Does my solitary CAG need a housemate?

[Grey15]

Hello,
I have a question regarding my 3 year old CAG, Morgan. I have had him for 2 years and he is an amazing friend and companion. He loves ambient attention though he's not much of a cuddler, he stuns me every day with his vocabulary and learning abilities. He is everything to me. He recently lost his female CAG housemate. They were never caged together and I had her for two years as well. Morgan is now my only bird. I am worried about his well being now that he is alone. He seems to be doing very well but I am returning to work soon and it will be the first time he has been alone all day since his friend has been gone. I am wondering if I should provide him with another avian companion, maybe a parakeet, canary, parrotlet, anything. We are struggling financially and can't possibly afford another parrot at this time.

Can someone please offer me some advice as to what may be best for Morgan? He was never physically social with my other Grey, he never wanted anything to do with her, but I'm afraid he will be lonely and miss her company especially now that I'm going back to work and he will be alone all day. I'm terribly worried for him.

I recently placed a sleeping cage in my bedroom for him and he is still getting used to it. I put treats and toys in it and he plays on it now but he hasn't yet slept in it. He spends every moment out of his cage while I'm home, he still seems happy as ever but I'm hoping to head off any possible issues with him before they begin. Maybe he'll be fine being the only feathered member of the flock? What do I watch for? For now, he doesn't seem to notice he's the only bird in the house. What should I do?

Thank you.

 

[Anne & Gang]

well I am going to say no....ideally, you never buy a bird for another bird...budgies and finches are the exception as they are very very social birds, however it doesn't always work out either....I think if you pay lots of attention to him when you are home, some good foods in his cage, lots of toys etc...the reason I say never buy another bird for a bird is because, just as in humans, you never know if they will get along...if they don't then you have another bird..buy the bird because you want another bird....if they get along, or even just tolerate each other, bonus..if not, well you have two birds and that would be ok too..

 

[Grey15]

Thank you for the reply. I agree with you. I don't particularly want another bird and I like the idea of being able to spoil just him. I just wondered if he might feel better if I had a pair of finches or a canary or any other type of bird in the same room with him. Just so he's not alone. But who knows, maybe he'll like the peace and quiet all day? I just don't know.

Thank you.

 

[Welshanne]

from my experience with my friends birds and my own I would say they can be quite insular and do not really care whether there are other birds around providing they have the person they have bonded with there for them.
My five are loners and the only interaction is either one upmanship trying to do better than the other, or scoring a point or two! They would be quite happy on their own I am sure as they do not appear to gain any pleasure out of each others company.
The exception to the rule is Jay our blue front and Chaz the macaw. they are bonded and preen each other but can go for days ignoring each other or even having a scrap!
If they bond with one another then you have less of a companion I am afraid as they then do not really need you.

 

[Brigidt36]

I'm torn on this. I would only get another bird if I really wanted to add to my flock and of course I'd hope that my birds would get along. That being said, my guys do enjoy having each other in the bird room to chat with, have synchronized preening sessions, talking sessions and screaming sessions. They do not interact with each other one on one (except Larry and Kiwi) but they do seem to enjoy seeing each other. If I take one bird out for a one on one session with me, the other 3 will start calling for him and Larry will start his alarm call until his sibling is brought back or at least can be seen.

Have you considered possibly fostering a bird in need? Fostering would be good for several reasons....you'd be helping a bird in need, your bird would have another bird to 'interact' with once QT was over, you'd find out if you really wanted a 2nd bird and if the fostering worked out you could adopt that bird, fostering isn't that intimidating financially and some foster's come with a cage so no expense there. Just a thought.

Before you go back to work, make up some simple foraging toys to give your bird something to work on while you are at work. This will make his time away from go faster and keep him mentally challenged, plus it's fun