Should I get her a partner...?

[Geo]

I wanted some opinions on this. I want to know if Pookie would be happier with a partner? She would have someone to play with and so on when Im not around.

Im going to take her to the avian vet to see how she's doing and to ask about her feathers which are not all blue like most of the B&G and are fairly black in some parts.

What type of macaw can be her best companion?

[LissaKokoKiwiKaseySam]

The best partner for your baby BG is YOU. There is no need to provide her with a 'friend' as long as you are able to see to her needs. Many people successfully own birds while holding down a full time job...You've only had her since November, right? What's wrong? Why do you think she's unhappy or lonely?

[Geo]

Oh I do not think she's unhappy at all, I know she loves me and I love her but I am out of the house for hours and she's alone. She has her toys and all to play but I was just wondering.

[LissaKokoKiwiKaseySam]

If you're going to be out of the house for a time, you can leave a radio on, or set it to go off at a certain time each day. Childrens programming on TV is also a good way to stimulate her and keep her company...

[Alyce Johnson]

I've heard that you don't necessarily lose the bonded relationship or the "pet potential" of your bird when you get it a friend. I'd want to get her a same sex friend, though, so as to avoid obstetrical difficulties. (Which can be pretty extreme, including fatal to your bird! ) I have 3 GC conures, all girls, and they're just delightful to watch them play together. I know there's someone else on here who has a pair of macaws raised together who play together all the time too - and have stayed good pets as well. (Search for a thread called something to the effect of "how greenwings evolve into bats" - it has some really cute pics.) That's someone who can tell you directly what it's like to raise 2 macaws together.

I think birds are intensely social - JMO - and I think they really benefit, psychologically, from having other bird pals. Also, I think it tends to reduce the likelihood that they will chose the human as their mate, and makes it a bit more likely (hopefully anyway) that they will see the human as "just" another flock member. You may want to only let them play together, as opposed to caging them together, though, since putting them in the same cage can lead to them being too bonded (even if they *are* the same sex) and getting aggressive with you. JMHO

[Lori L]

The woman I've gotten my birds from believes in pairing up all her birds when possible. I think that they are fine either way. If they've never shared their human with another bird then they don't know what they are missing right?

[LissaKokoKiwiKaseySam]

This is where it can get complicated....

Nancy has 4 macaws, well 6 if you count Eenie and Chi Chi, but figure on two boys, two girls..all BGs.. The girls get along with themselves, Dreamie is fine by himself, but pair him up with Sailor and it's every woman for herself..She's got the scars to prove it. The more birds you have, the more flock mentality takes over, leaving Parronts like us pretty much in the dust..they'll play with us, but it's much more fun to play with all those long pretty tails!

I have 4 DIFFERENT birds, Sammy and Kasey have been 'paired' up for many years...It wasn't until Sammy took a chunk out of Kasey's beak for the last time that I finally separated them...And Sammy's the smaller of the two..they're now living the single life in their own cages, but interact daily. I think the relationship that I have with my 4 is very different from the relationship that Nancy has with hers. Each bird still gets their own daily time however..in that we are the same.

Getting another bird a 'friend' has to be for the right reasons, and yep, they need to be selfish ones.. YOU have to be willing to accept being full time caregiver for another dependant soul. If YOU want another bird for YOU, then a friend for your other bird is simply a bonus..you run the risk of the birds either getting along famously, or hating the ground one walks on. A gal with a pair of Greys..almost the same age... Ziggy would like nothing more than to take a piece out of Bubba if given the chance. Lynn had to find Roscoe her harlequin a new home because he was so bonded to her other macaw that SHE was wounded more than once. It was simply too dangerous for her to keep the two of them any longer. Winged Victory on the other hand, has had fabulous luck in keeping multiple birds, and even in the same cages.. But I can assure you that Gary is NOT the norm.. He has a very spacious home and his birds have lots of 'out' time during the day... I may move in!

[Geo]

Wow! Very good info. THanks a lot. I guess I will wait on it. I've always wanted a Hyacinth and will get one for me in the near future so I guess I'll just hold up for that.

I do leave the tv on for her, usually music channels or video channels though!

[Macawlvr]

Originally Posted by Alyce Johnson

I know there's someone else on here who has a pair of macaws raised together who play together all the time too - and have stayed good pets as well. (Search for a thread called something to the effect of "how greenwings evolve into bats" - it has some really cute pics.) That's someone who can tell you directly what it's like to raise 2 macaws together.

Sorry to chime in so late...
Just my opinion...for whatever that's worth ...I agree with all the points made by everyone...all are valid and to be taken into careful consideration before jumpng into a life long commitment. You can easily see from what was said that the experiances with the differant birds with differant personalities in differant situations can have so many differant results. And "you" play a critical role in how that scenario plays out.
After saying all that..."my personal preferance"...is to raise two of them together so they have a playmate. Again..."just my personal preferance"...the younger you put them together, the better...if that is what you choose to do.
I can't begin to put into words the immense joy I have gotten out of seeing them play together.

Each person has to weight all the variables before making that lifelong commitment...not only for themselves, but for their birds also.

Seeya............................................. ................ James

[Gabriel]

I don't have two macaws together but I have personal experience of a bond between my conure and lovebird.

Its really very touching for us to see them together 24 hrs a day, cross -species; cross the pacific ocean (one originating from S. America, one originating from Africa) coming together and bonding like this.

It just shows how social parrots are capable of and whose quality make they superb human companions.

so yeah...I'm for having companions between parrots instead of solitary birds, of the appropriate size and specie for each other without unintended breeding complications.

Given the chance, I would pair my flock up by size.

Now, only Manju and Bodhi forms a pair.

Tara unfortunately lost her bonded lovebird friend, lovey when the little active guy decided to ran away from home.