different beak sizes, does anyone let all of their birds out at the same time?

[Sarahmoluccan]

Uh oh!
So since we do not have a huge aviary do you suggest letting the big guy out and look at the little ones?
Fritz HATES when they fly, it startles him every time and he does an alarm call. I am just so afraid he would bite someone out of fear if one flew near him.
For now it's just fun hearing about how others make it work!

I can relate to that!! Zane would freak out when my cockatiel Sam would fly. Zane's kind of weird thou, as he liked little birds, when they aren't flying anyway. Whenever I had Sam's cage down to clean it Zane would usually come over for a visit. And they would both do the happy clicking with their beaks. Zane desperately wanted to preen Sam by I wouldn't let him for obvious reasons. I very rarely had them both out together. But when I did I kept far from each other. Only time when they were close was when there was bars between them. But they both seem to enjoy their time together

 

[Charity921]

Conures and Caiques come to mind.

Yeah... this relationship has been a tough one. Too much jealousy. They are never out unsupervised, but I do try to let them be near one another if they can manage without squabbles. We are finally making some progress!

 

[finchly]

I have recently stopped letting all sizes out together. The caique is a problem. One parrotlet is a slight problem. Ernie doesn't want anyone in his cage. And so on.

The tiels can be out with 'everyone,' they're mellow. The canaries mostly keep to themselves. I've mostly been dividing the day in half, with a morning crew and evening crew, and either Ernie or Rio gets part time in the office.

 

[JLcribber]

How did you introduce your 'toos to the little ones? I would love for everyone to be able to be out together, but I am way too scared to try it due to Fritz easily panicking.

I don't/didn't really introduce them. The littles have always had free reign of the birdcave. They fly a lot. The TOOZ are more restricted in just where they can go. The littles know that and don't "hang out" there.

Uh oh!
So since we do not have a huge aviary do you suggest letting the big guy out and look at the little ones?
Fritz HATES when they fly, it startles him every time and he does an alarm call.

The TOOZ would do the same thing in the beginning when the littles took off flying (alarm calls, screaming, crests up, flipping upside down and flapping, generally throwing a temper tantrum). After a week or so, less panic. After a month, only when they all took off at once. After 3 months, eH, it's just Chirpy/scooter/Hal flying around. After 6 months, no "reaction" at all. They can sit 1 foot apart in peace.

Time and a non aggressive environment. Long enough for it all to become normal.

How is Fritz going to get over the "unfounded fear" without exposure (desensitization) to it? You've got to "normalize" it and take the plunge.

 

[SandraK]

Everybody lives in the same environment (supervised of course). It pretty darn important that the smaller birds all fly as that's what keeps everybody safe.
View attachment 260853

Though not everyone is loose all day the house rule (mine) is that anything small and (usually) non aggressive is kept fully flighted. Ergo all the tiels and the 2 foster budgies are fully flighted and loose. Sun Tikki is growing his flights back in after an "attitude adjustment" because he was beginning to attack son's wife again (and we had family coming in for the wedding in Sept.).

The Quaker girls (who do not fly unless scared) have an open cage. Quaker boys (caged separately) come out in the evening though I'll sometimes give them turns in coming out earlier. The gccs are all fully flighted but are caged until later in the afternoon because I don't trust them any more than they will obey me.

Tikki is the one I have to watch during the day if I'm doing cage duty, especially if it involves Quakers or gccs. He doesn't have an issue with the tiels or the budgies but he has been known to go after the Quaker girls especially if they are on the floor even if they are minding their own business. He'll also go after any gcc who sits on my shoulder when he is sitting there too.

 

[Fritzgerald16]

Time and a non aggressive environment. Long enough for it all to become normal.

How is Fritz going to get over the "unfounded fear" without exposure (desensitization) to it? You've got to "normalize" it and take the plunge.

This is true. I'm going to have to figure out a way to have everyone in the same area calmly.
The more I think about it the more I believe it will be safer for everyone in the long run to be able to cohabitate, especially with kids I would hate for a little one to get out and Fritz accidentally kill it out of fear.

