GCC's Best Friend and Cagemate Passed - New "Friend" Suggestions?

[Hobocat]

Hi Everyone,

We very recently lost our female English budgie, Prescilla, who was the older cagemate of and best friend to our male GCC, PeeWee (just over one year old). The two were inseparable and both love(d) my husband and I. Prescilla and Peewee groomed each other, flew around the house together, bathed and ate together. PeeWee has never been alone and we're quite worried about how he'll do without another feathered friend/cagemate. We don't want another GCC as PeeWee can be jealous and we don't want to bring another bird to him that he may see as "competition". Has anyone housed another species with a GCC successfully? If so, I'd love to hear what species/sex of the bird (if you know) and how you introduced them.

Thanks so much in advance.

 

[Shezbug]

Bump

 

[Hobocat]

This is a follow-up to my earlier post -- My husband and I were in a local pet store today getting some foot toys for our GCC. We haven't settled on what species of bird we want to bring into our home, but are (were?) considering another English budgie. When we were in the store (this was our first visit to this particular store), there was a female pearly conure who was born in October 2019, arrived at the store in February of 2020 and has not yet been purchased. This little girl is so gentle and sweet - bur seems so sad. I spent a fair amount of time with her. She is missing most of her tail feathers and her overall feather condition is poor. Her beak is needlessly sharp and her claws really need a trimming. A store employee said she pulls her feathers out and/or chews them off of herself. Maybe she's lonely and/or stressed? Anyway, we weren't looking for another GCC (PeeWee keeps us oun our toes all by himself), but this little one grabbed our hearts and my husband is saying we should bring her home and give her a good life before she just gives up. I'm inclined to agree and while I hate to give the pet store money for this bird, but I just want to get her out of that store and started on a good life. Does anyone have a GCC and a pearly conure as housemates? I always thought pearly conures were just a different colour variation of a GCC, but from reading online, I see conflicting statements - one place says a pearly is a GCC and another place says they're two different species. I guess my question is whether a pearly is a GCC and what would be the best way to introduce the two birds if we were to bring the pearly conure home?

 

[webchirp]

A pearly is a Pyrrhura conure just not the same type as a green cheek. I have never seen one in person and even I would be very tempted to take her home. They are stunning. I see nothing wrong with keeping the two as friends as long as they both get along. Similar sized I believe.

 

[Lady Jane]

Another English would be best for your current birds companion.

 

[JLcribber]

The best chance of a success relationship is with another bird that is similar in color, body and characteristics as the mate it lost. Basically another budgie because that is the personality it has come to know and be friends with. The trouble with this that a different budgie is not likely to make friends with PeeWee.

Having said that. It's possible for any two animals to become friends. Circumstances dictate many things. You as the directors of this journey have a great deal of influence how things turn out. Even if they do not become friends/mates they will benefit from each others company. Over the long term they will form some kind of flock at the very least.

 

[keirieski17]

If you’re attached to the pearly, I’d go for her. I know the primary goal is a new friend for your GCC, but there is never a guarantee 2 birds will get along. You should also want a second bird, and ideally it would be a bird you’ve bonded with. Good luck

 

[BrianB]

It sounds like you can give the pearly a good home, and it sounds like she needs one. If you want her to be a companion with your GCC, then start with a slow introduction. Let them hear each other from across the room, but don't let them see each other. After a while move them within visual range of each other. Give them a few weeks of that, then move the cages close together. Take them out one at a time and let them see each other. Never leave them out together or unattended. They may fight or have a scuffle the first time around. It's not unexpected. At some point, you can let them have a physical meeting, just be ready to break them up and be prepared to get bit if you have to.

Who can really say? They may get along and become friends, they may not. By giving them a slow introduction your grieving bird will know there is another bird in the house and that may start to comfort him. I've had varying degrees of success in putting birds together. Some get along well from the start. Some take it slow and bond over time. Some tolerate each other but never bond and some hate each other. Whatever happens, nature always has her way, so make sure you don't encourage nesting or breeding.

 

[Mizzely]

Green cheeks and pearlys are "cousins" for lack of a better word. They are from the same parrot family, pyrhurra. Birds that are in the same family generally speak the same language and have the best chance for becoming friends. No guarantees in life though

 

[JoJo&Loki]

Oh wow this is quite the predicament. First off, I’m very sorry for the loss of your budgie. They are such sweet, happy souls
I can see this playing out in so many different ways and there’s just no way to know unfortunately until the new bird is brought into the home and Peewee and them interact. I agree that since a budgie was already a treasured friend, that could increase the chances of them being accepted by Peewee. However, another of a similar species could also be accepted and that poor baby at the pet store seems in desperate need of a good home

Whatever you decide to do, I agree having another bird- of any species- will benefit Peewee even if they aren’t best buddies. It just may take more supervision and effort on your part to make it work. Sounds as though you are researching and preparing for that, so I feel all will be ok. Please keep us updated once you get the new baby!

