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Preventing bird-bird bonding?

apollo1017

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Hi, I will be moving in with a friend for a few months and am pretty certain the living arrangements will end in May. I have a 3yo cockatiel (male, as seen in the profile picture) and am moving in with someone who also has a cockatiel (< 1yo). I want the two birds to be able to spend time together but at the same time I don't want them to bond to one another knowing they will be separated in a few months. What would the recommended course of action here be?
 

Mizzely

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You can't control it once way or another.

1. Let them hang out, at the risk of them bonding
2. Keep them separate
3. Accept that even if they hang out, they might hate each other.

They likely will not form an inseperable bond in 5 months, especially since introductions should be slow.
 

apollo1017

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You can't control it once way or another.

1. Let them hang out, at the risk of them bonding
2. Keep them separate
3. Accept that even if they hang out, they might hate each other.

They likely will not form an inseperable bond in 5 months, especially since introductions should be slow.
What would you do? I was not planning on keeping them in the same cage at any point, but would it be better or worse if their cages were kept in the same room?
 

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If I was well aware of the person's vet history, I would let them hang out in the same room in separate cages and let them out separately.

If I didn't know or agree with their husbandry, my bird would be staying in my room.
 

apollo1017

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If I was well aware of the person's vet history, I would let them hang out in the same room in separate cages and let them out separately.

If I didn't know or agree with their husbandry, my bird would be staying in my room.
Thank you so much for your responses! I can tell already having one out will cause extreme jealousy/anxiety from the other, as both are very used to being let out and hanging out on/around us. Could you elaborate more on the slow introduction?
 

JLcribber

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Hi, I will be moving in with a friend for a few months and am pretty certain the living arrangements will end in May. I have a 3yo cockatiel (male, as seen in the profile picture) and am moving in with someone who also has a cockatiel (< 1yo). I want the two birds to be able to spend time together but at the same time I don't want them to bond to one another knowing they will be separated in a few months. What would the recommended course of action here be?
If they do bond one of you is going to lose a bird. To separate them at that point is human selfishness.

Personally I say so what. There’s lots of birds out there that need a great home like yours.
 

camelotshadow

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You should consider the quarantine as you never know about the other birds history.
Have they been near any other birds or hidden illness.
How long has the other person had the bird. Have they been to the vet & had tests?

To be safe you might just keep them separate for both health & bonding issues & not allow them out together. They are going to do alot of calling to each other but should be separable after 5 months.

Tiels generally like each others company & if allowed to be together are likely to bond. Then again they can fight & hate each other. Is it worth the chance for a few months to upset there lives more.

To be safe maybe the tiels should be in each of your bedrooms so they have limited access.
 
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Mizzely

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Thank you so much for your responses! I can tell already having one out will cause extreme jealousy/anxiety from the other, as both are very used to being let out and hanging out on/around us. Could you elaborate more on the slow introduction?
The slow introduction is going to rely on them being out separately regardless, to get used to each other. This way you can observe how they react to each other through the cage bars (some birds will fight and even kill each other through cage bars). Then you do small times where you let them both out for small sessions; 5 to 10 minutes. This process may take days or weeks; sometimes two birds can never be allowed out at the same time
 

apollo1017

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You should consider the quarantine as you never know about the other birds history.
Have they been near any other birds or hidden illness.
How long has the other person had the bird. Have they been to the vet & had tests?

To be safe you might just keep them separate for both health & bonding issues & not allow them out together. They are going to do alot of calling to each other but should be separable after 5 months.

Tiels generally like each others company & if allowed to be together are likely to bond.

To be safe maybe the tiels should be in each of your bedrooms.
Assuming the initial concerns were ironed out, would it be wrong to have them be able to hear one another not interact?
 

camelotshadow

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Assuming the initial concerns were ironed out, would it be wrong to have them be able to hear one another not interact?
They'd should get used to it. Just like in nature there are birds around & they all don't all have to interact closely.
They can be acquaintances from a distance. It might be better than illness, jealousy or breaking them up after bonding,
 

apollo1017

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They'd should get used to it. Just like in nature there are birds around & they all don't all have to interact closely.
They can be acquaintances from a distance. It might be better than illness, jealousy or breaking them up after bonding,
That makes sense. Thank you! Do you think some short interactions would have bonding risks? If not, what frequency would be “safe”?
 

camelotshadow

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They are going to hear each other. I would leave it like that. To have them interact even for short limited times will likely end in stress if they want to be together constantly calling to each other. No way to tell how they will interact.
Just trying to err on the safe side. If they get together they might just constantly be calling to each other hoping to be reunited & it might end up stressing them more than if they never got to be together,
 

apollo1017

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If they do bond one of you is going to lose a bird. To separate them at that point is human selfishness.

Personally I say so what. There’s lots of birds out there that need a great home like yours.
I understand, and while I may consider a friend for Apollo in the future, I don't want to have to either give him up or ask the friend to give hers up. If it was the situation we were at, something would be figured out for the birds, though avoiding that situation would be most preferable.
 
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