Thinking about getting a friend for my conure

[Grigals]

Hello again guys!!

I have a conure named Kirby if you didn't know and I'm thinking about adopting him a friend. He is really lonley whenever I leave and I wish I could be with him 24/7 but I can't I think he would be a lot happier with another bird to keep him company while I'm out of the house?? Should I get another bird? I've been volunteering at this bird shelter and have fallen in love with a female ringneck :> would it be better to get another conure or is a different breed ok? Would he still be lonley if their cages were next to each other or would he be upset he couldn't get to her? If I went with another conure they would hopefully bond and live together.

 

[Feather]

It's best to assume any two birds will NOT get along. Will you be able to handle separate out-of-cage times if this is the case?

The thing to realize about parrots is they're different species, not different breeds, so it does make a whole lot more difference than maybe two different dog or cat breeds would. I have a bonded red-bellied/pionus pair and their relationship is a mess. I'm incredibly lucky they get along, but it's very clear they don't speak the same language. If I could go back and do it over again, I would have just gotten a second red-bellied instead.

If you just want to get another bird for YOU, then the ringneck is a decent option. But if you want the highest chance that it will get along with your current one, then another conure is definitely the way to go.

 

[sunnysmom]

Another bird will be company for your other bird. But whether they will actually be "buddies" is another question. I think as Feather stated, you have to go into a second bird situation with the understanding they may never be able to be "friends". And two birds are twice the work and expense. That said if YOU want another bird, you can make it work. I started with my goffin cockatoo. I was then fostering a cockatiel for our local rescue. I really had no intention of adopting him but he was such a sweet guy and his presence seemed to somewhat calm down my very high strung cockatoo. But I never let them out together. I don't think my 'too would ever hurt my tiel on purpose but the size difference is too great to risk it. But I do have their cages in the same room during the day and they do fine together that way. But it is twice the work for me and I have to make time for each of them to have separate out of the cage time. Life would be simpler if I had birds that could at least be out together. Will your rescue let you foster a bird to see how it goes?

 

[elitys]

I want to second the above comments. "Assume they won't get along" is great advice to stand by when you're considering adding a new bird to the flock. You're worried about not having enough time to give your current bird the attention they need, so imagine how that would be if you had to split the free time you do have between two birds instead of one.

My GCC, Poppy, appreciates having other birds around while I'm not there. But she definitely does not speak the cockatiels language. At first, I thought she was just being aggressive, but it seems now that she just wants to play too rough. She is sort of learning that they're afraid of her and doesn't approach them too quickly anymore, but still. It's a risky situation and someone could get hurt, even by accident. So during shared out time, they require constant observation and intervention when necessary.

Out time between two birds of different species (or even the same species if they aren't bonded) requires a lot more babysitting from you. Just keep that in mind in your decision making process.

 

[Grigals]

Another bird will be company for your other bird. But whether they will actually be "buddies" is another question. I think as Feather stated, you have to go into a second bird situation with the understanding they may never be able to be "friends". And two birds are twice the work and expense. That said if YOU want another bird, you can make it work. I started with my goffin cockatoo. I was then fostering a cockatiel for our local rescue. I really had no intention of adopting him but he was such a sweet guy and his presence seemed to somewhat calm down my very high strung cockatoo. But I never let them out together. I don't think my 'too would ever hurt my tiel on purpose but the size difference is too great to risk it. But I do have their cages in the same room during the day and they do fine together that way. But it is twice the work for me and I have to make time for each of them to have separate out of the cage time. Life would be simpler if I had birds that could at least be out together. Will your rescue let you foster a bird to see how it goes?

The rescue does a 4 week foster before they allow anyone to adopt a bird

 

[Grigals]

I want to second the above comments. "Assume they won't get along" is great advice to stand by when you're considering adding a new bird to the flock. You're worried about not having enough time to give your current bird the attention they need, so imagine how that would be if you had to split the free time you do have between two birds instead of one.

My GCC, Poppy, appreciates having other birds around while I'm not there. But she definitely does not speak the cockatiels language. At first, I thought she was just being aggressive, but it seems now that she just wants to play too rough. She is sort of learning that they're afraid of her and doesn't approach them too quickly anymore, but still. It's a risky situation and someone could get hurt, even by accident. So during shared out time, they require constant observation and intervention when necessary.

Out time between two birds of different species (or even the same species if they aren't bonded) requires a lot more babysitting from you. Just keep that in mind in your decision making process.

My brother has a cockatiel and him and Kirby come out together sometimes, they aren't friends but they don't hate each other. Our cockatiel is actually a little scared of Kirby and won't let him get near