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Adding Another Bird

AYA

Walking the driveway
Avenue Veteran
Joined
5/18/16
Messages
283
Location
Australia, VIC
Real Name
Gab
Hi all, I just wanted to ask some things about adding a new flock member-- I might be getting a new bird in the future (as in, quite a few months), and I'd like to know about your experiences and methods in introducing a new bird, how you've come to divide your time between birds and avoid causing too much jealousy-related strife (I'm well aware that there is no guarantee that these birds will get along, so I'd rather plan for the worst than the best), and also how you've gone about housing different species under the one roof (obvs not cage though).

Some background info:
My main bird is Lawrence, an 18 month-old GCC, who has yet to give any sign that he's bird aggressive (all he wants is to snuggle up to the family budgie, who just wants to punch Lawrence's face with his own face, because he's very much a 'fight me!' kind of bird, lol) and is a mostly mellow bird. I say mostly as, a few months ago, my parents brought home a puppy around the same time he was moulting, and the combined stresses lead him to barber his feathers. I know that, at the time, I did not do my best to keep up the same doting level of interaction I had with him, and that this also contributed to his distress, but at the time, it didn't occur to me that he would be so effected.

I still feel horrible, but at least he's stopped barbering and I've learned an important lesson.

He now doesn't care when I pay attention to the dog, or the budgie, and I've worked hard with him to get him to be more independent and to be able to amuse himself when he needs to-- he doesn't even scream for attention anymore (still does contact calls that I reply to) unless I've slept in too long or he's giving an alarm call over there being some sulphur cresteds on the feeder, which terrify the poor guy.

I think that if I can do this right while Lawrence is still young, that we can find success, but I don't really know where I would start, so I'd like to plan ahead, however far that might be :heart:

(and again, this new bird is still only a hypothetical, so nothing is set in stone)

(wow, sorry for the rant, I did not intend for that to get so long! Or dramatic, lol) :laugh:
 

sunnysmom

Ripping up the road
Avenue Veteran
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Pennsylvania
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Michelle
:bump4:
 

Greencheek Lee

Sprinting down the street
Avenue Veteran
Joined
10/3/14
Messages
596
Location
California
Real Name
Lee
I'm sure others have much more experience than I do. But I would stick to green cheek conures of the same sex and around the same age. If possible to spend time with the new bird ahead of time and match temperaments that would help as well.
 

AYA

Walking the driveway
Avenue Veteran
Joined
5/18/16
Messages
283
Location
Australia, VIC
Real Name
Gab
Thank you, and I really do understand where you're coming from, but I don't really want to get another green cheek-- I know that that may sound petty or something equally negative, but I don't want to buy a bird that I don't really want... it just doesn't sit right with me, sorry. Like, I want to do the best by my birds, but I also don't want to make a thirty-year commitment to something that I don't really want in the first place. And just to clarify, I by no means view Lawrence as a 'starter bird'-- I love my little guy dearly and look forward to all the years we have ahead of us :D

If I do end up getting another bird, I would definitely like to meet them ahead of purchasing, but most non-budgie/cockatiel/GCC breeders are based in Queensland, though I would make the effort to travel up there :)
 
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