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Quarantine for my baby lovie is over and...

TrueBlue

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...my first lovie doesn't get along at all. I just wanted to share my experience with adding another bird for companionship. Both are not dna sexed. Both are bonded to me. Both are velcro birds.

I took it slow. During quarantine, the baby was upstairs and the other downstairs. I would whistle to get them going and talking to each other from afar. Or so I thought. Looking back, I think only my baby was trying to talk to my first lovie. My first lovie was probably just calling out to me the whole time. Once quarantine was done, I brought their cages into the same space upstairs, but still kept them far apart. And it was much of the same. Lots of noise from them both. I think the baby was interested, but my first lovie still wasn't. After about a week, I brought my first lovie out of his cage to meet the baby (still in the cage). My first lovie was NOT interested...at all. He would turn and walk away as if to say, I don't know what you are and I don't care, goodbye.

Again, after about a week of that, I brought them both out to eat together. Doesn't food unite us all? The answer is...umm...no. My first lovie would lunge and want to beak fight with the baby. So it began. I see it as pure jealousy by my first lovie. He would follow the baby wherever he went to stake his territory...even though I changed everything out from their cages to the toys to the playstand. So nothing was really my first lovie's things (his usual toys were still downstairs for one-on-one play time). But the jealousy was obvious. When the baby would perch on me, you could see the rage in my first lovie's eyes...lol. But yes, any attention for the baby was not appreciated by my first lovie. So now, if I want them both out at the same time, they need to be under strict adult supervision. And it sometimes means me getting my hands in between to separate them, especially when eating together. Yes, I do get bit by one or by both. My baby is the more passive of the two and normally just flies away. But lately, the baby has taken the offensive, even doing some fly-by attacks on my first lovie. Not often, but it happens.

So this is the chance I took with getting another lovie, and I knew it might not work out, but I was ok with it either way from the beginning. It's still much of the same now. Lots of noise from them calling out to me during the day and them pretty much just ignoring each other. But at least they are there together while I'm busy working.

And like others have already said, there is just no guarantee that another bird will turn into that BFF you want for your bird. I'll still work on getting them to co-exist semi-peacefully outside of the cage, but it will probably be a very slow process.

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Zara

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At least you know this could happen beforehand and were prepared.

You know, apart from my bonded pairs, I don´t leave any birds out together unsupervised at all. And even the pairs, I´m always here, if I go out, it´s only for a second to get something.

Have a rummage in the kitchen, look for a baking dish that is nice and wide, and put the food in there so they can both eat at the same time but not reach each other. I use rabbit bowls (12cm diameter) for 2 of my pairs to avoid bickering, but they can just touch each other, so something a little bigger than that. Though you will have to watch for one jumping inside the bowl.

Keep allowing some time together under supervision, even if the end result farther down the line is only that they tolerate each other, that is a good outcome.
My first two boys were like this. Just like yours at first but over time they learned to live in the same space.

Maybe @Momo & Mido has some ideas..
 

fluffypoptarts

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They’re so cute! Your baby is precious and will no doubt get more sassy with time.

I don’t leave mine out unsupervised either and I only have 2 that could be considered “friends”, lol. Twinkie is so jealous that he’ll try to attack anybirdy or anyone that is too close to me.

My wife tried to give me a kiss yesterday with Twinkie right there, and I was like, “Nope, I’m going to get a good pinch if I dare to kiss you right in front of him!” He hunkers down like an angry little chunk of watermelon, back feathers raised and head lowered in warning! I’m not crossing him!:hilarious:

When he and Toki try to fight, I also have to put my hand between them when nothing else is handy, and get a good double pinch for my trouble!
 

faislaq

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Ours aren't lovebirds, but we got our goffins Puffin to (hopefully) be company for our other goffins Luv Bug. From a safe distance they are mostly tolerant of one another, though there was a time shortly after we got Puffin that she would chase Bug around the room trying to pull her tail or worse. :( I think a lot of the issue was that they both wanted my hubby to themselves.

It's been 2 years and they still mostly tolerate one another, but they do mirror one another; eating, preening, etc in sync which is flock behavior, and Puffin rarely chases Luv Bug anymore (though there is still the occasional tail pull) & it may be that they're getting used to one another, but that they're both more accepting of me, making them compete less for hubby's attention. Now they often doze near each other when they're on us and run to sit as close to each other as they when we put them in their night cages. And they've even briefly preened one another a handful of times :)though Bug is far more interested in Puffin than Puffin is in her.


But at least they are there together while I'm busy working.
Even if they never become friends I know they are at least good company for one another while we're at work. Someone to see or talk to from their separate cages; sure beats being alone all day. :yes: I'm sure your lovies will warm up to each other, and one day even enjoy one another's presence as they get used to each other. :heart2:
 
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Momo & Mido

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Sweet of you to get them a friend!

My number one and only rule was, no one should get hurt. And after that time will tell. Like @faislaq mine also have that flock behaviour. And that should be the goal.

Eating is a nice bonding ritual. To give everyone enough space I put down a dinner plate with food (fresh veggies) every morning where my boyfriend and I have breakfast, so we can eat all four of us. Now (1,5 years later) they can eat together from a breakfast plate. I do this almost every morning.
What helped me a lot was something @TikiMyn said. You should try to notice when they are just claiming their space and when they are really fighting. Because sometimes they bicker and that is healthy. Everyone should know their place in the flock. They do this in nature too.
If I think of something else I'll definitely come back to this thread with more tips.

Good luck!!
 

