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Hi with pionus birds being so Sociable would a paire of birds still become tame

brayark

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Hi I was wondering with these birds being so sociable would the still become tame if two were kept together like love birds tend to be ?
 

Kiwi & Co.

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Dartman

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My first pair was two brothers more than likely wild caught in 78. They were never mean to me but adored each other and spent all their time together. I could pick them up and get them to fly to me for treats but no scratches, that was for them to give each other. They were Ferd and Nerd bird. Ferd got sick and suddenly died a few years in and Nerd and I grieved and bonded for the rest of his life. I think with time they may have come around to accepting scritches and wanting to hang out with me together but we never got there and they were a tight family unit.
Lincee has had good luck with his pair and Eloy who used to be here has a had a couple of pairs that were fine with her and each other, but they didn't grow up together, they joined her flock.
 

brayark

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Thanks they seem very sweet birds but seem very shy so I wondered if being in a pair would give them more confidence I know heard rearing. Can also give the added conference but has its own problems when birds think there human .
But I was thinking I spoke to early as they can be little territorial .
 

tka

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Haha, a well socialised pionus is anything but timid. They're independent and don't feel the need to be constantly on you, but don't mistake that for shyness.

Two birds that are friends are going to be more interested in each other than you. They will probably seek preening from each other rather than a human, and your companionship may not be needed as much or sought by the birds. However, parrots can also be broadly indifferent to each other - happy to share a space but not seek out each other's companionship. They can also violently dislike each other, and need seperate out of cage time. Same-sex pairs (either both male or both female) tend to be more stable, from what I've observed. With different-sex pairs, you either end up with a breeding pair - both will be interested only in the other, and the male in particular can get very defensive of his mate or territory - or you end up in a situation where one of the birds would very much like to pair up and the other isn't interested. However, these are all tendencies and there will be exceptions to all of these.

I do know someone who had what seemed like a very friendly pair of males. They only wanted headscratches from each other but were very friendly with their human family, would happily step up and would "help" with daily activities. Very sadly, one of the "males" had been misidentified and was actually a female. When the actual male hit puberty, he became very possessive of the other pi and very aggressive towards anyone who tried to interact with her. The female was not really that into him, and actually seemed rather intimidated by him. The owner had to make the sad decision to rehome both as she didn't want to keep a single parrot. Both went to homes with other pionus.

It's my long term intention to get another female pionus, but that's because I'd like another bird and I think Leia would benefit from having company. However, she really doesn't need any help with her confidence.
 

brayark

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Thank you as always your advice makes grate senses to me but your Leia was hand reared what I think makes a difference but I don't know much and your bird grew up with other birds so hopefully knows she's a bird .
 

tka

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The breeder I got Leia from only pulls the chicks at 4-5 weeks, so they have plenty of time to interact with their mum and dad. The chicks are all kept in the same brooder. Once they've fledged they're all kept together, with chicks from other clutches if they're of similar ages. I didn't get Leia until she was 9 months old due to various circumstances, and she spent that time hanging out with her brother from the same clutch. So she was with other birds for much of her first year.

I'm definitely her favourite but she doesn't see me as a potential partner. I'm confident that she knows she's a bird, which is exactly what I wanted.
 

brayark

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That's grate I have spoken with him and his going to let me know what availability he will have in a few weeks time I wouldn't want to get a baby till mid October as my wife is keen for us to go away fore a few days for our anniversary if thinks have opened up by then .
And I couldn't leave a baby
Have you found Leia interested in training because I want to do better by this bird my Perry was happy preaching on me and taking scratching both in and out the cage and would fly to his cage on request and then go into his cage when asked whist being perched on top but I had to take him to the vets to trim his nails I would love to be able to do this with out putting the Bird. Through the stress of toweling to do it this is why I had the vet do I didn't want to spoil the birds trust with me .
P.s. Sorry for slow response just got back from work
 

jh81

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I have 2, rescued them in late January so i really cant say much yet. I do know that, while they enjoy eachother, they also enjoy time with me :)

Not like other parrots who can cling to you. Pionusses are nothing like that. Max likes sitting on his cage, and ocasionally comes flying over just to see what i am doing. He will sit on my shoulders and after a whie fly back to his cage. I had an Amazon who was abused who wanted nothing to do with me. A Grey that wanted to mate with me all day long, given the chance. A Senegal who wanted to be up, on, between and in me..

Pionusses are nothing like the above species. They are calm, friendly, but also independed.

I would say, having one or 2 makes no difference. They will be independent all the same :) and it also depends on how you interact with them. You can become part of their flock, or choose to be more of an outsider :)

and on top of that it also depends on the bird‘s character.
 
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brayark

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Thanks for all your advice it's good to be able to speak with people more experienced with these lovely birds .
 
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