African grey and finch

[Milos]

Hi, does somebody have an experience with keeping a zebra finch and African grey together? We have got an African grey and thinking about a company. Our parrot has got his own room, the finch would have a separate cage, just not sure if it will work ...

[liz]

welcome to the forum.

WOW that is a strange combination since they have very little in common. A finch could be company for another bird but you will never be able to have them out of cage together.

[ParrotsForLife]

Yeah true a finch is way smaller than a Grey and could get hurt.

[Pajarita]

Well, one thing is that zebra finches don't do well on their own. They need to be in flock and that means 3 pairs. I had put the old father (Poppa Smurf because he was all plucked and bald) with one of his sons and his wife and the son and the other two pairs together thinking that, this way, poor Yagga (he has only one leg) would have a better chance with the hen but Junior (the son put with the father as a third wheel) started plucking himself but, once I put them all together in the same cage, he stopped.

The other is that the finch will not really be company to the gray. I mean, it will be good for the gray to have something alive and moving to look at but it will not really mean anything in terms of company. I even hesitate to recommend another parrot as, in my personal experience (I've had 6 grays under my care), grays are VERY hard to get to bond with another bird - they would much rather be with their humans than with another bird. I've had two grays (one CAG and one TAG) for the last 10 years or so and they don't even eat together!

[ParrotsForLife]

Well, one thing is that zebra finches don't do well on their own. They need to be in flock and that means 3 pairs. I had put the old father (Poppa Smurf because he was all plucked and bald) with one of his sons and his wife and the son and the other two pairs together thinking that, this way, poor Yagga (he has only one leg) would have a better chance with the hen but Junior (the son put with the father as a third wheel) started plucking himself but, once I put them all together in the same cage, he stopped.

The other is that the finch will not really be company to the gray. I mean, it will be good for the gray to have something alive and moving to look at but it will not really mean anything in terms of company. I even hesitate to recommend another parrot as, in my personal experience (I've had 6 grays under my care), grays are VERY hard to get to bond with another bird - they would much rather be with their humans than with another bird. I've had two grays (one CAG and one TAG) for the last 10 years or so and they don't even eat together!

When we brought Tiko to the pet store to get her nails filed we brought her over to Coco the African grey and they liked each other, Tiko also has a African grey friend next door named Bruno.Other than that she prefers my Mam than any other birds and I have read some greys wont even bond to another grey.

[Milos]

Thank you all, maybe will be better not to bring any other bird to him. What about a mini pig?

[Wolf]

A pig would eat the bird if it got the chance to do so, not a good idea.

[ParrotsForLife]

A pig would eat the bird if it got the chance to do so, not a good idea.

Really? Pigs eat other animals

[liz]

They call it "pigging out" for a reason. Pigs eat anything. They love vegetable and fruit but can also be aggressive and make another critter part of their food intake.
Paj is right that they do not need another bird but even if you had a hamster in an aquarium beside him it would be enrichment.
I am constantly on the look out for my birdies enrichment.
( I put up a squirrel feeder outside the dogs yard just so they will have something new to watch and bark at).

[Wolf]

Yes, pigs are omnivores and eat just about everything including meat. most domesticated pigs are fed a vegetarian type of diet, mostly because we, also omnivores, eat them. But in their natural environment birds are on the menu any time they can get them.