? For multiple bird owners

[MiniMama]

I'm wondering what it's like to have more than 2 birds (simply because I want to adopt a third from the foundation.) I currently have 2 bonded mini's, and would like to bring anohter south american (macaw or amazon) into the household. Only prob, I do EVERYTHING with my birds, and I'm trying to figure out the logistics of having another one hanging on me. Plus, I really don't want to have a 'third man out' scenario, where the newby bird gets shunned by my existing 2. I'm wondering if its overwhelming to have more than 2 birds- any comments?

[Lisa B]

Well, my family adjusts well to how I figured it out. the Boys, Sydney and Stirling do everything together, at the same time. Ollie and Harley also.
Emma is just a spoiled girl, and gets the sole attention.

Say at night bringing them out...Sydney first on my hand, Stirling on the other hand...chauffered down to the living room, placed on thier boings. Harley and Ollie, placed on thier tstands. And Then comes princess, to her awaiting throne, her play pen.

I dont think she ever felt like the odd one out, because such a fuss is made over her every move!

[CALVINS MOM]

Originally Posted by Lisa B

Well, my family adjusts well to how I figured it out. the Boys, Sydney and Stirling do everything together, at the same time. Ollie and Harley also.
Emma is just a spoiled girl, and gets the sole attention.

Say at night bringing them out...Sydney first on my hand, Stirling on the other hand...chauffered down to the living room, placed on thier boings. Harley and Ollie, placed on thier tstands. And Then comes princess, to her awaiting throne, her play pen.

I dont think she ever felt like the odd one out, because such a fuss is made over her every move!

WAIT....HARLEY AND OLLIE PLAY TOGETHER?????????

[Machelle]

I have to be careful because I have different sizes and my zon isn't too happy with the others at all. I let them out in shifts. My conure and tiel and then my grey and zon. I watch over them closely and if I cant keep an eye on them, I put all but the zon in their cages. So far, this is the only way that I have figured it out. I've actually only had Caesar, my zon, since December, the tiel since October, the conure since February and the grey since April so its all still new as far as them getting along. I hope it gets easier someday. I definitely feel as though someone loses out but I try to make sure that they all have the same amount of time out. I'm still working on ideas of ways so they are all out at the same time but I jsut got a few ideas from you, Lisa so thanks!

Where in Colorado are you, MiniMama? Nice to see another Coloradan on here!

[Irish]

We have 5--3 macaws (2 large, one mini), a sun conure and a U2. Everything is done separately and/or in shifts. Bob and Arthur are great friends, and call for each other if they're not in the same room. They eat breakfast together on the honkin' huge perch, and where one goes with me, so does the other.

Gracie can't hang with anyone else because she'll attack them--she's very bird aggressive. Petey is too small--the big ones could hurt him, and Eddie is too grouchy. He doesn't want anything to do with any of the other birds.

That many birds make a tremendous mess, a tremendous amount of noise, and take a tremendous amount of planning to take anywhere. It can be very worth it, though :-).

All but Eddie want a significant amount of one-on-one Mom attention during the day. If they don't get it, they get nippy or noisy, so they tend to get what they want :-). I try to anticipate their needs so that I don't get trained to come to noise or to avoid a pinch. Eddie wants food during the day (human food), and if I don't give him some of whatever I'm eating, he does his "bat bird" impression, complete with the grouchiest screech you can imagine. Once Z comes home, he wants to spend all his time on the Z shoulder. Like I'm always telling peeps--our 5 birds are 10x the work and time of the 11 woofmeisters :-). That said, they are all also fairly independent when I am unable or unwilling to spent time cuddling them.

