Same sex bonds and bird divorce?

[Lwalker]

So I still have an empty flight cage and every now and then I get the urge to fill it...and upon sober second thought, do not.

What I am wondering, from any of you hard-core behaviourists, is...Cricket and Watson are bonded, both male, met when approximately 10-14 months old and are now 26-30 months old. Cricket was a baby when I got him (6 months) but Watson had lived one year with an older female GCC but they were not bonded.

If I brought another GCC or other conure in the house, how worried should I be that Cricket and or Watson would break their bond and realign with another bird? I would only get another male. Would I need to get two so as to not tip the balance? Is a bond formed that young an adult (likely to last) bond?

Any help is greatly appreciated. It would break my heart (and surely one of theirs) if one of them split.

 

[Lwalker]

There also a flock of budgies that need homes at my local spca. They also need cages. I love budgies but I am afraid of managing different sizes of birds. I could donate my flight cage but I am afraid I might need it one day.

I think I am having a mid-life crisis. I can't make any decisions.

 

[Mizzely]

@webchirp

 

[JLcribber]

If I brought another GCC or other conure in the house, how worried should I be that Cricket and or Watson would break their bond and realign with another bird? I would only get another male. Would I need to get two so as to not tip the balance? Is a bond formed that young an adult (likely to last) bond?

You should be worried. First off you're going to bring in one bird making it an odd number flock. That's going to be a problem because there is always one on the outside looking in. You'll be bringing in an instigator.

Birds are not like humans. They don't get divorced or fall "out of love". Animals bonds are very strong and almost always for life.

 

[JLcribber]

So I still have an empty flight cage and every now and then I get the urge to fill it...and upon sober second thought, do not.

Stay sober my friend.

 

[Lwalker]

Stay sober my friend.

I worry I may actually just be feeling a dog-shaped whole in my heart...missing Barney.

 

[webchirp]

You will eventually tip the balance on things but then they may go back. I tell ya, it's a soap opera over here. I wouldn't add a third bebe to a bonded pair but you might be okay with another bonded pair of boys although you might need to do different out times. Then again, other people seem to have less issues than I do. Take the cage apart and store it. Knowing you have to drag it out and put it together before filling it might help. Then again this is from the lady with 11 fosters and 16 of her own conures.

And I had a strange alignment that formed a somewhat trio...Amada and Julip were bonded and then all the sudden Kari liked Amada. But Kari and Julip don't really mesh, yet they tolerate each other because of Amada. Kari was my beat up the other birds girl. Never would have thought she could do a threesome like this. But it took a year...

 

[Lwalker]

Take the cage apart and store it. Knowing you have to drag it out and put it together before filling it might help.

Ha! That is true. I actually slipped a kid in the shop $30 and he came out in the parking lot on his break and put it together for me and loaded it into my hatchback. It was worth it!

 

[Ankou]

I worry I may actually just be feeling a dog-shaped whole in my heart...missing Barney.

I'm sorry.

 

[webchirp]

Wish you were closer...I've got a bonded pair of bratty boys for you!