• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

How hard is it to add a 2nd bird to your family?

Cambios

Moving in
Joined
9/17/14
Messages
5
My family is close to becoming "bird people" for the first time!

We are definitely getting a Sun Conure as our youngest daughter has totally fallen in love with it and she was the reason we started on this journey to learn about birds in the first place.

While visiting breeders/shops, we also found a blue and gold macaw that took us by surprise.

This put us in a really challenging quandry. We suddenly really wanted to get both. They have been babies together which we are told is the ideal situation if you are going to have multiple birds in the same household - especially given the size difference.

But I am very worried we're making the wrong decision to get both. Will it be too much for us?

No amount of research is comparable to real experience, and we simply don't have any experience.

If we decided to only get the conure, and if the experience having a bird turns out super amazing, how difficult is it to add another bird to the family later?

We were already likely going to have to monitor the birds at all times when out because of their size difference and the fact that we have a corgi. Is this much different if we got a 2nd bird later and they had to gradually get used to each other?

Thanks,
 

JLcribber

@cockatoojohn
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Shutterbugs' Best
Avenue Concierge
Joined
10/16/09
Messages
22,620
Location
Alberta, Canada
Real Name
John
Your question is not really correct. You're not adding a second bird because you don't even have the first one yet. So in reality what you're saying is you want to "run before you've even learned to walk".

You are going to have your hands full just with the conure for quite a while without adding the complexity of a much more demanding bird (the B&G). Your "vision" of how things will be and the reality of it are quite different.
 

Cinnyluver

Rollerblading along the road
Celebirdy of the Month
Joined
2/4/12
Messages
3,527
Location
UT
Real Name
Ana
I have had my conure Juni for over four years now and he is a handful by himself. On Friday I will be bringing home my first macaw. Conures and macaws are both very high energy and NOISY birds so one alone can use up your energy. Being a new bird owner I would advise you to probably start with just one bird. Also macaws are not great beginner birds. I think it would be smart to start out with the conure and then make the decision of weather or not to get another bird when you are comfortable with the one you've got. Congratulations on the choice to bring birds into your life! It will be an amazing and rewarding experience:)
 

VictoriaVague

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Avenue Spotlight Award
Shutterbugs' Best
Joined
8/20/12
Messages
3,867
Location
UK
Real Name
Vikki
My birds, both Conures do not get on. They will mostly ignore each other but when Titus has hormones raging, they have to have separate out of cage time, as he will attack her. Even though she can fly, he's still capable of doing serious damage. And we followed all the introduction advice. There are no guarantees.

Will your bird and dog be kept seperate? As conures will take on anything and can get in to trouble easily. They think they are 10 ft tall and bullet proof.

I wouldn't even think about a second bird right now. You have a noisy, full of energy and mischief, eternal 2 year old coming home in the form of your Sun. See how you cope with him, especially as he passes out of the baby stage, before you even begin thinking about adding.

Good luck!
 

Verivus

Sprinting down the street
Joined
3/31/12
Messages
341
Location
Tucson, AZ
Real Name
Chrissy
Do not get both birds. Do lots of research on the good, bad, and ugly on both species and then decide what you want. Keep in mind the sun conure can live for 30+ years and the macaw can live over 60+ years with proper care. Are you committed to keeping this bird for that long? The size difference would be too great to let them hang out together safely, IMO. It would be very dangerous to the conure; one bite from a macaw can killl it instantly.

That said, birdkeeping is really not for everyone. If you don't mind bird shizz everywhere, a constant mess of food, ripped paper, shredded wood, etc, the ongoing cost of bird toys that need to be replaced, the occasional destroyed personal item if not being supervised, being bitten (sometimes pretty hard) on occasion, excessive noise/screaming/screeching that can drive you nuts, and the possibility of a raging, blood-drawing monster when the hormones come on, then perhaps a bird is for you. :) From my own experience, I feel that owning a parrot is more difficult than owning a dog, and I own a German Shepherd, so he's certainly not a small or lazy dog. Parrots are way messier, much noisier, more expensive, and have wilder personalities (obviously).
 