[dvelardi]

Well, I have a few birds and thought I might share how it works around here. Everyone can be out at the same time, on trees or other toys, with the exception of the Caiques. They will jump ship at anytime to give anything that moves a good chase. And that includes the cat! They only get to come out under close supervision or can have the run of the house at night after the Cockatoos have gone to bed. They seem quite happy with that. Then we have the Cockatoos that are in love and hang out together out during out of cage time. The only one that demands my time is Velcro, the Umbrella, and that is usually only at bed time when she wants some serious snuggle time. Cisco likes to sit up on the rope above their cages and keep an eye on Velcro while she gets snuggled and loved. The three Greys hang out together and cage hop from one cage to the other to check out each others toys and treat dishes. The only one that wants my time is Eddie and she is a morning snuggler. The other two are in love with my S/O and he gives them their daily loving. I am merely a food dispenser to them and a mode of transportation. Then we have Tidbit which is my TV watching buddy. And the Green Cheeks, once again, are Jerry's best buds. The want him and could care less about me. Edith is a small softbill that thinks humans are merely food dispensers and she is left to fly freely throughout the house, but chooses to stay in the small bird room. Then Lolly is my baby Cockatiel that I kept due to her incredible sweetness and she is my computer buddy. I think I got everyone that wants to be handled or want some sort of interaction. And that is how it works around here. I have a flock of very independent, self entertaining fids. And it works QUITE well for us. I do have more birds, but they are in the small bird room and are untamed breeders, finches mostly. They, too, get to come out to fly free, but I hate having to net them so it is not often. They are kept in large flights to help with that.

[Tiki]

I have 3 species-all the birds in my siggy living together in one big indoor aviary. They get along OK, meaning they don't fight. Chaska is very bonded to me and will get jealous and chase off other birds if I am playing with them or kissing them. The reason my set-up works is because it is so big (12 square metres)-plenty of room for everyone to have their space and they are all about the same size.

[Miro The Macaw]

I have multiple birds, but there is little to no interaction between them.

Miro, my first bird, doesn't know he is a bird. He pretty much ignores the other birds- he thinks he is a person.

Ms. 'Clectus, My female eclectus, WANTS to interact with the others, but Miro refuses to even acknowledge he presence.

Marlow, the African Grey, is still in Quarintine, so hasn't interacted for that reason, though the Ecelectus is VERY interested in him- Mimics his 'squeak', and last night kept hopping off her stand onto an armchair and peeking into the room he is in. They MIGHT get along...

There are also several smaller birds in the house, 2 lovebirds and a cockatiel... One of the lovebirds interacts to a point with the cockatiel (they are in close cages and they talk to one another), the other lovebird is new and still QT'd, hopefully to be introduced to the existing LB.

As for spending time with them,I suppose we are somewhat fortunate there. Miro is an attention sponge, and LOVES to interact with us- But he doesn't always want to be held... He is content staying on his stand in the room with us, as long as we come over any play every so often.

The Eclectus wants to interact with me, but she really doesn't like to be touched that much (she especially dislikes hands- Baggage that she carries from her last home). She is content to sit on her stand and chatter with me, whistling back and forth. The Grey likes his handling sessions, but he is still a baby, so who knows what the future will bring there.

I didnt find the workload increased that much from #1 to #2, and then adding #3 didnt seem to make it that tough, either- Since they are all on similar diets, you just thaw more food... Cage cleaning days are a little longer, and of course vet bills a little higher.. But, What's one more??

-Andrew

[Lisa B]

Sorry I should clairify that none of the birds interact because they are not really freindly towards eachother. Emma is toooo snippy with everyone....Stirling, to strong, Sydney too shy....Harley is fine, but as dvelardi menitoned, caiques can be trouble makers. If Ollie and Harley are eating dinner together...Ollie will run through the food to make a bee line to bite at Harley's feet.....You instantly hear Harley squeel, and Ollie laugh. When Harley FINALLY has enough, he Pins Ollie under his foot....

[Doug W]

We have several fids (see signature).

Our three (Jawsy - Cag), (Bella - GW) and (Piper - Hahn's) all live in our Bird Room and truly get along great!!! It took time, but they all play really well together.

We keep the larger Parrots upstairs in a Special Bird Room. All Smaller Fids are downstairs in our Dining Room. We do everything in Shifts...downstairs gets water, food and out time, then it is upstairs for feeding, watering and outside play.

Dinner time EVERYONE comes downstairs on their stands. We have all the fids around the table. LOTS of fun. All is truly a balance and not at all overwhelming...just LOTS of work and FUN!!!