Interactions with other birds

[Known Space]

So I'm about one and a half week removed from picking up my bronze-winged pionus. I Googled a lot, joined pionus groups to ask questions, even visited a household with pionuses to ask for first-hand experiences and experience them for myself. I read a lot about them. They seemed like the perfect bird for my situation. And in a span of a few days, I've read a bunch of horrific stories about how aggressive pionuses are, especially to smaller birds. So now I'm super nervous about getting one. And I already got the cage, toys and made a deposit for the bird.

To be clear, I know that horror stories in the context of parrots are just that. They tend to be posted because they're exceptional, and circumstances are usually unclear. I have a pacific parrotlet, a species with all too much of an undeserved bad reputation. And she's the sweetest and most affectionate creature I know.

So what's everyone's experiences with pionuses and their interactions with other birds?

I only have a 1 year-old parrotlet, and she's tiny, of course. And very sweet and at the very least sociable with people. Mind you, after quarantine is over, I will spend a lot of time getting my parrotlet used to the 14 week old pionus. And due to the (beak) size difference, they won't be unsupervised.

When I decided that I wanted a pionus, I didn't intend to get her a cage mate or a friend. Just to get myself a second bird, that wasn't too loud, at least speaks a similar body language to parrotlets, isn't too aggressive and can tolerate my pionus and coexist.

 

[metalstitcher]

@Eloy and @Dartman Maybe you might be able to help with this?

 

[Wannabird2003]

I love my BH Pionus who I have had since a baby and she is 15 now. She is an only bird. She is bonded to me and when I have guests she hides in her cage. She is not aggressive choosing to run away instead. I can't comment on being with other birds since she is my only, but I once thought I would add a puppy to the mix and she was so jealous that she would not have anything to do with me. I ended up returning the puppy and got my sweet girl back. I would think since she is a youngster, she might learn to be tolerant. When I first got her, I had a golden retriever dog and they got along well. It was after the dog died and my bird was given the run of the house that she decided that she did not want to share me with another creature.

 

[Known Space]

I love my BH Pionus who I have had since a baby and she is 15 now. She is an only bird. She is bonded to me and when I have guests she hides in her cage. She is not aggressive choosing to run away instead. I can't comment on being with other birds since she is my only, but I once thought I would add a puppy to the mix and she was so jealous that she would not have anything to do with me. I ended up returning the puppy and got my sweet girl back. I would think since she is a youngster, she might learn to be tolerant. When I first got her, I had a golden retriever dog and they got along well. It was after the dog died and my bird was given the run of the house that she decided that she did not want to share me with another creature.

Thank you for your response. Yes, this pionus is a baby and I will put a lot of effort into socializing them slowly and model behaviors with my parrotlet. I'm gonna put effort into not having it turn into a one-person-bird either by exposing it to more people, slowly, when it's tame.

And to make sure for future responders in this thread: I'm mostly curious about general temprament, since behaviors of individual parrots is obviously highly circumstantial

 

[Dartman]

Nerd was jealous of other birds eventually and would try to get the house finch we raised. She also always tried mess with him as well so it was a tough situation. Lurch never was around other birds while I had him so don't know but he started out as a used parrot with a lot of baggage and a bad attitude. Dobby lived with several other birds and as far as I know they liked each other and flew around and played together. When we had to board him for a week he had a great time making new friends and causing a camotion. So I think it's down to how the bird was raised and socialized. Dobby alway knew love and freedom and had plenty of bird friends of similar size to hang out with. Nerd knew his brother and my family his whole life so not into sharing with anyone. Lurch was scared to death and mad at the world when I got him and it took years to have him decide I was trustworthy and a friend. Every bird is their own soul with their own wants and needs so I wouldn't throw any 2 birds together alone till I know the attitude of both and no unsupervised together time till you know absolutely they will play nice together.
Eloy has had several Pionus type birds together mostly happily so she would be good to chat with too.

 

[Begone]

I've read a bunch of horrific stories about how aggressive pionuses are, especially to smaller birds.

No they are not. I have never heard that. But they often don't like other parrots, but that is not the same.

I have a pacific parrotlet, a species with all too much of an undeserved bad reputation. And she's the sweetest and most affectionate creature I know.

That she is sweet to you is often telling that she don't will be sweet with other parrots that are stealing time from her.

So what's everyone's experiences with pionuses and their interactions with other birds?

I never allowed mine to interact with other birds, and I also know that both of my girls will fight to death if I allowed a third bird in my home.
And mine do fight with each other too, and they don't share cage and never will. (not worth the risk)

I'm gonna put effort into not having it turn into a one-person-bird either by exposing it to more people, slowly, when it's tame.

