Advice needed about adding a 2nd bird to cage

[helenmat]

Hello hope someone can offer advice, I have had pickle since he was 8 weeks old he is 7 months old, and he is very tame and talks, he spends a lot of time out of his cage when my hubby and I are at home, he sits on our shoulders while we do chores and loves to be with us, we always feel guilty when we have to leave him even for a small amount of time, his cage is quite big but not huge, but he can fly properly from one side to the other. We have been thinking about getting him a friend, my question is this, will he loose his tameness and will he not want to be with us as much or talk as much if we got a second budgie? I would really appreciate your views on this as I really don't know what to do. Thanks in advance

[skysmum]

It could go either way Helen, a tame bud can help a new bud to become tame but sometimes once two are together they tend to bond with each other. I think it's all about how you go about it really. If you continue as normal with Pickle and work separately with the new bud during quarantine then once the quarantine period for the other bud is over put the two cages together for a while and introduce gradually it should be fine. Pickle sounds very stable with you and the new bud will see this then once the new bud is tame you could put them together. Its a suck it and see thing really.

[outnumbered]

I can only offer my experience. I had kiwi until he was about 9 months old and then added Lilly. Kiwi would step up but was quite timid and Lilly hated hands so when she run from me kiwi followed so i wish i had tamed Lilly more before I put her in with Kiwi. However, I loved having 2 budgies together as they really bring a cage to life and get up to all sorts of antics. If you really take your time and bond with the new budgie then at least you can handle them and take it from there. It was great fun watching them together and I miss it soo much

Good Luck

[Hezz]

With Pickles being so comfortable with you, I think you will find he will still be the same lovely little friend you have now. But as Skysmum has said, it can go either way. Just make sure Pickles still gets the amount of attention he is used to getting. When Bluey was alive, he made taming any newie easy as they tended to follow him about, and he loved nothing more than sitting on shoulders and hanging out.

[Bird Junky]

Hello, apart from all the good advice offered. You have to consider this. Before introducing a new bird, quarantine it or them, in their own cage, in a separate room. Adding birds into a cocks cage is usually not a big problem but adding a new bird into a cage with a resident hen or hens, is something not to be taken lightly.
Hens are usually very territorial & have been known to kill
or injure new birds of either sex, introduced into their space.
The way round this problem is to place both cages close together for a few days after the quarantine period & let them fly out together. If they get on you can put them in the one cage, but prepare for the fact that they may never get on together in the same cage .......B.J.

[helenmat]

Pickle is a cock, I was thinking I would get another cock if I were to decide to get another one, I would also wait and get it from the same breeder as he handles them from chicks, like I say I am very undecided at the moment as we have such a strong bond with him. I am aware you have to quarantine any new bird but it was the behaviour of our bird that I am most interested in, I also wondered if there might be resentment on introducing another bird. He is sat on my hand while I type, funny man!

[helenmat]

Here he is, cheeky little man!

[Shirls]

Dec 31, 2012 13:58:07 GMT helenmat said:

Here he is, cheeky little man!

What a lovely chatty Pickle he is absolutely gorgeous!!!! ;D

[skysmum]

Dec 31, 2012 13:58:07 GMT helenmat said:

Here he is, cheeky little man!

What a cracker . I have to be honest here, if i had one like that i would keep it that way, meaning i wouldn't want to share him with anyone not even another bud . But if you did i would def go with a another boy. Pickle seems very well settled with you, i cant see him jumping ship on you .

[Hezz]

I don't think he would either, Skysmum. I have faith that he would be just the same beautiful little bird ........... but there is always a small risk. He is still quite young.

[ppvallhunds]

I was worried about the same thing with my first Jake, we were very bonded and woudl spend all day and night tougher, then when Ada needed a home i was worried she would spoil things between us (i know i know, sad getting jelous of a budgie) but he didnt change at all except to seem happyer, he loved being with another budge but still wanted to be with me as well, which caused a new problem with ada getting upest with him for comming over to me and giving him a telling off peck when he came back lol

Ive just got eagle to move in with ada reasontly and again they are still both the same, but i have noticed eagel is no longer obcessed with his plastic budgies anymore.

[Deleted]

I would be very tempted to keep him as a single bird but I think as long as you provide them both with attention every day then they should stay tame. Of course, there is always a bit of a risk.

Potentially, once the quarantine period was finished, you could wait longer before introducing the birds to attempt to work up a stronger bond with the new bird alone, and then once you introduce them then before they're allowed out together, interact with Pickle in front of the new bird and maybe show the new one how well bonded Pickle is to you. And if the new bird is younger, then hopefully they should learn from Pickle that you're a really nice person and that hanging around with you is fun.

And if they get on then maybe they'll both sit on your whilst you do your chores

Good luck!

[sarah*glittergirl2212]

How much time is Pickle on his own now? If its not long then I would say continue as you are for now, he seems to love being with you, and you can tame him more and more. then when he's a bit older if you want to get another bird his bond with you will be very secure and less likely to have him alter much behaviour wise towards you. Every bird is different and you know best whether he is likely to be lonely in his current environment.

[Hezz]

I agree with Sarah, in leaving it a while before getting him a friend. I just re-read your post - Pickles is not yet even a year old - only 7 months.

[helenmat]

Pickle is 7 months yes. He can be on his own sometimes for 7 hours but we always have him out before we go anywhere and get him out as soon as we get back. While I am out I always leave a light on and the radio on. He has lots of toys and mirrors in his cage and plenty of greens etc. He seems very happy at the moment and I may wait a while, enjoy him and then decide what to do.