Caring for Multiple Birds

[jriley]

I agree with everyone else. We're up to five right now (two cockatiels, a Quaker, and two Tucuman Amazons) but none of them are particularly demanding. In fact, the only one we can actually hold is the Quaker, and we have to pry her little claws off the cage bars to get her out. The cockatiels are a boy/girl pair and are much more interested in each other and their new nest box than in anything else, but their cage is in the dining room where they can interact with everyone if they want. They can't come out of their cage unless we lock out all the dogs and cats because they both tend to leap onto the floor without warning. The Amazons are starting to bond and neither is tame. They are allowed out of their cages anytime anyone is home, but other than getting a handout and being talked to, they'd rather be left alone. The Quaker's cage is next to the couch and she gets tons of attention in the evening when the boys watch TV. She's my hubby's bird and she hangs on her cage door and gets talked to and rubbed while he watches his shows.

As far as care, I chop up veggies and mix up their fresh food/sprout dishes before work in the morning and give them their nutriberries. After work, they get another feeding and get their cages cleaned and fresh water. I've got it down to where I can do all my birdie chores in less than twenty minutes in the evening.

We have four kids at home, two dogs, three cats, three fish tanks, a koi pond, wild bird feeders, and the five companion birds and my hubby and I both work full-time (though I do get lots of time off as a teacher) and somehow it all works. It might be harder if I were lucky enough to have a cuddly bird and maybe mine would be tamer if I had more free time to work with them, but everyone's happy and healthy and that's all I can ask right now. I definitely would like to add one more (that cuddle bird), but that will have to wait until the right bird comes along.

Julie Riley

[Sashagirl]

Out of the 18 FIDS I have 7 of them don't want human interaction.They have each other though.
Sometimes that is the way some birds prefer it.Some of the ones that need the one on one get it on a daily basis.I don't have any children and I am a stay at home animal mom.My husband helps out as much as he can.We haven't had a vacation in over 3 years but that's okay sometimes you must make sacrifices for the things you love.

[catschair]

Most of my birds are small, and don't interact with me much. Even my tiels are pretty "wild" -- much as they love to talk to me and interact, they are perfectly happy playing in their enormous cage with each other. I made a conscious decision to keep them that way because my life is so busy. The only exception is Magellan. Since she is an IRN, she doesn't really want anyone else of her species, though she is immensely amused by the other fids and their adventures. She does get as much time as I have & has just crossed that funny line from babbling to talking; even folks who don't know her can understand some words and phrases now. My fids are almost all rescues, and when they need more attention than I can give, I have re-homed a few. I would not get a too, zon, or similar "need" bird at this point in my career/life, but love the fids I have!

[Copper]

I've got 6 now. Each one gets an hour of one on one. The tiel picks a shoulder, and the conure takes the one left over for at least 2 hours first thing in the morning. I'm usually doing meals for everyone at that time. The greys are next. Each gets a forearm. They are my 'help' on the computer. We work on games, associations, colors.
The GW probably gets a bit more than the rest because she is with me on public outings to different places. She is my 'teaching' bird for youngsters as well as adults.
The B&G has only been here 2 months. She was never handled. We're still working on stepping up... that's pretty sad, she's 16.
Each one has a very different personality. I not only find individual time for each, but they are also all out of their cages for most the day, only going in when I have to leave the house, or at bed time.
I won't add any more until I feel both macaws are confident in themselves.
Maybe another 3 or 4 years, but not now.
Only the tiel and the conure are serious cuddlers, and they will each take a shoulder in the evenings too. The greys come over when they want in the evenings and if it's cool will snuggle on my lap, and the GW is within a few feet on her stand. The B&G usually is sitting on top of her cage behind the sofa... so we're all together.

[MiniMama]

it actually took me 2 years to add a third bird. The first two are bonded and do everything together, so it was really like adding a second bird. i had lots of fears on how it would go. So how did it go... Great. Really. My third bird was a foster that I ended up 'keeping indefinitely'. What helps is that none of the birds scream when someone else is getting attention. And the third one enjoys watching the other two, and has picked up quite a bit of their habits. So really its no different, because in the end more birds may be more work for us, but more fun for them.