Sorry, but you will loose that fight. Pionus are a one person bird, and it doesn't matter how well you will socialize them. (done it, wasn't working)
They can accept other parrots and humans if they not come to close, but their chosen one will always be nr 1.
And I would never allowed a small parrotlet (they don't know what fear are) to come near because I know how that can end. One bite from the Pionus and the Parrotlet will be dead.

And to make sure for future responders in this thread: I'm mostly curious about general temprament, since behaviors of individual parrots is obviously highly circumstantial

First are we talking about a male or a female? They really are like night and day. But Terry's Dobby is a sweetheart.
Males can be very aggressive in hormonal season, and they can be a nightmare the first and second hormonal season.
Girls are the sweetest, and are always my recommendation if you don't know for sure that you can handle a aggressive male.

 

[metalstitcher]

Thank you for your input. I'm still looking myself if I can get hubby over the beak issue lol

 

[Known Space]

The sex of the pionus isn't known yet, I'll hear in a few days. Not really worried about aggression towards me as much as to my parrotlet.

My parrotlet is sweet to everyone. She steps up and explores strangers pretty much immediately. She's about 52% bonded to me and 48% bonded to my girlfriend (she loves us both equally, but since I train her, I can get away with doing a bit more). And she isn't cage aggressive to us at all. So I'm not sure how this will translate to jealousy. She doesn't mind dividing her time either way.

Everything I read so far indicated that pionuses tend to be easy-going and tolerant and more likely to back down from conflict. Which is why I ended up deciding on a pionus. I've spent a lot of time researching them. So it's weird to suddenly hear how they can lash out. Only I had read about was mate aggression.

And yeah, I wasn't out to make the pionus stop being a one person bird, that was poor phrasing on my part. Just mitigating some of the effects of its nature.

I'm somewhat worried now in terms of how much time outside the cage my parrotlet will be able to get since she's hyper social and her favorite enrichment is training. Mostly, she just likes to snuggle.

 

[Known Space]

Heard a few hours ago that it's a male.

 

[Dartman]

Well go meet him and see how outgoing and socialized he is. He might be like Dobby, who is a male, and likes everybody and feathered friends or more like Nerd and not want much to do with other creatures except his chosen one. I kept the finch in my room with her cage and she was fine with that and if bringing her out I covered his cage till she was done and back in her area for both their well being. It wasn't ideal but she wasn't eaten by him and lived out her life and then Nerd had us all to himself again happily.

 

[Known Space]

Well go meet him and see how outgoing and socialized he is. He might be like Dobby, who is a male, and likes everybody and feathered friends or more like Nerd and not want much to do with other creatures except his chosen one. I kept the finch in my room with her cage and she was fine with that and if bringing her out I covered his cage till she was done and back in her area for both their well being. It wasn't ideal but she wasn't eaten by him and lived out her life and then Nerd had us all to himself again happily.

Yeah I just love my parrotlet so I think I'm just currently super nervous now this is all starting to feel 'real'. I knew that risks were there from the beginning. But I know there are ways of dealing with it.

I saw it in the aviary recently when I went to visit the breeder. It's still an untamed baby. The breeder keeps a pionus in an aviary with neophama without any issue. Not this one, though. It's still with its parents.

My intention was to slowly introduce them and get them used to each other. And always approach the pionus when caged, innitially, with my parrotlet on my finger while handing it a nutri-berry. Same with my parrotlet. Build positive associations. It was always my idea to put most of my innitial training efforts into getting them used to each other.

 

[Dartman]

Well if he grows up around and with her his attitude towards her might be more like a friend and sibling rather then a small flying thing that flies better then he does and takes his chosen ones time. When Nerds brother was here they lived together and spent all their time right next to each other including leaning against each other like book ends as they slept. When Ferd suddenly passed away a few years in we grieved for him together and he slowly decided I was his chosen one and we bonded and that was that.

 

[LSA]

I'm so glad you started this!
My Sun Conure and GCC are out of quarantine. A Blue-crowned is moving in on the 18th so I need to move them. A friend is encouraging me to move them into Sherman's, WCP, room, but there are conflicting stories.
I'm at a loss. Initially, the plan was to move them into the living room, but I've gotten spoiled. They can NOT go into Glenn's room! I'm thinking of moving them in with the budgies and me but would rather move them in with Sherman. BTW, there would be no unsupervised open cage time!
I have the following
1. Glenn's room;
2. Sherman's room;
3. My room (w/budgies);
4. Quarantine/Craft room.
Sherman and I have the two largest rooms and Glenn has the smallest. (All bedrooms are at least 14'×16'.)
Any votes, thoughts or suggestions?