This is so scary!

I am so glad I have this community to help figure things out! Everyone's advice is greatly appreciated!!

 

[JLcribber]

This is true. I'm going to have to figure out a way to have everyone in the same area calmly.
The more I think about it the more I believe it will be safer for everyone in the long run to be able to cohabitate, especially with kids I would hate for a little one to get out and Fritz accidentally kill it out of fear.

This is so scary!

I am so glad I have this community to help figure things out! Everyone's advice is greatly appreciated!!

Create "zones" with screening/mosquito netting/curtains/sheers/beaded curtains/panels whatever to start for when you can't supervise so there is always "exposure". Then when you're around you can open (or not) certain areas and supervise. In time some barriers can come down. Some may need to go up. You learn as you go. Err on the side of safety. Let the boy scream his head off and get over it. Don't acknowledge it or reward it. Act like nothing is happening (calm energy) to diffuse.

It's all about environment. Always is.

 

[cassiesdad]

All of our littles are out at the same time...or rather have the opportunity to be out at the same time...the Budgies rarely come out of their cage. As has been said, the chance to fly away from situations to find their "same spot" is the key. It is funny to see when they all want to be "king of the hill"...be on top of a large curved ladder with a large mirror on the wall at the top. They'll fuss and jabber...and heaven forbid...try to grab the top birdie's tail!
Eventually they'll settle on the very top rungs and take a nap there...it's cute to see.

Then there's the thieving of food that goes on...birdies sneaking into each other's cage to eat the food...scandalous behavior...

 

[finchly]

Food thieving is their favorite! At least around here. I have finches in the 'atrium' (tall wood and glass aviary) that don't ever come out, but the ones in the other cages do. They like to hang with the tiels, who think that's weird but tolerate it.

@JLcribber the nets are a great idea.

@Fritzgerald16 yes it is scary, and no one at my house is as big as Fritz but I get what you're saying. It was strange to me too at first. The parrotlet would dive bomb the pionus. The pi didn't want anyone near him. No one would go up on the play stand, so they were all lower getting in each other's way. Now it has settled down and except for Rio Caique they can somewhat be trusted. Even when a canary went in Ernie's cage and stayed forever, Ernie just ignored him.

The one parrotlet is a little strange, and the other one won't go back to her cage. She has been out for 2 weeks! She's the new one, so I let her stay out and keep hoping I can 'catch' her in the cage ... but we leave food out for her so she isn't suffering.

Rio is another story. He follows the tiels with the intent of attacking them, and he tries to bite the parrotlet. I will not trust him with the others.

 

[SandraK]

Create "zones" with screening/mosquito netting/curtains/sheers/beaded curtains/panels whatever to start for when you can't supervise so there is always "exposure". Then when you're around you can open (or not) certain areas and supervise. In time some barriers can come down. Some may need to go up. You learn as you go. Err on the side of safety. Let the boy scream his head off and get over it. Don't acknowledge it or reward it. Act like nothing is happening (calm energy) to diffuse.

It's all about environment. Always is.

And having eyes in the back of your head and knowing what a certain pitch scream means ...

 

[cassiesdad]

Food thieving is their favorite! At least around here.

Yes, it's something that's done around here with regularity...unfortunately, it gets Buddy very upset. He'll chase the tiels out of his cage if they go into his cage...then he guards his food bowls by pacing back and forth in front of them...all the time yelling at the tiels.
But as long as they don't go after his food, Buddy accepts the tiels as they accept him. I wouldn't call them fast friends, but there is a grudging respect for each other...

 

[finchly]

Yes, it's something that's done around here with regularity...unfortunately, it gets Buddy very upset. He'll chase the tiels out of his cage if they go into his cage...then he guards his food bowls by pacing back and forth in front of them...all the time yelling at the tiels.
But as long as they don't go after his food, Buddy accepts the tiels as they accept him. I wouldn't call them fast friends, but there is a grudging respect for each other...

Now that I think about it, that is how Ernie is.