Just picked up my 2 caiques

[Mikecup]

I just picked up my 2 white bellied male caiques (brothers) from a local breeder. I have had them now for just over a week. They were born Jan 25th and Jan 29th. They are eating pellets of course. I have a few concerns, I know they are in a new environment, and starting to get familiar with me and there new home. But what I have noticed so far and I hope it will change is that they can't be separated, seems like they have no use for me. I know it's early, but has anyone purchased 2 siblings with no problems. I let them out daily and they are very active. But if I pick one up and pet his head the other will start screaming and the one I am holding will start screaming back. I hope they will get over this, or I may have to sell one.

[Pajarita]

Welcome to the forum. Parrots are highly social animals, they are born, live and die always surrounded by the same large extended family. It's the way nature made them and, for them to be really happy and healthy, they need to have other parrots around. You are VERY lucky that you were able to acquire two clutch siblings, I wish each of my birds had a bonded companion, it enriches their lives in ways that we, humans, can never hope to achieve.

You can establish an excellent relationship with both your birds, it will take time and effort but you would have to put the same time and effort with a single bird so I really don't see what the problem is... You are now a complete stranger to them (it takes months for a bird to trust a human 100% and bond and you've had them for just a few days) so of course they are going to want to stick together when you separate them! As far as parrots go, there is safety in numbers and in the familiar... they have been together since birth while they don't know you from Adam so their reaction is perfectly understandable. And yours are babies and that makes them more insecure. Parrots are not dogs, they are not programmed by nature to like, love or obey us, we have to earn their love with patience, consistency and love.

[Mikecup]

Thanks they will definitely get a lot of my time, I luv the little guys. I have names for them but my issue is I can't tell them apart. I was thinking about coloring one of there leg bands with some kind of marker, maybe a sharpie, but I'm not sure if it would be safe.

[Pajarita]

You can put a dot of a contrasting color on top of one of their heads (food coloring is perfectly safe).