 

[LSA]

BTW, Sherman is a female WCP ~7yo; Daytona is a male Sun 17mo; Sir Lancelot is a male Yellow-side GCC 17mo.

The two conures are totally bonded with each other and share a cage. The two budgies are, too, and also share a cage. The conures, like the budgies, only have eyes for each other. Sherman watches everyone.

Sherman is my first Pionus. Unfortunately, we're learning about each other together.

Although dust-wise, the budgies are a better fit with Sherman, size- and noise-wise, less so. The conures are about the same noise level as the budgies without the dust.

More and more, the only real option is my initial plan for conures (including later on the BCC) in the living room.

 

[cute_lil_fiend]

Each pionus is different.

I have 2, one a younger male BHP and the other an older female Maxi.

The male was raised around other birds (both larger and smaller) before he came to me, and tolerates smaller birds without issue. I have never seen him display aggression towards another bird. He will also permit certain people he deems worthy to handle and stroke him, but not everyone, which is more than I dared hope for.

The female, on the other hand, is defensively aggressive towards other birds sharing her space. I've never permitted her to be around smaller birds for this reason. She is also absolutely a one person bird.

 

[finchly]

Man.

I have ernie and then 46 smaller birds. He doesn’t like for me to hold them but he doesn’t do anything. He just fluff up and marches back and forth.

Now, the parrotlet likes to get on his perch (his outside the cage perch) and he doesn’t like that. He opens his beak and postures. I don’t think he means any harm, like he wouldn’t *realy* bite him. The p’let flies away, I believe he thinks it is a game.

Captain Jack (caique) is about 4 months old. He most likes to be on the floor but he insists on going up Ernie’s ladder to his cage. Every time he gets to the top Ernie climbs down off his perch and yells at him. If CJ gets further back in the cage Ernie runs at him. That is all he does. Of course I am standing right there. I have gotten Captain Jack off that ladder about one million times. Usually I just put Ernie up and CJ loses interest.

Finches sometimes land on his cage or possessions. He gets a little ruffled but doesn’t stop what he is doing or give chase.

So I wouldn’t calll mine aggressive at all. 22 year old believed to be male rescue. I’ve had him 4 years. His cage is open at all times, except when CCapt Jack is loose in the bird room.

 

[finchly]

I'm so glad you started this!
My Sun Conure and GCC are out of quarantine. A Blue-crowned is moving in on the 18th so I need to move them. A friend is encouraging me to move them into Sherman's, WCP, room, but there are conflicting stories.
I'm at a loss. Initially, the plan was to move them into the living room, but I've gotten spoiled. They can NOT go into Glenn's room! I'm thinking of moving them in with the budgies and me but would rather move them in with Sherman. BTW, there would be no unsupervised open cage time!
I have the following
1. Glenn's room;
2. Sherman's room;
3. My room (w/budgies);
4. Quarantine/Craft room.
Sherman and I have the two largest rooms and Glenn has the smallest. (All bedrooms are at least 14'×16'.)
Any votes, thoughts or suggestions?

Is your plan to have them out of cage?
Edit: I see that is a no.

I think move everyone into Sherman’s room. Should be fine. Can you put something like plexiglass on the cage tops to protect wandering toes?

 

[hrafn]

My WCP is best friends with my cockatiel (though most of the affection is on the tiel's side) and has never shown interest or disinterest in either my African grey or my macaw. For the most part she's just a very chill bird, and she only gets upset when someone walks on her cage, but even then she mostly fluffs up and growls, without trying to start a fight.

Réy has spent her whole life living with other birds, which may be why she tolerates the big kids and loves Kraz. Since you're getting a baby, there's a fair chance she may form a flock bond with your parrotlet. But of course, due diligence and supervision is a must.

 

[LSA]

I think move everyone into Sherman’s room. Should be fine. Can you put something like plexiglass on the cage tops to protect wandering toes?

Yes, I do. Sherman has a cage with an attached metal playtop that the conures will love, so I had to plan for that
My real concerns are two, the dust and the noise. The conures make noto speak of, while Sherman is big time molting. Sometimes her cage looks like a war zone of floofies. Of course, the budgies are like that, too.

 

[LSA]

Oops That was my fault.
Anyway, the conures make no dust. Sherman some dust. The budgies make lots of dust.
The Sun Conure lives to scream. The budgies together are actually louder than the conures. Sherman is very quiet.