First time Pionus

[LSA]

A 1 year old GCC and his buddy a 1 year old Sun Conure are moving into home in June. I was offered a 7 year old White- capped Pionus named Sherman in her cage. Recently, I lost my Pineapple Greencheek named Chloe and moved her bff, a Blue Lineated Parakeet named JoJo into my bedroom. I've never lived with a Pionus before and don't know what to expect. Please help.

 

[Dartman]

Pionus tend to be easy going quiet parrots generally. I have had 4 Maxis now, Nerd loved me and I was his world for 31 years from 78 to 2009. He had a wicked loud jungle flock call but was basically quiet and a bit shy and timid around strangers. Lurch was mad at the world, scared to death, and quick to bite when he got here but with time and a lot of patience and learning to dodge the beak he grew to love me and was a happy boy here at the end. He always had a bit of a grumpy streak and could get loud. Dobby is the most well adjusted socialized Maxi I've ever owned and biting is the very last tool in his box. He's mostly quiet and loves to hang out with my sister, his chosen one. He whistles and talks a bit, Lurch talked a lot and was picking up new words, Nerd never talked, he spoke wild jungle Pionus and I spoke it back, we understood each other perfectly.
They tend to be scared and distrustful of small birds and Nerd eventually tried to take apart the house finch we raised one piece at a time so for her safety they had to be kept apart. They all our their own individuals so hard to say what personality you'll get but once they decide your the trusted one they are your faithful friend who'll love to hang out with you and get scritches for the rest of their life.

 

[Begone]

Often one thing they have in common is that they are very sensitive and need time to settle in.
So take it really slow is my advice.

WC is often a more active Pionus, (some can be like clowns) and females are so sweet. Just wait and see, you will love her so much.

 

[LSA]

They tend to be scared and distrustful of small birds

This concerns me since there is a small Budgie living here. I did a bunch of research, but this is new.
I'd pretty much decided to adopt Sherman. Monday, I'm driving the 6-hour trip for her and I to meet and, assuming all goes well, will return the following Monday to pick her up.
JoJo, the Budgie, lives in my bedroom in a single day/night cage, but I'd like him to be able to move back into the living room, my primary bird room while a separate bedroom is the training/privacy/quarantine bedroom. (I'm the only human in my 4/2.)
Again, a Normal GCC and a Sun are rehominging here at the end of June. I'm now concerned that JoJo will be maimed by the Pionus.
Something not addressed was a separate night cage for Sherman. Except for JoJo, all the birds have had separate travel/night cages. Should I plan on two cages for Sherman, too?

 

[Dartman]

Nerd eventually hated the little finch and she wouldn't stay away from the big bird so that was as much a problem as him not liking her. I'd say just be careful once everyone is home as even if they get along fine one little disagreement could end badly for the much smaller bird. When I got Nerd he came with his brother Ferd. They were best buds and stayed in the same cage together and I never saw them have a big fight but one day I came home and Nerds toenail was broken and he was bleeding all over the cage but otherwise was fine. I don't know if they had a spat and he got his toe bit or he just caught it on something and broke it himself. Unfortunately a few years in Ferd suddenly got sick and died the same night
Nerd never broke a toenail again for another 25 or so years in the same cage though and he and I grieved and became best buds for the rest of his life.
So just make sure they don't get near each other till you know how they get along and always supervise if they are around each other as even the exact same birds can hurt each other if they have a bad day.

 

[LSA]

Because the GCC and Sun were raised and have spent the last year together, they seem to "have eyes" for each other. I get time with them every few weeks and we three get along.
The budgie JoJo is the youngest at 6 months old but will be senior bird middle; Sir, the GCC, and Daytona, the Sun, will be only 15 months old but last. I'm concerned there may be a seniority problem.
JoJo respected Chloe and allowed her space, so he'll assumedly offer Sherman etal the same distance. You never know though. Also, he prefers to stay in his cage and keep to himself.
Luckily, I enjoy early retirement so have lots of time for them. Plus, a friend is helping me build an aviary on my back patio. (He, too, loved and misses Chloe very much.)
Should the WC have a separate cage to roost in? JoJo is my first not to have a smaller night cage.

 

[Dartman]

People sometimes have sleep cages, I think Momazon had a smaller sleep cage for Dobby upstairs at her big house. He doesn't have one here and does fine sleeping in his one biggish cage here. We usually cover him at night but if he's uncovered he seems fine as well and Nerd was never covered and no problems. I spose it depends on the bird, how much room you have, and your budget.
Having a separate safe bird room or aviary would be ideal but not everyone can do that.

 

[Maxsmom]

Hello! Congrats on your adoptions....it sounds like a lot to take the pionus and conures in around the same time. I may not completely understand all of the facts, so apologies if I have misunderstood. Your pionus should not be in the same cage as your conures. Also you should quarantine all 3 of them from your existing parrot and the pionus from the conures. Post quarantine the pionus and conure should still live in separate cages. Also the pionus requires a much larger cage. I would only have supervised time out of the cage with the pionus out at a different time than the conures. Best wishes.

 

[finchly]

Hello, I would agree with what @Maxsmom said. Also, my pi might be atypical, and he’s coming up on 22 years old... but he is fine around the smaller birds (and I have quite a few!). He even has had them fly into his cage or on it before. They all seem to love his play top cage. Recently one of the cockatiels was perched on top of his door, and he was on his outer perch just chillin with her. I was in the room, cleaning or feeding them - just didn’t see the tiel when she actually landed there.

