Adding a second bird

[bazie]

I have a caique and have had him for a yr. My husband and I both adore him and I have been thinking about getting a second parrot. Not one as a friend because i understand they might not get along.
My husband us disabled and i am his caregiver so neither of us work and have lots of time for our current bird. Most days hes out of his cage more than he is in. How would having another bird affect this?? I worry we couldnt give them both enough time? I know alot of u on this board have 5,6 and 7 birds... how do u do it?

[Emmilyy]

I think you would ajust to having another bird in the house, it sounds like you'll have lots of time to spend with both of them! I would just give them both equal attention, and who knows? maybe they'd end up liking each other!

[chapala]

I think a second bird would work out nicely. You probably would have to give them separate out times - I think I've heard that Caiques can be a bit aggressive with other birds and don't recognize they are small birds. Is your bird flighted? If not flighted, then the two could be out together on stands, or their cages because your Caique couldn't get to the other bird.

[bazie]

Thanks i just want to make the right choice for us. And decide on the right bird. Any recommendations? I was thinking about either a small cockatoo, grey or amazon, ekkie?
As much as i love tookie hes a very quite bird. I would love to wake up with happy chatter in the morning.

[Emmilyy]

I think amazons are great, i love em! and i've always liked Greys, too. But i think that you should look around and read about the different species and their personalities, and see which bird would be a good fit for you and your husband.. Are you hoping that any bird you do get might someday get alomg with your Tookie? I don't know much about caiques, and its not guaranteed that any two birds will get along, but maybe if you get another caique there'll be more of a possibility that Tookie will get along with the new addition? If you dont really care if they every get along, you should choose whichever bird you like and think will fit with your lifestyle. Good luck. :)

[bazie]

from what ive heard caiques are quite aggressive to other birds. In general. So im not going to count on tookie liking a new bird. I just cant make up my mind if we should get another or not? Im really happy with tookie and i dont want to mess that up but ....

[chapala]

Amazons and Greys are very different in personality, both can be wonderful birds. If you consider an Amazon, be sure to look at the more mellow species, such as Green-cheeked (aka Mexican Red-head), Red-lored, and Lilac-crowned. I don't have experience with Orange-winged, but have heard they also are nice birds. The Spectacled (aka White-fronted) makes a good pet, but they do have a high-pitched screech that would be hard for some (like me!) to live with. If you want a Grey, both the Timneh and Congo Greys make good pets and most talk well.

For any young weaned bird, you'll want to look for a good breeder who practices abundance weaning and socializes the babies well. It makes a difference in how well adjusted they turn out to be.

[bazie]

Love the amazons but not sure about the loundness factor.
Not that im asking for alot lol...but I would like a bird with a bit more noise than my tookie. But I defiently dont want a bird thats going to make such a racquet that it hurts our ears! You know that nice noise they make in the mornings when there all content and happy for a new day and kinda just make nice sounds and babble ........ I also would like a talker, as Tookie is not a vocal guy. Is that realistic?? I think that the more talkative a bird is the louder it screams?
Love the size of the goffins, and the snuggle factor but I really dont know much about them personality wise except they are demanding.
Any ideas on a good bird??

[Eliza]

Originally Posted by bazie

As much as i love tookie hes a very quite bird. I would love to wake up with happy chatter in the morning.

Be careful what you wish for

Adding a second parrot to a household is something that requires a lot of home. I think that in most cases, all goes well but it never hurts to be prepared. Be sure to ask yourself if you can handle the additional expense (not just for the new parrot but an additional cage, playstands, veterinary care, toy budget, etc.), the additional level of care (time spent with parrot #1 while spending time with parrot #2) and the possibility of the two parrots not getting along (can you handle having seperate playtimes if need be, etc.).

I've been told that caiques can be aggressive towards other species, even moreso when they are the first bird in the home. I don't think that this is a hard and fast rule, of course but something that you might want to take into consideration.

I've heard that caiques can be rather aggressive towards other species of parrots. That's not a hard and fast rule, nor does it mean that you must remain a single-caique household. To that end, have you thought about getting another caique? If you have a white-bellied, for example, why not get a black-head?

Best of luck -- I know how tough this is! I'd love to get a second parrot but every time I start to go forward with that, I'm hit with a wave of "what-ifs" and second thoughts. For the time being, it's just me and Pickle. When the time is right, I'll know.

[Rahni]

Lorys and lorikeets may get along with caiques (or it could be total warfare too). They seem to have similar personality and behavioural traits (both are exceptionally playful and love a bit of rough and tumble).
Both are renouned for not getting along with 'normal' (as in not-so-hyper-and-over-the-top) parrots. I think there could be a good chance of a lory or lorikeet getting along well with your caique.
But of course, the downfall of lorys are their liquid poop and specialised diet. So it would be up to you if you are prepared for the extra mess factor. They also tend to have very shrill voices, though not all are noisy, it depends on the species and the individual. They can make good talkers (in particular the larger lories, e.g chattering, black cap)