[stepht25]

We have 7 now. 3 "belong" to my oldest daughter (she'll be 13 this Sat.!). Their cages are in her room, she feeds/waters them daily, (I give them fresh foods while she's at school etc.), she cleans their cages and she spends 1 on 1 time with them every day. I do bring them out to the living room during the day some when she's not here. Also - the tiels share a cage - so they have each other. The other 4 birds are "mine." I'm a stay at home mom - so here a lot. The birds are out of their cages most of the day. They have play stations by their cages they can get to - I change toys often and keep foraging toys available to them to keep them occupied. The birds hang out with me off and on through out the day. The conures are my cuddliest and most demanding of my attention. But I can usually have them both on me at the same time. Kirby is content to ride around on my shoulder as I'm doing some of the housework. He also shares my dinner with me every night. Ziggy is our newest member and he's still adjusting to everything here. I handle him 5-6 times a day for 10-15 minutes at a time to interact with him. Also-my husband and the kids do interact some with the birds - mostly giving them treats and talking to them.

As far as cleaning goes - I clean all cages thoroughly on the weekends. I put in several layers of newspapers in the trays - so every day - I just take out the top layer and there's fresh newspaper underneath. I try to be good about wiping down grates, playgym trays and areas around the food bowls 1-2x a day, to make cleaning easier on the weekends.

For feeding - all cage bowls are changed out right before bed time. My husband usually helps me with this chore. He brings in all the bowls, I wash them, he refills the water dishes - and I refill the food bowls and hubby puts them back in. For fresh/cooked foods. I just make a large batch (usually on the weekends) put enough for a serving for each bird into 1 sandwich baggie and put them in the freezer. Then every night I take out what I need for the next day out and put in the fridge to thaw.

I am officially at my limit. We have 3 kids, the 7 birds, 4 dogs and 3 cats.

[CrazyforCockatiels]

Monica~ I enjoyed reading about your fids' diverse personalities. It's amazing; they really are feathered kids. In families with more than one child, each child has his/her own distinct personality, and I also believe that if there is a child who is more reserved, there will be a child who is just the opposite to balance the dynamics. I guess it's like that with the fids as well.

What is it with Charlie that causes your allergies? How is he different from the other fids? Does he shed more feathers or dander or...?

Raddaughter~ I agree; we try to give the fids a lot of time outside of their cages, either on their play perch or on us or wherever they choose to sit. Roosevelt is more apt to fly and we're not sure we're going to keep him flighted- too many pictures framed in glass, too many windows.

When you do take Echo (you'd said to the school room- I take it you're an educator?) out, how do you transport him to and fro?

As far as giving Percy and Roo individual attention, it won't happen as they both have to be in sight of each other all of the time. They're bonded very strongly. So, perhaps one more bird would be like getting a second bird since Percy and Roo are almost a single entity!

JRiley~Are you going to pursue taming your Amazons or leave them wild?
You and I have similar regimens regarding feeding and cleaning. I do the same- chop up veggies and throw a few nutriberries or cherry blossom snacks into the veggie mix and give them perch time while I get my son ready for school. Then, when I return home, I let them out again until around four or so when I put them back in their cages, bathe them and clean the cages, providing another seed/pellet mixture and fresh water. They then go into their clean cages after their baths and have dinner with us around five-thirty or six.

You do have a menagerie there!

Marcia D~ With respect to vacations, I imagine it would be difficult to board all of your birds unless you had someone come in to tend to them while you were away.

Catschair~I am interested in your IRN. We saw some the other day and my husband fell in love with one of them but this was the same day we saw the sun conure so we vetoed the IRN as well. Also, we'd done a bit of reading up on the IRN's and thought that perhaps he/she wouldn't be too happy with other birds around but you said Magellan is "immensely amused by the other fids and their adventures" so....

Copper~That is amazing- the intelligence of greys. That is commendable, also, that you have a teaching bird to show people the joy of birds and bird ownership. People just don't know until they have some one on one time with a bird.

