Two birds one cage

[jrerek]

Looking for everyone's opinion. I have a orange wing amazon and a sun conure that I adopted from a person who was moving and couldn't take. They had them both in the same cage cause she said they were bonded. Now they do seem to get along well but they are both young. I have had them a little over a month now. The amazon will let me pick him up and come out of cage. He will train and do well. Now the sun is very cage aggressive he won't let us pick him up unless we get him away from cage. Now I am worried amazon will develop aggression and other future problems. Also sun seems to scream every time we enter room and get amazon. I want the sun to come also but he just won't. It ends up making amazon scream and seems to fly back to cage. Then I have a hard time getting him off top of cage. These are our first birds and we really just wanted one but the situation didn't happen that way. I am wondering if I should separate them. But then that brings up another issue where as my home isn't huge so not a lot of room for second cage, plus wife doesn't really want two cages. So is it a bad idea to rehome sun as we like amazon more. Thanks in advance.

 

[wildangel]

What about getting a table perch or two. I put one perch on top of my cage for a play gym and then have one sitting on the table beside my couch. That way one of my birds can play and the other can sit beside me and just hang out with me. We switch them back and forth so both can interact with us. We have two separate cages so they don't bond with each other. They do like to play on the perch together sometimes.

I have had a parrot with some cage aggression. He does better when I am taller than he is. It takes a lot of time, patience and training, but you can get the sun conure out of this. I am not sure if you should keep them in the same cage. I will let someone with more experience than that take that question on.

 

[thekarens]

If it were me I'd separate them. That pairing could be a problem down the road.

 

[JamJar]

Why not find a Double stack cage that way it doesn't take up anymore room

 

[jrerek]

I should also mention I work 3rd shift so the only time the cage door I'd shut is while I am at work, sleep time, also I have a stand in living room for them to play on, well amazon to play on cause conure won't come out.

 

[jrerek]

It took a week but they both have their own cage now. This will be the first night so we will see how it goes.
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[jrerek]

Also it doesn't look like it but oscar my amazon is in the bigger cage. His cage is 32 in long by 22 in deep by 36 in tall. While skittles is 24x24x36, it just has a taller stand. I hope oscar doesn't mind being lower.

 

[Allee]

I think you were very wise to get a second cage. I wish you the best with both birds.

 

[Minimaker]

A sun I recently saw in the pet store was a ball of hormonal rage and nearly jumped into my face. Is it possible that this behavior will pass if it's past breeding season and they try to work with him?

Look into clicker training that really helps with aggression and getting birds to move where you want them to:
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqtptXFyb2c"]How to Target Train Your Parrot | Parrot Training - YouTube[/ame]

 

[jrerek]

Yes we have started target training. My amazon is doing great he already spins, will wave, and fly to me. Now the sun will spin and follow the target but that's it so far. I think she may have been abused a little from previous owner. She is still scared of the hands. Previous owner would chase her out of cage or chase her around with towel to get her out. So we our overcoming that.

 

[Minimaker]

My green cheek is afraid of hands too, but he loves me and it shows. But if I try to touch him with my fingers he'll bite. I've heard a lot of conures are like this if they haven't been well socialized. Mine was in a pet store as a breeder bird for 8 years. No one really touched him. If he's on my shoulder he'll love on me, nuzzle my cheek and give kisses. He makes little lovey cheep cheep noises at me. But the minute I reach for him with a finger to pet it's on and he does a 180 degree turnaround from sweet and lovey to bite monsta. We're working on that now and he's slowly improving. So I wouldn't be too upset with the sun, it's not her fault and if you keep trying she'll come around. Training really helps so keep doing what you're doing and she'll eventually get it that you care for her and mean her no harm. I've heard building trust can take six months or more. I've had mine for a couple months and it's amazing how far our relationship has come in that time. He bit the crap out of anyone who went near him for the first two weeks. Now even my son's girlfriend can pick him up when she's over. That from a bird who was ready to make anyone bleed that he could reach. And he did, frequently in those beginning weeks.