Cambios

Moving in
Joined
9/17/14
Messages
5
Your question is not really correct. You're not adding a second bird because you don't even have the first one yet. So in reality what you're saying is you want to "run before you've even learned to walk".


You didn't read my full post.

If we decided to only get the conure, and if the experience having a bird turns out super amazing, how difficult is it to add another bird to the family later?
I was asking how hard it is to add a second bird because if we only get one, I'm curious about how hard it would be to bring another bird to the home later.


Your "vision" of how things will be and the reality of it are quite different.
What "vision" of mine are you referring to?
 

Cambios

Moving in
Joined
9/17/14
Messages
5
I wouldn't even think about a second bird right now. You have a noisy, full of energy and mischief, eternal 2 year old coming home in the form of your Sun. See how you cope with him, especially as he passes out of the baby stage, before you even begin thinking about adding.
I really appreciate the advice, but that isn't the question I'm putting forth here.

How hard is it to introduce a second bird into the family later? Like, assuming everything goes well with the first.


Good luck!
Thanks :)
 

Mizzely

Lil Monsters Bird Toys
Super Moderator
Vendor
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
8/9/11
Messages
39,969
Location
Northern Mitten Michigan
Real Name
Shawna [she/her]
It kind of depends on a lot of factors, and most depend on the birds. If you were to add a similar sized or same species bird, it's an adjustment but usually can be smooth sailing as long as they get along together. With two different birds like you are considering, it's going to be much harder.

In my opinion, adding two birds of such disparate sizes is going to be work regardless if you do it at once or together. I'd NEVER allow the two to be out together. I've had a Hahns macaw and quaker out together before and the quaker almost lost his beak. And they got along. There was only a 50 gram difference between them. You'll have a much larger difference in size and even if the blue and gold likes the conure... birds use their beaks to communicate and even the slightest annoyance will get your conure killed. Couple that with needing to keep dog and bird separate and now you have to juggle 3 animals that all want your attention but can't have it at the same time for safety reasons. It adds up quickly, believe me.

Every time I've added a bird, I do it one at a time. It takes about 6 months for my household to adjust to the addition. The only time I'd consider adding two birds at once is if they were a bonded pair. It would stretch myself too thin to add more than that at once. You can barely get to know one bird in that time let alone two! That 6 months helps your bird get to know you, too. Rushing around and adding too much too soon is how people get in over their heads.

My suggestion would be to get the sun conure like planned and see where you are in 6 months. I'd see if you feel that you can adequately take on a second bird then. Don't make plans yet for the B&G until you know what life is like with the conure.
 

CheekyBeaks

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
2/20/13
Messages
1,856
Location
QLD, Australia
Real Name
Ann-Marie
If you really want two birds I would recommend you get two at the same time that have been raised together and get along well already. Depending on how well socialised it has been with other birds while being raised and how bonded it becomes to humans will depend on how easy it will be to add another bird in the future if ideally you want them to interact.
In saying this though I personally would not recommend keeping a sun conure and a large macaw together, the size difference is far to big if an argument were to break out later on down the track, babies are very easy going temperament wise but once adolescence hits you may encounter some trouble. If two birds interacting together is your ideal I would recommend you opt for another similar sized conure. If you are happy to have separate play time and separate cages etc... than the species and size differences won't be an issue, it's just a matter of knowing what species is right for your family and lifestyle.
 

Skyler

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
Joined
10/19/09
Messages
5,913
Location
Chicago
Real Name
Pat
Please don't get the wrong idea---that this site is full of people that think they are in a special club(bird "owners") and that anyone joining the club is suspect and needs to be vetted (no pun intended)

It is just that birds seem easy (you don't have to take them outside in blizzards for a walk), so many are abused or sitting in shelters or insane from social neglect, vet fees are so high (I spent several thousand dollars trying to "cure" a chain store tiel of a parasite---didn't work---avian health medicine is too backward), and so MANY of us fell into birds so blindly.

You can't have Teflon cookware, aerosol spray, regular candles, or certain cleaners. Many people will watch a dog or you can kennel but try and find a good trustworthy bird sitter and my vet will not board unless each birdie has had current blood work on file( and that's about $200-$300 per bird) .

And then there are the major debates--breeder or rehome; clipped or flighted; diet; caged or free; Lupron shots ;cage setup ;toy and perch no=nos. ETC.

