Getting a 2nd Conure

[Kathleeny320]

Parronts! I need your help!

I've had my Yellow-sided GCC for just about 1 year now, and she is a couple months shy of being 1.5 years old. I love her to death and like many of you I'm sure, I have this strong desire to add another GCC to our family

That said, what I really need is to know the honest, good & bad, when it comes to doing this. My husband is very apprehensive about getting another one, because he doesn't think we have enough time daily to spend with 2 birds and give them the quality of life they deserve should we need to keep them separated because they dislike each other. During the week we are away from home from 630am-between 5:30 & 6pm. But otherwise we usually prefer to be home on weekends or not out for super long periods of time. Our GCC, Elliott, is a bit of a Velcro bird and does love attention. Other details like cost, space, etc. do not phase us and should I get a second it would also be a female like Elliott (we don't want any funny business going on! Haha!) and I would most likely cage them separately.

So, please lay it on me! I want to know your experiences and suggestions! Thank you in advance

 

[Animallover03]

 

[Heather F]

Your little bird is adorable and sounds like a sweetheart.

My roommate and I added our second bird almost a year ago, when our Frodo was almost two years old. Our new bird is around the same age as he is (she was a rehome, while we got him as a baby). They tolerate each other but don't really like each other. So we can let them out at the same time in the same room, and sometimes they are even able to both be on the same person (like one on each arm) but they're not really friends and since she is a related but larger species (in the same genus), she outweighs him by almost 1/3 (she is 90g to his 70) so we are careful to head off any squabbles and try to make sure they give each other their space. They are pretty good with that - Mango occasionally likes to throw her weight around and go after Frodo but she intimidates him enough that he is quick to back away and avoid an actual conflict.

When we first got her we did separate out times for the first while and often still do when only one of us is home. There being two of us it means that one of us could be interacting with one of them and the other could take the other one into another room and have time with them, and alternate who played with whom from day to day so she wouldn't bond exclusively to one of us and he wouldn't get jealous. Juggling out times especially when you work full time is a valid concern but it's manageable especially if you are willing to have more than one bird safe room and do simultaneous separate bird time if you need to. But unless they out and out hate each other and go into a flying rage in each other's presence (which is relatively unlikely if you stick with the same or a close species) you can probably eventually at least achieve peaceful coexistence and supervised out time in the same room.

And given that you do work full time, like me and my roommate, even if they don't like each other over much we are convinced that having each other for company during the day is better than just the radio. Birds are highly social creatures. I'm glad that we waited to add the second bird until Frodo was around 2 so we were done navigating birdy puberty and were thoroughly used to being a birdy household, but I'm glad we got the second bird, since she is a darling in her own right and I think they enrich each other's lives even if they aren't "cuddle and preen" friends.

 

[KatherinesBirds]

I would do it! I got my little yellow sided (shown at the left here) about two months ago I think. She is just so cuddly and affectionate and wonderful that I think I'm considering the cinnamon that is currently a nest mate. It's possible. When I am away I know they would love to look at each other through the cages and play when I am out to supervise. Good time to get them is when they are young!

Snuggles and Katherine

 

[Kathleeny320]

Thanks to you both for your replies! I shared this with my husband and I hope it helps him accept the idea more although I did have to put my plans on hold for a moment because both my oven and home A/C went out in the same week! But the breeder that I want to work with still has the babies I'm interested in...and since they're a bit older (~6 months) they are "marked down"