelier is a big game for her and good exercise for us! I'm sitting on the back porch with her now while she chews on her own toys. She eats breakfast with my husband every morning while I prepare her fruit and veggies. She likes to bathe and sun herself on the porchrange in the mornings. She likes to dive bomb under my t-shirt and nap after lunch. As long as she can get to us, she's fine. We are her flock. I get it.

 

[snowflake311]

I have 3 birds. My needy Conure and 2 parakeets. The 2 parakeets are bonded to each other. They will hop on my finger. Really they don't care much for us humans. They don't need my attention they just needs time out of the cage and for me to clean the cage.

This is the way I see it.

Pro
1. Another bird to love
2.Yes they might not be friends but just hearing and seeing another bird can help them feel less lonely when you are at work. I really do feel Sprinkles enjoys having the parakeets next to him. I don't let them out together. When the parakeets are out they sit right next to Sprinkles cage. When sprinkles is out he is always on or perched next to the parakeets. They enjoy the early morning screaming matches.


Cons
1. More mess
2. More noise. For me I really enjoy the sounds of birds so this might be a pro for me.
3. More extra time needed to care for and clean.
4. More money needed for food, toys, and vet bills.
5. More space needed for another cage.
6. all around more work.