With that said welcome and kudos to you for starting acquiring a bird by researching (I didn't and shortened my first bird's life through ignorance). I don't have any of the big birds (I'm too old and their beaks are too intimidating) but I do have 4 birds and one is a sun. My sun is a sweet diva who loves to cuddle ----but when I brought in a quaker(after a quarantine) my conure Rika got terribly loud and screams often. Not only did the flock dynamics alter and hurt my eardrums--but also my stance on keeping my flock flighted changed. When Rika has been out she flies to Cricket's cage and he is terribly cage aggressive and will automatically attack. So for her own safety, sadly, I had to clip her wings .

Am I sorry I brought in that fourth bird? Yes, when I can hear my sun a block away, and when it's the monthly cage deep cleaning time and my 90 year old Dad and I struggle with four bulky ones, but No, when Rika cuddles, the tiels whistle and Cricket tells me " You're pretty, I love you."
 

VictoriaVague

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Avenue Spotlight Award
Shutterbugs' Best
Joined
8/20/12
Messages
3,867
Location
UK
Real Name
Vikki
I really appreciate the advice, but that isn't the question I'm putting forth here.

How hard is it to introduce a second bird into the family later? Like, assuming everything goes well with the first.




Thanks :)
Like I said to begin with, I added a second bird, followed all the advice and they hate each other and require seperate out of cage time for chunks of the year, which means a greater portion of my time dedicated to them, to make sure both birds get adequate time out each day.

As birds mature and change they may decide to hate another bird they formally got on with. They may take an instant dislike. If they are human focussed they may attack out of jealousy. Unfortunately there is no definitive answer as every bird is different. Some will do fine with having a new bird introduced but some will not.
 

Saemma

Ripping up the road
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
11/7/09
Messages
27,187
It would be worthwhile to read this thread. Parrots injuring parrots - information thread | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

2nd of all, it's important to remember that behaviour is constantly changing and evolving, sometimes for the better and sometimes what seems for the worst. Personally, I feel most comfortable waiting a year or more before adding birds or any pet to my flock. Gives all of us time to adjust to each other and the new lifestyle. I think an entire 4 seasons permits me to better evaluate whether I am able to support MORE to my lifelong responsibility. I mean this in every possible way, financially, emotionally, TIME. I don't like feeling that I may have bitten off more than I could chew.
 
Last edited:

JLcribber

@cockatoojohn
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Shutterbugs' Best
Avenue Concierge
Joined
10/16/09
Messages
22,620
Location
Alberta, Canada
Real Name
John
You didn't read my full post.

I was asking how hard it is to add a second bird because if we only get one, I'm curious about how hard it would be to bring another bird to the home later.


What "vision" of mine are you referring to?
Yes I did. You keep putting the cart before the horse. As Vikki said, you can do everything "perfect" along the way and then adding that second bird flips the cart right over. Same species/size, different species/size, it doesn't matter because they may love each other or they may truly hate each other. There is no road map. They are truly individuals. You take your chances and you live with the result. Good or bad.

You can't tell me you don't have a vision in your head of how you think things are going to work out? Because you have no experience there are huge gaps and differences in the true vision because you just don't know what you don't know.

If they get along it's easy to add another bird. If they don't get along then its a nightmare. Pretty simple. No different than plucking two random people from the population and making them live together. Is it going to work or isn't it?

Having said that there is always a way to make it work. This is where creative thinking, adapting environments and changing the way we do things come in. And thus the vision starts changing. :)
 
Last edited:

gibsongrrrl

Courtney Lou Hoo
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
7/4/10
Messages
9,292
Real Name
Courtney Lou Hoo
My experience with doubles-
In my case it hasn't work all that well each time. Both times I've had more than one bird in the house, they were very jealous and wanted to attack each other. So for me it has just doubled the amount of time and energy I was already spending/putting in. Separate out times or separating rooms with screen/wire to make it safe for each bird to be out at the same time. Also have to worry about one being out and the other being in the cage in case the out bird flies to the caged bird. Mine two same sized birds have gotten injured this way (cuts and a sprained leg) from biting each other through the bars, and many birds have lost toes this way. Just some of the cons to think about. Usually whoever is not out will scream while the other is out and getting attention. Aside from it being a real pain, logistically, they do like having another flock member in the house. Weeble, my first bird seems happier in general to have Beeper here, and they will scream for each other if separated, so I do think there is something beneficial to having another bird around just for the flock safety aspect of it. They also teach and learn from each other as far as food/toys/new things go and are always doing activities "together" even though caged separately, such as eating, preening, napping, etc.
 