He only gets upset if another bird is on my shoulder, and he postures but doesn’t hurt them.

I don’t do separate cages, everyone has their one cage. We’d have to move to the patio if they all had a sleep cage!

 

[LSA]

I luckily have the space! The training room is the bedroom between mine and the living room so will become the quarantine room. Each new addition will be kept separate for about 45 days. I'll spend this summer quuaranrining birds. I bought even more alcohol and styptic powder in preparation. Plus, each one has its own day and travel cages and toys. Unfortunately, my location demands 6+ hour trips each way, so travel cages are a must. Much to his dismay, JoJo gets to spend the night with a friend for these.
I'm glad to hear that yours gets along with the smaller birds. I was afraid there might be a problem with the youngest and smallest being the most senior and thought I'd have to call the WC adoption off. Again, the last thing I want is to lose another friend.

 

[LSA]

Okay. Tomorrow is our first big day to meet. Assuming all goes well, I'll return for Sherman in one week. It sounds like she will fit well into our tiny but growing flock. Boy, will there be questions. She sounds like my first parrot so, I think between the two of us, we'll all be friends eventually.
Little JoJo is only about 7" head to tail and my friend Judy probably won't see him eat or drink. In fact, he probably won't even move or chirp in her presence imagining Judy might be a predator.
Luckily, she has no critters at her house!

 

[Dartman]

Well they all are their own little souls so hopefully you get the Dobby version, rather then the used and scared Lurch version and I'm sorry if I scared you about having them with smaller birds but I wanted to share my experience with Nerd so just in case you were prepared. Dobby used to live with several birds and he was either friends or never bothered them at all and when he went to a boarder while we did a family thanksgiving trip he had a ball with all his new friends and the lady said he was so outgoing and flew around with everyone that he was a joy to be around and the reason she liked boarding birds for people so they all are different.
Hope everything goes well and you soon have a new family member. I/we drove like 3 hours to go meet and pick up Dobby if everything went well and luckily he was fine with me and so was Momazon, who couldn't keep him anymore and thought I'd make a great dad for him after what she knew I went through getting Lurch to a good place.

 

[LSA]

I'm sorry if I scared you about having them with smaller birds but I wanted to share my experience with Nerd so just in case you were prepared.

I just didn't want my littlest hurt. Precautions have been taken to protect him from the incoming Sun. I just didn't want to be forced to put off the WC rehome until after the pair arrived. This way, the pi's quarantine will end just in time for the conures' quarantine to begin. I've been blessed with laziness! HAHA Again, this will be the Summer of Quarantine.
Luckily, my bedroom is the size of a large master suite and the birds sleep in my room. Each has its own corner or chest.
Hopefully, I can post Sherman's pic Tuesday or Wednesday. Thanks for the help. Collie, the rescue lady, says Sherman is a trusting introvert who likes to steal things to beautify her cage.

 

[LSA]

When my parents first bought me a parakeet, they didn't realize they were creating a crazy bird lady. Actually, I don't remember us not having at least one bird in our home.
This is my Chloe story: I was moving birds to Houston because my mom was sick. Chloe decided to let herself out to explore. The next morning, she came screaming back just in time to be attacked by a mockingbird. She fell out of the sky then recovered about 2' from the ground. She flew right into a chainlink fence. She was cut, broken and scalped. Luckily, some styptic, a towel and a ER very close saved her. When I switched phone devices and found a picture of "Frankenstein" Chloe as wallpaper.

 

[LSA]

Well, Sherman came home with me. We drove home together and she seemed fine with the LONG trip.
The door to the quarantine room was almost the same width as Sherman's daycare. I had to take the door off the hinges to move it in. HAHA Sherman has a new room forever! She's napping and eating and even did some preening in front of me. She's dipping her fruit pellets in water so is going back and forth between her bowls. She still isn't brave enough to leave her travel/night cage.
She's barely made a sound and is watching everything I do. When the Sun moves in, that'll probably change. HAHA
Everybody gets to visit the AV tomorrow.

 

[LSA]

I'm trying.
This is Sherman in her daycage.

 

[LSA]

Sherman had her first day in quarantine. Since I have never quarantined a Pionus before, can I use baby wipes? The rubbing alcohol is drying me up! Also, after Sherman's time, 2 conures are moving in, so I'll need to use the same.

 

[Lauren]

I am in LOVE with Sherman!!!!!! She's adorable!!!

For cleaning, I use vinegar and lemon juice!!! It smells gross, but it's safe and does a really great job of sterilizing. I spritz it on a cloth and just wipe everything down!

Pi's are very dusty so I wipe EVERYWHERE once or twice a week even if the cage isn't overly dirty

 

[LSA]

JoJo and Sherman getting ready to go to the AV. JoJo is acting like a pro!

For cleaning, I use vinegar

I use vinegar for the cages, general cleaning and the laundry. (More farmer wisdom: Vinegar with salt makes a great herbicide.)
Will vinegar work on me during the "Summer of Quarantine?" I love being ignorant!

 

[Lauren]

Honestly for yourself, wash your hands and just make sure your clothing is changed when you go from handling the birbs in quarantine to your healthy ones