How to Introduce Two Birds to Each Other

[kookaburra]

Hello! As some of you know, I will be bringing a male black headed caique home on Saturday. While he will not meet my female white bellied caique until after an initial vet visit and quarantine, I would like to get started with formulating a plan to introduce them to each other. The main goal for me right now is to house them in separate cages in the same room. Currently, Tof's cage is always open in her room since it is completely bird proofed. I need to know what would be the best way to transition her from open caged life to closed cage life since Charlie will be joining her (in his own closed cage). I don't think it will be much of a problem since Tof is quite the perch potato when left on her own, but I want to make sure that she doesn't associate closed cage living with Charlie moving in. I assume I should start getting her used to it before Charlie moves in. Any advice or previous experience with this?

 

[sodakat]

If you are going to do a full 4 to 6 week quarantine you have plenty of time to acclimate her to living in a cage. But, I'm not sure why you think she must be caged all the time. If you are worried about her landing on his cage you can cover it so he can't get at her toes.

What is your plan for them? Do you want them to become companions?

 

[kookaburra]

Hi Kathy,

I don't want any sort of interaction to occur without my supervision. The ultimate goal is for them to interact and have a healthy relationship, but if that isn't meant to be, I want to at least make sure I haven't given them any fuel for hating each other. ie - Tof landing on Charlie's cage and spooking him, or Charlie biting her toes from fear or cage aggression. I would love to get to a point where they can both live open caged, but in order to work up to that, I want the room to remain as neutral as possible as they become acclimated to each other.

 

[sodakat]

If he is in quarantine for 4 weeks, you could start caging her 2 hours a day each week, working up to 8. But, if you are gone during the day at work, I'm not sure how you can make the caging gradual. ?? How would you work that?

Whenever you do introduce them, I would make sure they have lots of things to do besides worry about each other. In other words, give them a bunch of toys/seeds/treats on a table top and place them both there. Something like that.

I've introduced several birds to my flock and really it was never much of a big deal. Even when a bird was interested in the new bird they just checked them out then went about their business. If they were not interested, they ignored the new bird. Making sure the new bird isn't afraid is most important, IMO. By keeping the new bird caged safely for a week or so they can check out the new situation and other bird(s) without worry.

 

[Laurie]

I have been slowly introducing my two new BHCs to my four WBCs and I definitely agree that having lots of things to do is a good idea. If I only let one of my WBC out at a time with the new BHs then they are alot more likely to interact. When I let everyone out their is much more going on and the WBC stick together and the BHs stick together but they mostly ignore one another.

So far they really don't interact much and are not on particularly friendly terms but if I am keeping a close eye on them all they seem to be able to be out peaceful.

 

[kookaburra]

Good point, Kathy. I think I'm just so intent on making sure that they only have positive experiences together that I might be toeing the line of crazy-first-time-mommy tendencies.

Thanks for your experience, Laurie!

 

[ZoeyFredrik]

After the quarantine and vet visit, I slowly introduced Sammy and Joey. I placed them in neutral area for their first interactive meeting. They looked at each other and then Sammy pulled Joey's tail (gently). After meeting like this for a while, they are now to the point where they enjoy being together (most of the time). Sam even tried to feed Joey on one of these occasions .

Even though I tried to set up ways to prevent Joey from reaching Sam's cage, she still does so on occasion. I make sure to praise Sammy and reward him when this happens (if he does not injure Joey, thankfully he never has). The advice I would give is to make sure meetings occur in neutral territory. And to carefully supervise the visits! Oh, yes, of course your a worried mommy, it is only natural!