New Caique Question

[Ozarkarts]

I recently put money down on a 12-week old caique at a bird store in St. Louis. It is in a cage with another caique from the same hatch. I had a DNA test done on the bird I wanted and it is a male. I know that it is best to get two caiques so I was interested in possibly getting the other caique that is in the same cage - since they got along very well and appear to be bonded. At this point, both birds are still on two formula feedings a day. It will be a month or two before they are weaned and I can take them home (the store will not release them until they are fully weaned).

The store did a DNA test on the second bird and it came back today - it is a female. This is what I was afraid of, since it is a little lighter in color and a little more mellow acting than the other bird (which I put the deposit on).

I REALLY hate separating the two birds, but I know I can’t have them breeding. I could possibly separate the two if I need to, since the cage I have is very large and has removable separation bars for the center. Still, that could be cruel since they could not roost together at night. I am also afraid that when I do finally separate the two (when I take only one home) it could be very hard on them both emotionally - and they might “mourn” the loss of the other bird. Is this a valid concern? I would get another male caique from the same clutch, but the other two male caiques they have are already sold.

If I take just the male bird, will it do alright alone? I am retired and it will be with me most of the time, but there will be some occasions where I may have to leave it for a few hours a couple of times a week. How many others are there out there who only have one caique - can you chime in here on how well they do as a single bird?

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[Laurie]

I highly endorse getting two but one will be fine too. I keep all mine in pairs but I also breed them so it's an easy decision for me.

If you did get a male and female you should definitely get unrelated birds. Likely the two that are together and the same age are siblings. Even if you do not breed then you should still avoid opposite sex siblings because they will still bond and you never know what will happen down the road and it will be harder to separate them down the road (harder on the birds). Babies are adaptable and will make friends with their new family if separated from a sibling.

You can get two males and if you introduce them at a young age they are likely to get along.

There are no gaurantees on if or for how long they will get along. Even successful breeding pairs sometimes demand a divorce.

 

[Birdie Mama]

I wonder if removing eggs as the laying is done would be an option. Thinking it would be similar to a single hen laying and just removing the egg when done laying. But don’t know much about breeding, more for my own curiosity than anything…

 

[Ozarkarts]

I highly endorse getting two but one will be fine too. I keep all mine in pairs but I also breed them so it's an easy decision for me.

If you did get a male and female you should definitely get unrelated birds. Likely the two that are together and the same age are siblings. Even if you do not breed then you should still avoid opposite sex siblings because they will still bond and you never know what will happen down the road and it will be harder to separate them down the road (harder on the birds). Babies are adaptable and will make friends with their new family if separated from a sibling.

You can get two males and if you introduce them at a young age they are likely to get along.

There are no gaurantees on if or for how long they will get along. Even successful breeding pairs sometimes demand a divorce.

Thanks for your reply. The two birds are definitely male and female siblings. Like you, I would rather have two together, but I may be forced to get only the one. I will check around to see if there are other caiques available in other towns in the area that are around the same age. Hopefully, if I find another bird the two will get along OK.

 

[Ozarkarts]

I wonder if removing eggs as the laying is done would be an option. Thinking it would be similar to a single hen laying and just removing the egg when done laying. But don’t know much about breeding, more for my own curiosity than anything…

Thanks for the reply. I thought about the “removing the eggs” option, but I really don’t want siblings breeding - even though I have read that about 10-percent of birds in the wild possibly interbreed.

 

[Irishj9]

As a person who has 13 caiques and occasionally breeds them, I find it endlessly hilarious how new owners worry about babies.

Its a work of years of patience, diet and prayer to even get them to lay eggs, most of which are infertile

Why do you think these birds are so expensive?

 

[Ozarkarts]

As a person who has 13 caiques and occasionally breeds them, I find it endlessly hilarious how new owners worry about babies.

Its a work of years of patience, diet and prayer to even get them to lay eggs, most of which are infertile

Why do you think these birds are so expensive?

If it were only eggs I worried about I would just remove them, but basically forcing siblings to mate with each other just seems wrong. Maybe this is just a human taboo since about 10-percent of animals interbreed in the wild. What are your thoughts on the matter since you have so many caiques? Do you think that getting two opposite sexed siblings would be OK? I am mostly familiar with cockatiels - opportunity breeders who will go “into season” many times a year - are caiques different and do not mate as often? Do you think having one bird would be OK, or do you think it would be better to get both (male and female siblings) just to keep each other company?

 

[Irishj9]

I have two rare species of caique. The green thighed and white bellied. Orange heads, yellow or green leggings
Both species are on the CITES endangered list
Messing about with inter family breeding would mark me as a reckless idiot and unfit to manage them.

Probably you have a black headed caique, more common but nonetheless deserving of careful breeding.

But no worries. They are NOTHING like cockatiels. They breed rarely ( if at all). lay infertile eggs for YEARS. Then decide to abandon 2 day old chicks at the drop of a hat.
To get round this, breeders intervene and handfeed youngsters. Result the handfed babies have no idea how to handle babies of their own. Wheres the human who is supposed to feed my baby?. etc

 

[Ozarkarts]

No, both birds are white-bellied caiques. I am only concerned about having a single bird and if it would be happier with another bird present. I could get both birds to keep each other company only - I would never let eggs hatch, if eggs ever appeared down the road. To the people with single caiques, how do they do by themselves? Mine will be with me most of the time since I am retired, but it will sleep by itself in a separate room. There are no other caiques available anywhere near me at the moment, so I cannot find another caique to keep this one company unless I get his sister also…

 

[Irishj9]

If you can get two, then do so. Its better for the birds, and its better for you. They will keep each other company and remove TREMENDOUS pressure from you to provide 24/7/365 entertainment for a single bird

 

[Ozarkarts]

If you can get two, then do so. Its better for the birds, and its better for you. They will keep each other company and remove TREMENDOUS pressure from you to provide 24/7/365 entertainment for a single bird

Thank you for your help. That seems to be the consensus of people who have more than one caique. My goal is to do everything possible to make these/this bird(s) as happy as they can be.

 

[Ozarkarts]

If you can get two, then do so. Its better for the birds, and its better for you. They will keep each other company and remove TREMENDOUS pressure from you to provide 24/7/365 entertainment for a single bird

Hello Irishj9,

I just wanted you to know that I brought both birds home March 22. Both birds were just about to turn 6-months old and there is no doubt they had bonded to each other. They are inseparable and are always together. Now, I cannot imagine every splitting them up - I think if I had done that it would have been very cruel and really devastated both birds mentally. They have both accepted me into their flock, are very happy/spoiled and are doing just fine. Thanks again for your help!

 

[Irishj9]

youre very welcome, and Im doubly happy for your and your new birdies. Msg me anytime with questions....

J