Multi-Bird Homes...How do you do it??

[lwis]

I see so many people who live with several birds. I would like to know about everyone's experiences sharing their home with more than one bird.
I have one, and down the road may like to get an other, but I find that ours takes up so much of our attention, I don't know how well it would work with two...never mind more than two. Some people have several more than two birds and many of them seem pretty well adjusted. How does everyone do it?
Do the birds get along? Do they keep each other company for more of the day, allowing less direct time to be spent with each bird separately? How about different species and sizes of birds cohabitating? I am just very curious, as it seems that so many bird owner have multiple birds.

Thanks a bunch!

[pennyandrocky]

hello,i have a greencheek too, he's a great bird but it's so much easier to have at least 2 even though mya my new cockatoo wants nothing to do with him he is n love with her and is wearing her down. i got mya because penny ,who i got as a companion for my bluefront who died one year ago today, was driving me crazy he wanted to be on my shoulder 12hrs a day,he was biting everyone that came too close to me.now that we have mya he's calmer,less demaning, and devides his day between mya and i so i can spend time with my human family without them being attacked. all animals can get along in the same house as long as you supervise and only get involved if you fear injury.

[lwis]

Thanks for the response.
So the size difference between the two birds you have now (sorry about your loss of Penny) is not an issue?

[pennyandrocky]

thank you i still miss him. no size is not an issue, if you want a companion someday just stay with the birds that live in flocks.

[liz]

The thing is - you have one baby in your home are you ready for another baby?

[lwis]

I don't think I am ready for another just yet. I am finishing school soon and will likely be moving somewhere that I am hoping call home for a while, so I think I will wait till I am at a relatively more stable place in my life.
There are a few adult birds at the place I volunteer that are trying to be rehomed. I have made some great progress with some of them and have formed some amazing bonds. Many of them have been there for quite a while, and if any of them are still there when I am in that more stable place (I really hope they find homes before then though, as it will be another year or so), I may take one home with me.
Until then, I have my little guy to spoil, and I am gaining lots of experience working with the other birds a few times a week.

[nagelsan]

i have several birds, comepletely different kinds, all came in due to circumstances.
a umbrella cockatoo, an african grey, an eclectus and a senegal.
i keep them downstairs on one tree, but at some days i find it is not do-able, so i take them out two at a time, depending on their behaviour.
my eclectus and my senegal tend to want more attention from the others, making them want to leave the tree, because they dont want to.
my grey and too are both very easy, i think i can put ten of them on one tree, they will leave each other and give them space, while my senegal is now doing this better and better to.
my eclectus is an other story, he is just 1 1/2 years old and wants to chase the other ones, because he is jealous.
so i try it at first and when he behaves, he gets some extra attention ore something, when he doesnt he goes back in to the cage and i will take him out later on.
its a bit difficult at some days, but most days i find them just taking their own spot on the tree and play, talk or just sit there.
my grey and eclectus do talk to each other, wich i find very funny, because the eclectus has a high voice and my grey will copy that.

so, i just have to see everyday wich way is the best, sometimes i just take two out for a while, take them upstairs and take the other ones out.
at other days they are all downstairs at the same time.
my too wants to be brought back to his cage earlier than my grey, but my grey sometimes doesnt want to come downstairs and i will get him later on.
its just looking at everybodys caracter.

[liz]

I have 2 lovies who are bonded brothers and love each other.
I have 6 tiels in a flock who interact together. The lovies will join the tiel flock when they are all out of cage.
Myrtle likes the little birds. Rambo does not like them because he can't fly and they buzz around him. I have to seperate Rambo when the flock is out.
Rambo is like a 6 year old brother to Myrtle equivalent to a 2 year old sister. She pesters him until he get angry and makes her leave him alone. It is a constant "Myrtle leave Rambo alone" in this house. Hopefully she will be out of her "terrible twos" soon and they will play together more. Myrtle loves Rambo. Rambo is just holding his own right now but he does not like being without her. When they are together playing they do a "da da" talk to each other.

[Michael]

I have two. They like me, hate each other. So the biggest challenge is having them not hurt each other. Kili was well trained and adapted by the time I got Truman so it didn't take much to maintain that while training Truman. She can get jealous so I need to be careful. Truman's main defense is that he's bigger. Kili would have destroyed a smaller parrot. Also both are flighted and Truman is a better flier so ultimately he can outfly her to safety. When it comes to training, sometimes I train them one at a time and sometimes together. It works well both ways so it depends on circumstances. It's efficient having two similar parrots cause they can use the same food, toys, cleaning supplies, etc. This is one aspect where I save money and it only costs a little more to have the second parrot rather than twice more. If they aren't fighting/chasing each other when they are both out, it's pretty manageable.

[nagelsan]

My senegal would bite my other parrots too, but she is easing up now.
She doesnt hate them, just wants to show that, eventhough she isnt as big as they are, she is still boss.
She is the joungest one, but the others will walk away from her when needed.
Since i have the eclectus, wich is for little more then a month now, he is terrorising the others, so i have to watch.
Think it is jealousy.
Depends on his mood, most days are fine, some arent.....