GCC compatibility?

[Kazifasari]

My husband and I have a 11month old GCC named Atari (not sexed yet but we think it's a "she") who we absolutely adore. We're now thinking of getting another bird of a different species and I had a few questions for anyone experienced with this sort of thing.

Does gender matter? I don't mean for breeding, just getting along.

Does Age matter? Would it be better to get a baby or an adult bird? We got Atari as a baby.

Can GCC get along with a Lineolated Parakeets, or Cockatiels? Or will they only get along with other conures?

Other notes: the birds will be kept in separate cages. And will only be out together when my husband or I are in the same room.

 

[expressmailtome]

Bump.

 

[Mizzely]

It depends. My GCC got along great with my quaker but tried to attack my Hahns. It's like asking if two children will get along. Some do, some don't. It's far easier to get other conures to accept each other simply because they speak the same language. You also have a bird that will be going through hormones soon, which will complicate everything.

I personally won't keep dusty birds like cockatiels with South American species like macaws, Amazon and conures because the dust can cause respiratory illness.

 

[Kazifasari]

It depends. My GCC got along great with my quaker but tried to attack my Hahns. It's like asking if two children will get along. Some do, some don't. It's far easier to get other conures to accept each other simply because they speak the same language. You also have a bird that will be going through hormones soon, which will complicate everything.

I personally won't keep dusty birds like cockatiels with South American species like macaws, Amazon and conures because the dust can cause respiratory illness.

She's already really hormonal (and has been for 2 months), hasn't gotten really nippy, but tries to mate with our hands if we're not careful how we touch her and doesn't want head scratches as much as she use to.

Thanks for the advice about not keeping her with a cockatiel because of the powder.

 

[karen256]

If getting another bird, it's probably best to get a baby or an adult that's used to being around other birds, if you want them to be friends.

A cockatiel might work - although milder mannered than GCC's, they are big enough to not be at risk of injury. You would want a good air filter for dust.

A linnie may or may not work. I have one, he's a funny, grouchy little guy, and he likes my GCC because she leaves him alone. Kiwi the linnie hates budgies, because they want to play with him and follow him around. Cheeky the GCC doesn't have much interest in him, and because of that, he likes her best, and will often come and sit next to her. But, every bird is different. A very hyper or playful GCC, especially one that likes to roughhouse, would be a nightmare for a linnie (or at least for my linnie).

GCC's are generally birds that get along well with other birds. My own personal rule is to not have any bird more than twice the size of the other, since I like to have birds that can interact relatively safely. Birds that you might want to avoid, if you're hoping for them to become friends, are parrotlets, lovebirds, and Poicephalus, because these species seem to be more likely to be aggressive to other birds. But, not all will be aggressive to other birds. Another similar sized conure would be the most likely to get along, but even that is not guaranteed.
One thing - if you get another conure of any species, you should probably have both birds sexed just so you know. It should not really matter what you get as far as them getting along - it's just so you can know what to expect.

 

[Monica]

Does gender matter? I don't mean for breeding, just getting along.

Not at all, although two males or two females can't reproduce if they are close enough of a species to breed!

Does Age matter? Would it be better to get a baby or an adult bird? We got Atari as a baby.

Not really. My first conure got along with my first cockatiel. I had gotten my cockatiel when she was 5 months old. A little over a month later, I got my first conure. I don't know how old Noel, the conure, was but I do know he was *at least* 9-11 years old, probably older. (guesstimates based on history)

Five years later, I adopted my second conure, a 12 year old. Noel did not get along with my second conure, Charlie, nor did my cockatiel get along with the second conure. That said, Charlie *did* have an amazon buddy in his foster home. Charlie was in a home for 10 years (assuming an only bird?), then in a pet store for about a year, then in foster for a year. I don't recall if I ever found out the age of the amazon, but it was also an adult bird.

Noel passed away about 3ish years later, after adopting Charlie. That year, Jayde, another conure, was born. She had been sold to a family, then returned to the breeder, then fostered by a member of this forum, then I adopted her at the age of 3 years old. Jayde and Charlie did learn to get along - to a point. They could even share a cage! If I had them on me though, they couldn't be together! Which was easy, because Jayde was a shoulder bird and Charlie is more of an arm/lap bird. She has since passed on due to cancer....

I also had Finn, another conure, for a short period of time. However, he came to me with health issues, which ended up taking his life as well.


I still have Casey, my first cockatiel, and Charlie, my second conure. I've had them share one aviary, although they are now in separate cages. Charlie isn't exactly a very social bird and doesn't tend to get along well with others, but he did learn to get along with her and Sylphie, the ringneck, well enough in the aviary. They all had room to get away from one another, and Charlie is the only non-agile bird! Casey and Sylphie fly around a lot, but Charlie climbs mostly.


Can GCC get along with a Lineolated Parakeets, or Cockatiels? Or will they only get along with other conures?

Best chance is honestly another conure, preferably of the same size! But there's no guarantee that two birds will get along, regardless of species, age and sex. That said, if you want another species, get another species! All my conures were the bigger guys (cherry head, mitred, red throat, green), not any of the smaller species. I never got another conure with the absolute intention to house them together. If they got along, then great! If not, they have their own cages! And they could enjoy their company from afar, if need be!

 

[Lwalker]

I have two male GCCs and they are bonded. I first got Cricket as a baby. About a year later I brought Watson home. They are approximately the same age (maybe 5 or 6 months difference at most). I was a re-home for Watson. I felt Cricket needed a friend of his own kind. It was a gamble but I searched for a male, similar age, who had lived with but not bonded to another bird and was a little bit shy (the opposite of bossy Cricket).
I was extremely lucky it worked and they are inseperable now.

 

[Kazifasari]

It sounds like getting another conure is my best bet.

 

[Skipper]

Do not mix South American birds (parrots) with Pacific Island birds (Too's and Cockatiels). The dust from the Toos and Tiels can be fatal to Macaws, Amazons and Conures. My wife got a Too and a Mac 26 years ago before she new better and we have been lucky that the air filter keeps the Mac and Conure safe. But a filter does not always work, so best to pick one continent or the other.