You are lucky your 'tiels are "serious cuddlers." Percy was until Roosevelt came along and now all they do is cuddle with each other, which is preferable to having one bird cuddle with me and both birds not get along. Still, I think I'm making headway with Percy and Roo and helping them learn to love scritches.

MiniMama~ I agree with you; I think if we were to get another bird, it would be like getting a second bird since Percy and Roosevelt are so bonded to each other. It is nice to know your third bird adjusted well and you adjusted well to the situation.

Stepht25~ Happy early Birthday to your daughter! When she goes off to college, will she take "her" fids?

Do your 'tiels enjoy foraging toys, and, if yes, what kinds of foraging toys do you get for them?

I love how you wrote, "I am officially at my limit...3 kids, the 7 birds, 4 dogs and 3 cats."

Everyone who is living happily with more than one or two birds is an inspiration to me. Perhaps one of these days, we'll add a third bird to the mix.

Thanks so much for everyone's take on this topic. It was all of great interest to read.

[raddaughter]

Originally Posted by CrazyforCockatiels

Raddaughter~ I agree; we try to give the fids a lot of time outside of their cages, either on their play perch or on us or wherever they choose to sit. Roosevelt is more apt to fly and we're not sure we're going to keep him flighted- too many pictures framed in glass, too many windows.

When you do take Echo (you'd said to the school room- I take it you're an educator?) out, how do you transport him to and fro?

Even if I can't be holding them, I still try to let them be out and about. Their cage doors are open during the day (like now). I always feel bad, even though their rooms are nice and roomy, putting them up. They like to be out, climbing in and out of their cages and onto the play perches next to their cages. It just gives them time out to flap their wings and climb around without being behind bars or getting into trouble.

Yes and no, lol. I home school myself (gives me tons more time with the fids). I love it, and Echo seems to enjoy 'helping' me. Fortunatly, I get five minute breaks inbetween 'classes' to check up on the fids and here But, it's fun for me. Can't wait- two more weeks and I get to do a biology course on Aves looking forward to that!

[cbalvino]

well lets see with 56 of them..... sometimes i don't know how we do it!! actually I'm pretty scheduled and organized,they get brkfast and fresh water,food checked and my sennie gets his window perch time and my grey hangs out of his cage and boing rope,eve. everyone gets cooked dinner,fresh food water,and cage cleaning and everyone who can come out comes out,mostly my 2 quakers,GC, sennie and grey my budgies are in a huge flight cage,parrotlet LB,blind meyers jenday all are caged and either too scared or aggresive to come out but my tiels are free flight so they sit land preen while i work,my nanday is out sitting with his buddy the jenday all day,so it works! we do go away and have either oldest daughter at the house and or paid house,dog(2) bird sitter we budget it in with vacation

[stepht25]

Originally Posted by CrazyforCockatiels

Stepht25~ Happy early Birthday to your daughter! When she goes off to college, will she take "her" fids?

Do your 'tiels enjoy foraging toys, and, if yes, what kinds of foraging toys do you get for them?

Thanks! As for her taking the fids with her when she goes to college. I suppose we'll mostly have to wait and see. Her current dream is to go to college here in our town. They have a good equestrian program. She's not sure exactly what she wants to do yet - but she wants it to involve horses - we'll see. If she did go to that college - she would probably still live here at home. If she ends up going somewhere else - I guess it will depend on where she lives, whether the birds would be allowed to live there also - and whether or not she had the time to still take care of them. Skittles is the main 1 I would worry about if Emily moved out and couldn't take the birds with her. Skittles is very bonded to her. Peanut, the male tiel, is also bonded to Emily (every morning when I go to wake Emily up - he climbs down to the bottom of the cage, running back and forth, wings slightly raised, calling to Emily, "step up, step up, good boy!" and making kissy noises at her.) But he would probably adjust a little faster as he has Sydney.

The tiels do enjoy some foraging. Mostly things like a treat wrapped in a piece of paper or a small cardboard box with treats inside of it. (they have those small boxes of different cereals at the store - we just save the boxes and use them after the kids eat the cereal)