TrueBlue

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Have a rummage in the kitchen, look for a baking dish that is nice and wide, and put the food in there so they can both eat at the same time but not reach each other. I use rabbit bowls (12cm diameter) for 2 of my pairs to avoid bickering, but they can just touch each other, so something a little bigger than that. Though you will have to watch for one jumping inside the bowl.

Keep allowing some time together under supervision, even if the end result farther down the line is only that they tolerate each other, that is a good outcome.
Maybe @Momo & Mido has some ideas..
I'll see if we have any extra dishes big enough and give it a go. I am using a full egg carton right now. I space the seeds, pellets and treats apart and some close together to see if they'll start sharing the close spaces. Each day seems to get a bit better. But it just takes a second for chaos :banghead:.

Totally agree. Would have been nice if they bonded. But just tolerating each other, that would still make me happy :D
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TrueBlue

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My wife tried to give me a kiss yesterday with Twinkie right there, and I was like, “Nope, I’m going to get a good pinch if I dare to kiss you right in front of him!” He hunkers down like an angry little chunk of watermelon, back feathers raised and head lowered in warning! I’m not crossing him!:hilarious:
Hmm, mine hasn't shown jealousy towards another human yet...maybe I should see if...:dead::laugh:
 

TrueBlue

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And they've even briefly preened one another a handful of times :)though Bug is far more interested in Puffin than Puffin is in her.
Both my lovies had bathed separately today and were both wet at the same time. As they were both drying off, my first love wanted head stratches. As I was doing that, he was distracted and didn't notice the baby came over to preen my first lovie's wet wings. But once he knew what was going on, he was having none of that :facepalm:
 

TrueBlue

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You should try to notice when they are just claiming their space and when they are really fighting. Because sometimes they bicker and that is healthy. Everyone should know their place in the flock. They do this in nature too.
If I think of something else I'll definitely come back to this thread with more tips.
Good point!
 

TrueBlue

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@TrueBlue -- I LOVE that last picture-- both LBs eating out of an egg carton w/ the lid separator between them! How did you ever think of that! :headsmack:
I usually have their food container open so the lid is usually the closest thing I can grab to separate them without sacrificing my hand :laugh:. Plus the lid is clear so they can still see each other up close and personal :watching:
 

TheBirds

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I'm reading this with a vested interest, as I'll be introducing our new addition to Lyric soon too. Love the egg carton idea, although I'm sorry to hear they're not getting along so well yet! I can totally see Lyric behaving exactly like your original Lovebird, and being a bit of a poop disturber :cautious:

If they don't bond, though, at least you should have a better chance of maintaining close relationships with them both instead of becoming the dreaded third wheel ... ?
 

TrueBlue

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I'm reading this with a vested interest, as I'll be introducing our new addition to Lyric soon too. Love the egg carton idea, although I'm sorry to hear they're not getting along so well yet! I can totally see Lyric behaving exactly like your original Lovebird, and being a bit of a poop disturber :cautious:

If they don't bond, though, at least you should have a better chance of maintaining close relationships with them both instead of becoming the dreaded third wheel ... ?
The first time I brought my first lovie upstairs, the baby was all over the inside of the cage wanting to get out. But my first lovie was like...eh, I'm good. So I guess I knew already. Both are velcro birds so their presence on me is constant. They'll be doing something, playing with a toy or eating, and once they see me stand up, they stop cold and will stick to me wherever they land...on my pants, on my shirt, on my shoulder, or on my head, both of them, like in a scary bird movie :confused:. Just try to do what you can but know your birds will ultimately dictate if they want to be BFFs or not. Good luck!
 

Pat H

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The first time I brought my first lovie upstairs, the baby was all over the inside of the cage wanting to get out. But my first lovie was like...eh, I'm good. So I guess I knew already. Both are velcro birds so their presence on me is constant. They'll be doing something, playing with a toy or eating, and once they see me stand up, they stop cold and will stick to me wherever they land...on my pants, on my shirt, on my shoulder, or on my head, both of them, like in a scary bird movie :confused:. Just try to do what you can but know your birds will ultimately dictate if they want to be BFFs or not. Good luck!
So glad to hear they get along. Also great to know the terms I use to describe LB interaction w/ me [wear a LB/ velcro bird]... others use also! So true!
 

TrueBlue

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So glad to hear they get along. Also great to know the terms I use to describe LB interaction w/ me [wear a LB/ velcro bird]... others use also! So true!
Actually, they don't get along. But I'm about to write an update o_O.
 

TrueBlue

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An update. It hasn't been that long yet, so obvious they still aren't friends. But they are doing better together even if it's only a slight improvement. My first lovie doesn't stalk the baby as much, but will still make it known who's the boss. Their play area is all of the upstairs so the baby has a big space to escape when needed. I do cautiously let them beak each other for a second or two when they get into a squabble, and if the baby doesn't fly away or it doesn't stop, then I intervene. My bigger worry is when the baby is distracted and my first lovie lunges at the back of the baby's wings or feet. So I do still need to be on watch. Otherwise, the baby seems to always know when my first lovie is close by and when to move away.

And I'm trying to figure it out, but when I take one of them out of sight from the other, they seem to be flock calling each other? Can that happen? Does it happen even if they don't get along?

I did put them into the same cage for the first time today to get their dose of sunlight. My first lovie was ok with the baby being in there...as long as they weren't too close to each other. So that was kind of a win :cheer:.

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Kassiani

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They're so cute...even if they don't get along, lol! It does sound like progress, and hopefully they'll be friends, at least, after some time has passed.

I'm following your thread because I'm looking for tips as I get closer to introducing the budgies!
 

fluffypoptarts

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Yes, even my birds that dislike each other will flock call each other. I’m glad your older lovie seems to be getting a little more tolerant.
 
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