Meyer's - one or two?

[mandiant]

I have an opportunity to buy either one, or two, Meyer's parrots - just a few months old, I believe, and from the same nest; they've been hand-fed and are weaned by now. I am considering getting a same-sex pair, so that they could give each other some bird company, and also to ease the transfer from being with their siblings to living with me. But I'm concerned that they might fight as they age. Is this likely? I'm retired so I have a lot of time to spend with them. Perhaps it's safest to buy one. Are females less likely to squabble? I've read on the forum here that Meyer's can be bird-aggressive, which is why I ask. I'm hoping that being siblings might make their relationship smoother. What do you think?

 

[expressmailtome]

@iamwhoiam may have an opinion.

 

[WillowQ]

My guess is that siblings would be less aggressive since they’ve grown up together? But if one has any health issue that may throw off the balance. Yes, Meyers are aggressive towards other birds. I think females are just as aggressive.

 

[iamwhoiam]

Don't have a Meyer's but do have red-bellied parrots including the parents and their "children". It is very possible the siblings will start fighting as they get older. That's what happened with mine. Could no longer cage them together but they could hang out with one another outside of the cages with supervision. No way to predict whether or not they will start having issues. Mine got along well for many years and then they decided they didn't want to share cages any more.

My females are not less likely to squabble than the males. In fact if I put Sophie and Claudé on a stand together they generally start fighting. Their cages are near one another and Sophie frequently stares down Claudé. They seem to be jealous of one another.

 

[mandiant]

Are you suggesting red-bellied parrots for a more amiable nature? The breeder I am talking to has also bred red-bellied parrots. I'd be interested to know more about them.

 

[iamwhoiam]

Can't compare Meyer's vs red-bellies because I've never had a Meyer's. My red-bellies are intelligent and inquisitive. They have a range of personalities from shy to very outgoing. Some of them went through a phobic stage starting when they were about 4 months old and that lasted anywhere from a day or two to years. Of those who went through that they all came out of it and are now interactive and sociable. I do think that they can be temperamental and some of mine are nippy. Clever birds: they can figure out how to get out of their cages depending on the cage, can open quick links and can take toys apart. Another Poicephalus to consider would be a Senegal if the breeder has those. My Senegal is generally mellower and more laid back than my red-bellies.

 

[iamwhoiam]

@mandiant Is the breeder local so you have an opportunity to directly interact with the birds and then make your decision based on that?
Babies do change as they mature but at least you can get a better idea if you prefer the Meyer's or the Red-bellies. Generally babies seem
to make the choice for us.
I chose my Senegal based on my interaction with him. As for my red-bellies all except for mom and dad were hatched and raised here so I got
whatever was "handed" to me.

 

[WillowQ]

My Meyers, Jasper, also can open her cage and go on adventures. So I have a lock on her cage now, because when she’s out and about it really scares the Quaker.

 

[mandiant]

@mandiant Is the breeder local so you have an opportunity to directly interact with the birds and then make your decision based on that?

Yes, I will go to see the birds before I make a choice, and I anticipate some step-up interaction with the birds. I doubt that he has red-bellied parrots at the moment - he hasn't mentioned them when listing what he has available, though I see he has previously sold them. I've been turning over a few other species in my mind, which he could offer - Amazon and African Grey - but I am not so sure that I want a companion bird which talks or sings opera all day, though I must say that I don't mind the beeps of the African Grey. But I live in an apartment and feel that a smaller parrot would be the more manageable animal. I have to apply for licenses to import/keep exotic parrots, and it looks as though the enrichment requirements for smaller parrots will be easier to satisfy than those for the bigger parrots. If nothing else, I'll need less sacrificial wood for them to chomp through, and maybe smaller beaks make smaller signatures on household furniture.

By the way, when I first read your earlier post, I misread the sense of the first clause, and thought that you were admonishing me to "Don't have a Meyer's, but do have a red-bellied parrot...". I later realised that you were simply describing your situation.

 

[MnGuy]

I've adopted three parrots at separate times (all were adults), and each time I've wished I could find each a companion. I think the saddest thing is a bird that has no bird friends. It's the law in many European countries that birds must have a bird companion of the same species.

Although there's no guarantee that two siblings will grow up to like each other, I'd risk it anyway and take them both as babies. They don't have to live together as adults. It's fine if they live in separate cages but enjoy time together outside of their cages. They don't have to be love-dovey with each other all of the time for their companionship to be healthy and useful and important in their lives. I see it as a win-win to have two birds as long as they are not always trying to kill each other.

And the chances of two birds getting along is much, much higher when they grow up together.

I adopted a 17-year-old female Meyer's many, many years ago. She desperately wanted to be friends with the other two Meyer's she was relinquished with, but they rejected her because they were a pair. So she was adopted out as a lone bird.

She was a great companion, but did not like other birds once she was established as the first bird in my home. She passed many years ago.

I have a CAG and recently adopted an Indian ringneck. Both can be out at the same time under supervision and do not show aggression towards each other, but we are slowly working on introducing them to each other.

Good luck!

 

[Elysian]

For what it's worth regarding apartments and noise.. (which is not worth much, just an anecdote) my Senegal (another type of poi) is the only bird I have that screams.

My particular amazon is quiet, my hahns is pretty quiet so far, one budgie is pretty quiet... the new budgie is currently chirping really really loudly behind me.. but Oggie gets into loud, *piercing*, screeching fits that are very hard to distract him from.

My neighbor diagonally across the street can hear him.