Should I buy a companion?

[Parkiboy]

Hi, I signed up here after buying my male eclectus, ollie, in January, this is my first post I have just been lurking reading all your helpful information

Me and the girlfriend have found a female eclectus who is lovely and considering getting her as a mate for him but can't decide if it's the best idea.The monetary value of having 2 isn't an issue I just want what's best for ollie.

Ollie is now around 5 months old, at the minute is extremely clingy, when he is out he may venture off to play with his toys for a grand total of 30seconds before coming back (usually to my girlfriend), he wants to be on you constantly which isn't always ideal as when we have things to do we can't keep him out although we would love to.

My mindset for getting a mate is that he would be less clingy towards us as he would have a play mate so they could be left out all night. I figure it will also limit the sexually frustration and regurgitation issues towards us in the future when he becomes of age. He would also have company whilst we are at work (although I do get home for dinner every day so he is rarely alone longer than 4-5 hours in any 1 period.). And would it be better for when we go on our 2 week holiday too, I know this can be stressful for a bird but I figure if there's a familiar face the whole time (the female eceluctus) it would be less stressful for them?

Is there any reason why getting him a companion would be a bad idea? I know they can initially be jealous but it's not like we have had him 10 years and then decided to introduce another bird I presume it's best to do it early on?

Thanks for reading.

 

[SilverSage]

Well, do you want a second bird even if both birds hate each other completely, try to kill each other whenever they get the chance, can never share space, and punish you and your girlfriend with bites for interacting with the other bird?

If the answer is "yes we truly want a female exile and we know how different they are from males" then by all means get her. Be sure to do a proper quarantine.

If the answer is "no we really only want her if it helps Ollie" then no, that's begging for trouble.

By the way, another bird isn't the answer to an overly clingy bird, socialization and training are. Self entertainment is a learned skill. Also, overly clingy birds can be caused by early weaning and early clipping. If you got your eckie at 16 weeks there is a very good chance he suffered from both of these cruel but common practices and will need a lot of work to overcome the damage.


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[GaleriaGila]

What Sage said!

Welcome. Glad you found us.

 

[BruceTheQuail]

4 - 5 months old is pretty young for an eckie to be weaned.

I dont disagree with SilverSage, but we always have our birds in pairs. I think it would be a pathetic life for the guys to be pining away all day for us to come home from work or whatever. They can end up developing an abnormal bond and in some cases go pretty nuts, eg your little guy might want your missus for himself and try to drive you away.

My question would be whether you should look at a hen or another male. A very reputable breeder recommended to me keeping a pair of males in eckies or blue fronted amazons. Having gone through breeding with other birds and getting stressed over finding good homes for the kids, I'd rather not have a breeding pair of eckies.

I actually havent practised what I preach - we have a pair of eckies...

 

[Anansi]

Dani's (SilverSage's) post hits the nail right on the head. The primary question should really be whether or not you and your girlfriend are interested in getting a female ekkie. You see, the thing is that they could very well wind up becoming best buds... or even striking up a passionate romance. Buuuuuuuuuuut... they could just as easily find that they hate each other with every fiber of their beings. You simply can't call it before they actually meet.

Now, if it turns out they don't get along, there are ways to try to work through that. Sometimes it can be worked out. Other times, the best you can hope for is an uneasy truce. if this becomes the case, depending on how aggressive they are toward one another, you may even have to rotate their out times... thus accomplishing the very opposite of what you'd intended.

Now, please keep in mind that I'm not trying to discourage you from getting the female. I just want to make sure you understand what some of the potential consequences are. After all, I have a pair of ekkies myself. And for my household, having a pair works great. Jolly and Maya don't hate each other or anything (at least, not anymore. But Maya's initial attitude toward him required some work.), but they aren't cuddle buddies, either. But I've found that providing 2 separate playstands has helped quite a bit. I can have both out at any given time, and merely work with a largely turn-based system for training and one-on-one bonding.

Btw, how old is the female you are considering? Because if she is nearing puberty and takes a shine to Ollie, things could get problematic when he doesn't know what to do when she makes her move. Lol! Not an insurmountable issue, but potentially difficult.

I must say, though, that each of them definitely benefits from the presence of the other when I'm not around... despite having no romantic feelings toward each other thus far. The sense of community that potentially comes of having more than one bird is, in my opinion, unmistakable. But the possible downsides are not insignificant and one should go into the situation with both eyes open.

Oh, one other thing. Female ekkies are not even remotely the bloodthirsty monsters some portray them to be. But they are very different from their male counterparts. Eclectus society is matriarchal, which means the ladies run things. They're the ones who find the nesting hollows, and guard them against everything from snakes to cockatoos. This requires a more... assertive temperament than you might typically see in a male. People who don't understand this and factor it into their interactions sometimes wind up getting tagged. And then unjustly labeling them as vicious animals. But for those who respect the little red matriarch for who she is find a loyal and loving companion capable of forming the deepest of bonds.

Anyhow, please keep us updated on your decision, and don't hesitate to ask any further questions.