Yeah, that too. Which is why I won't consider it until I move to a larger place where noise isn't an issue.And the noise that two cockatoos make!
Yeah, that too. Which is why I won't consider it until I move to a larger place where noise isn't an issue.And the noise that two cockatoos make!
Tiels are generally such easy going birds I wouldnt imagine there is too much chaos... Plus, you dont have dozens of birds. Maybe its just me, but between playtime, cage cleanings and meal preperation (I feed Holistic diet so theres endless daily chopping & slicing), and training I definitly spend about two hours JUST meeting my birds needs. I guess I do keep "needy" species though. I can only base my opinion on my personal expirience. For example, I know a lady with 21 birds... To me, thats hoarding.My tiels most definitely do not each need two hours of my attention per day...they are happy with two hours divided evenly amongst them. Because they all get along, I can just be in the room with them and whoever wants my attention lets me know. Usually Gypsy just wants to sit on my knee, Solaire wants to be on me and get scritches (now he could probably deal with two hours/day of scritches! lol), and Juju and Freya fly back and forth between me and the cage. Sometimes they want my attention, sometimes they don't. Moon is happy as long as Freya's around. If I'm gone for a long time, they start calling for me, but overall they are very independent. I agree with mini-flocks being a good idea.I would love Boris to have a companion, as well, but it's tricky because if I get another small too there's always a chance they won't get along. But I want so badly for him to have someone other than me for company (as I do work outside the home). I could not deal with more than two of Boris if they didn't get along.
Well, I think you overstate several points, but I'll partly agree with you on the necessity for this thread, and about the "dozens" of birds part. I do think that at some point, in a home setting, as the numbers rise, it does become about the numbers. To think that the numbers aren't relevant is not entirely rational, because there are only so many hours in the day for care and cleaning, for monitoring interaction and flock dynamics, etc. And, we've all seen the "overwhelmed caregiver" hoarding situations, which are tragic and horrifying.I am SO happy to see this topic as a "sticky!" I have heard many people casually, and "comically" refer to themselves as MBS sufferers and frankly, there is NOTHING funny about it. Heres my viewpoint: if you have dozens of birds, there is NO WAY you will ever convince me they are ALL getting their needs properly met. If my opinion makes me un-popular, well, so be it. Theres only 24 hrs in each day and EVERY bird needs a bare minimum of two hrs of one on one interaction & attention. I do not work outside the home and my limit is four at any given time. (My two plus up to two fosters) If we had many more it would be doing them all a HUGE dis-service. My ENTIRE DAY is consumed with bird business at four. I get a two hour run & yoga to myself and thats it. I dont even shower alone without the fids. Another pet peeve is people who buy a flock addition in hopes that a "friend" will spontaneously correct some behavior problem in their existing bird! Stunningly irresponsible and illogical thought process.
Yes, I think I see what you mean. In that case, it would amount to little more than "throwing another bird at the problem." Clearly, outcomes depend on how it is done and the individual circumstances involved. Not every problem can be solved with companionship. Some problems would be made worse by it. Personally, though, I think that conventional wisdom can become sedimented into a sort of hard-and-fast bird board mantra like "don't ever get a bird for a bird," which I've seen more times than I can count. And I really don't like hard and fast rules like that, because they don't fit all contingencies. In some individual cases, that might be precisely what the person needs to do. So, what I would like is for us each to take the time to evaluate the individual situation and see if an addition might be warranted. If not, then, we should definitely not promote the idea and certainly not across the board, but I don't like to think of what would have happened with my Max if I'd merely taken that very common advice to heart and left him alone. There is no one rule that fits all situations.Thank you for the FAIR assesment of my statement. I appreciate the fact you tried to see my point. As for your situation, getting a friend worked and thats wonderful. It often does in situations with knowledgeable bird owners. I was more meaning people who assume a sun conures screaming will cease with another sun or a parrotlets cage territorial behavior will lessen by getting another one. No, you will likely just end up with TWO screaming Suns or a Parrotlet that is more territorial to protect its new friend... And thats assuming they like eachother... No gaurentees of that. I used to see it ALL the time at the shop I worked at.
There is no one rule that fits all situations.
Just being in the room is secondary interaction. One on one interaction for 2 whole hours just isn't good for cockatoos. My guys can hop on me off me whenever they want to. I have 4 playstands and 3 cages in the dining/living room and my 5 guys all mingle. Moby is on my the most buf none of my toos wants 2 full hourz. Moby is always near or around me but he isn't getting 2 whole hours of one on one. They all get 4-5hrs per day out of their cages when I'm home. And they choose what to do with it. And Moby is the only one that chooses to be near be constantly (not always on me).To be fair, Mercedez, I think having two hours when you are available to each bird is good. Not that you have to be cuddling or directly interacting with them, but just being there. I know when I spend less than that around either my tiels or Boris, I feel like our bond is in danger of weakening.
Someone with 21 birds could be a hoarder, or not. It all depends on the situation.