Robyn

Jogging around the block
Joined
9/17/14
Messages
892
Real Name
Robyn
I always reccomend that unless your breeding to keep birds caged seperately that way you don't have to worry about them attacking each other in the cage while your gone or if they do bond well theres no worry of an accidental clutch. I would NEVER EVER dream of caging different species together. on another forum somebody asked if they would be able to keep their cockatiel in the same cage as and african grey or umbrella cockatoo :banghead: .I also ALWAYS reccomend waiting atleast a year before adding another bird of any kind into your home as this will allow for individual attention and training/tameing which will be very important to you bonding with the bird. After all that though the only way to tell how easy it wil be to add another bird into your home is to add the other bird into your home. All birds are different some will be more accepting and others will never accept another bird and then you have the ones that take a while but evetually accept them.
 

JosienBB

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
3/25/13
Messages
6,991
Location
Ontario, Canada
I strongly, strongly do not encourage getting both birds at once. One new bird will be enough of a handful. As I would never allow interaction between two birds of such vast size difference, I don't think it will be more "difficult" to add another bird later. Yes, the birds grew up together and they're okay with one another now, but this can change in a blink of an eye as they mature. It only takes one time to do some serious damage. I would not even let the two out together at the same time. I nearly lost my Josie (green cheek conure) to Target (hawkhead), and the size difference is nowhere near that of a sun conure and a B&G macaw. It's not worth the heartbreak.
 

Gypsy

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Joined
6/25/12
Messages
1,364
Location
USA
Real Name
Denise
Will it be too much? That depends on your tolerance for noise. Sun conures are beautiful but loud. Blue and golds are loud and high energy birds. Are you willing to deal with the screaming in the mornings and evenings? You will have to have separate play areas just to be safe. Different sized foods and toys as well. Many people find out that later that the bird takes up too much time. You want 2, so consider each needs at least 1 hour 1-on-1 time. How does this work with your lifestyle? Babies are cute and cuddly, but they mature, go through puberty, and personality changes. Are you willing to commit to all that? I did not know all this when getting a baby blue and gold macaw myself. I had 3 young children myself when I brought Merlin home. A bird is just like adding another child to your family. Vet visits are expensive too. Consider the cost of nail trim, accessories like toys, carriers and diet requirements. They are not like dogs. Please take all our posts into consideration. Start with one and see how it goes. Rehomimg a bird is not fun.
 
Last edited:

Gypsy

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Joined
6/25/12
Messages
1,364
Location
USA
Real Name
Denise
Adding a 2nd bird takes time. You must quarantine it and vet it so nothing is transmitted to the other. Then you must find a way to introduce them. It is possible they will not like each other. I have a macaw and an amazon parrot. They are kept apart at all times because of the size difference. Please spend time on the forum and learn what you are getting into. Consider books as well. If you can, go to bird fairs to purchase supplies because you can save money when purchasing in bulk.
 

Gypsy

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Joined
6/25/12
Messages
1,364
Location
USA
Real Name
Denise
Cambios, what were you expecting when bringing 2 home?
 

Aequa

Sprinting down the street
Joined
12/20/13
Messages
447
Location
Australia
Real Name
Caity
Start with one :) Adding a second later would probably be easier if you are wanting to handle the birds as this way the bird bonds with you first. The same problems can happen getting the second now or later, but the benefits lay in getting a second later. It allows you to know your first bird and know if they begin to get aggressive with each other. I started with one, the second was an easy add, our third - Pepper, another conure - was a bit harder but not too bad, just a tiny bit of arguing at first then no issue. But, birds can become aggressive with each other at any time and make friends at any time, they are like teens in their social group or siblings. Definitely don't fret about adding a second later!
 
Top