Adopting a Ringneck when we have a Pionus?

[Nostromo]

Hello,

We have a very sweet mellow 14 year old female BH Pionus. We've had her for 6 years. My husband is her soul mate. She is a very laidback and extremely gentle bird, a bit of perch potato but we taught her to fly so she gets around the house when she feels like it. We also have a bird friendly small dog and our 2 year old son.

I work from home now and I am lonely during the day. Our Pi is sweet but she lives & breathes for my husband. I am thinking seriously about adding a second bird. I want an adult, not a baby, and I've found a nearby family who is looking to rehome a 4 year old male IRN. She's sent me quite a bit of info and it all seems very legit. She describes him as a very sweet, talkative, even tempered bird (as far as IRN's go) who is being rehomed because he's being bullied by their eclectus and because he now attacks the owner's son. The owner's son raised him from 10 weeks but then got a new gf and the bird was very heartbroken and jealous. She says the bird is otherwise very friendly, has regular vet checkups, and is on a good diet of Roudybush and chop.

What are you guys thoughts? Anything to be aware of going in to getting an IRN? Our Pi is so, so chill, and I'm aware that most other birds are not.

 

[April]

Let me tag @Parutti for you for some advice

 

[Parutti]

Awww your Pi sounds like a dream - for your husband anyway!

From talking to other Ringneck owners, they are pretty independent as a species so they're usually good in mixed flocks. My ringneck doesn't mind other birds at all (unless they get too close, he doesn't want preening help, ha).

I think your mindset of wanting a second bird for your companionship is good rather than a buddy for your Pionus. This ringneck would be really lucky to join you!

IRN aren't super known for ongoing attacks, and they tend to respond well to training, so you probably can reshape that behavior. I'm guessing that in his current home it's more a lack of attention and mental stimulation that is causing bites rather than only the presence of a new female.

As a species IRN are very suspicious of new things and changes, however, so don't be surprised if he isn't stepping up and super warm to you right away. Their personalities are so different from each other of course, so you'll just have to see. But if he does show fear/nervousness at first it's very common with these guys.

I'm sure others will have good information about adding a new bird - I've only really introduced one new permanent flock member to my household but I've had some long term fosters. A big piece is to keep them as separately quarantined as possible for a time - there is a lot of differing info on how to do this to prevent disease spread, but it's also important to let the two birds acclimate slowly to each other.

I don't know much about how Pionus are with other birds so hopefully someone can speak to that side of things. They always seem super calm, though! I've always gone into it with being prepared for the worst case scenario that the birds hate each other and need totally separate spaces, and have gotten lucky that only one foster bird was smitten with me and went after other birds if they landed on me.

If you have a good feeling for YOU about the IRN, I say go for it!

 

[Nostromo]

Awww your Pi sounds like a dream - for your husband anyway!

From talking to other Ringneck owners, they are pretty independent as a species so they're usually good in mixed flocks. My ringneck doesn't mind other birds at all (unless they get too close, he doesn't want preening help, ha).

I think your mindset of wanting a second bird for your companionship is good rather than a buddy for your Pionus. This ringneck would be really lucky to join you!

IRN aren't super known for ongoing attacks, and they tend to respond well to training, so you probably can reshape that behavior. I'm guessing that in his current home it's more a lack of attention and mental stimulation that is causing bites rather than only the presence of a new female.

As a species IRN are very suspicious of new things and changes, however, so don't be surprised if he isn't stepping up and super warm to you right away. Their personalities are so different from each other of course, so you'll just have to see. But if he does show fear/nervousness at first it's very common with these guys.

I'm sure others will have good information about adding a new bird - I've only really introduced one new permanent flock member to my household but I've had some long term fosters. A big piece is to keep them as separately quarantined as possible for a time - there is a lot of differing info on how to do this to prevent disease spread, but it's also important to let the two birds acclimate slowly to each other.

I don't know much about how Pionus are with other birds so hopefully someone can speak to that side of things. They always seem super calm, though! I've always gone into it with being prepared for the worst case scenario that the birds hate each other and need totally separate spaces, and have gotten lucky that only one foster bird was smitten with me and went after other birds if they landed on me.

If you have a good feeling for YOU about the IRN, I say go for it!

Thank you so much! This is a wonderful and helpful answer. I'll see tomorrow how the bird clicks with me. The IRN is very used to other parrots so I'm hoping that'll really help the adjustment to our household. Our Pi lived with other parrots before coming to us, but it's been just her for 6 years now. That being said she is a very calm bird and when she's met other parrots for "play dates" she was not aggressive at all (although she wasn't particularly friendly or impressed either haha).