 

[Hobocat]

Thanks so very, very much everyone. It's such a hard decision and we want to what benefits everyone involved. My husband and I are going to see the pearly conure again tonight and possibly bring PeeWee along (he has a harness). But they will not be allowed to "mix" in the house until sometime down the road when they're both settled. Whoever moves in with us, it would be great if they ended up being great friends with PeeWee, but agreed that even if it's just the presence of another bird, it will hopefully be comforting to him. My heart is just breaking for that pearly girl and my "gotta rescue this wee one from a bad situation" mood is rising . . .

 

[Ali]

Keep us updated!

 

[keirieski17]

Any updates?

 

[Hobocat]

UPDATE on PeeWee's Search for a New Friend

Well, after everyone's advice, which I am so absolutelyt grateful for, my husband and I we went back to the store on Wednesday night to see the pearly conure her again. We decided she should live with us, so we took that precious little pearly girl home with us. We set up a cage for her with all the fixin's and in she moved. Our GCC is very friendly with every bird he's ever encountered, so even though we didn't know if they would be friends, we thought there was a good chance of him accepting her, but we had no idea how she would react to him. Fast forward a bit and PeeWee (our GCC) was out of his cage for his daily "I'm gonna terrorize the dogs and fly around like a maniac" mission. He spotted Ms. Pearly (we don't have a name for her yet), and Cupid's arrow stuck his little heart hard. He was smiitten. He flew to her cage and she went to him. We then separated them as we didn't want to chance her interest turning into fear. The next day, same thing. No aggression between them at all. A bit later when PeeWee was on his playstand, we took her out of her cage and I held her in my hand to keep her safe and introduced the two birds. More love. We couldn't believe it - a match made in heaven. Next thing they were sitting together, PeeWee was grooming her, and now there inseparable. If I wasn't witnessing it, I'd never have believed it. I can't believe how lucky we got. I guess when something is meant to be, it's meant to be. The only thing missing for PeeWee and the yet unnamed pearly is the Carpenters in the background singing "Close to You". Here's a pic of the two of them.

 

[JLcribber]

You can never be too prepared. You should get some appropriate fake eggs because you will need them.

www.dummyeggs.com

 

[BrianB]

That’s fantastic. Sometimes it’s meant to be and love at first sight and sometimes it takes a while. I’m so glad it worked out for everyone, and everybird.

 

[Hobocat]

You can never be too prepared. You should get some appropriate fake eggs because you will need them.

www.dummyeggs.com

I was thinking the same thing. I'll be getting some for sure. I don't have a nest box and don't intend to get one, so hopefully that will deter things a bit anyway? I've read pearly's are difficult to breed and hopefully being paired with a green cheek will deter things even more . . . but the fake eggs will be here regardless. LOL

 

[JoJo&Loki]

UPDATE on PeeWee's Search for a New Friend

Well, after everyone's advice, which I am so absolutelyt grateful for, my husband and I we went back to the store on Wednesday night to see the pearly conure her again. We decided she should live with us, so we took that precious little pearly girl home with us. We set up a cage for her with all the fixin's and in she moved. Our GCC is very friendly with every bird he's ever encountered, so even though we didn't know if they would be friends, we thought there was a good chance of him accepting her, but we had no idea how she would react to him. Fast forward a bit and PeeWee (our GCC) was out of his cage for his daily "I'm gonna terrorize the dogs and fly around like a maniac" mission. He spotted Ms. Pearly (we don't have a name for her yet), and Cupid's arrow stuck his little heart hard. He was smiitten. He flew to her cage and she went to him. We then separated them as we didn't want to chance her interest turning into fear. The next day, same thing. No aggression between them at all. A bit later when PeeWee was on his playstand, we took her out of her cage and I held her in my hand to keep her safe and introduced the two birds. More love. We couldn't believe it - a match made in heaven. Next thing they were sitting together, PeeWee was grooming her, and now there inseparable. If I wasn't witnessing it, I'd never have believed it. I can't believe how lucky we got. I guess when something is meant to be, it's meant to be. The only thing missing for PeeWee and the yet unnamed pearly is the Carpenters in the background singing "Close to You". Here's a pic of the two of them.

View attachment 342081

Aren’t they just the sweetest couple!??! Sooo happy for Peewee, Pearly and you!
Congrats on your beautiful new girl!!

 

[keirieski17]

How have things been with the new baby?

 

[Hobocat]

How have things been with the new baby?

The new baby is doing wonderfully, thanks for asking! We've named her Holly and she and PeeWee are absolutely inseparable. When she moved in with us, her skin was really rough and her feathers were broken and bruised or non existent on her rear end - and her head hung low, but she's silky smooth and her feathers are coming out out nicely now and she's a bouncy little ball of fun. She's a bit hand shy and reaches out to bite if you move your hand too fast near her, but she's coming along a bit better every day. She will now step up on my shoulder now and rides around on it quite happily and steps onto my husband's hand when he has a berry for her. She gets super excited for breakfast and loves her daily showers. We absolutely love her. Here are a couple of pics I just took tonight of Holly and a picture of PeeWee sitting on my computer right after a bath because I think it's hilarious.