New addition to the flock

[Polarn]

About five years ago when I was visiting my parents I heard a squeaking sound from the chickens house so I went outside to check it out. Inside up in a corner I found a little cockatiel, I then tried to find the owner but without luck. And at that time I was in no means able to be home as much as required to keep the little fellow, however I found him a home with one of my neighbours who has been caring for him(or her) since and for some reason they had gotten a budgie as well for him not to be alone, why they didn't get another cockatiel I can't really understand. However they had asked me becouse their children après toy didn't like the birds anymore and they couldn't have them outside the cage unless in one of the bedrooms so they haven't been out for over a year... Anyways when they asked me if I could see is I knew anyone who could give them a good home I asked them to bring them to the vet for a full exam. They then got to move in downstairs here but again couldn't be out there due to loads of traffic in and out that apartment and cats.

However yesterday I rearranged here at home moved around bedrooms etc and figured since I moved Polarns cage into another room it might be good to introduce the new birds (I ended up adopting them myself, I think, if this works out. Unspecified age and gender is not the optimal for finding new homes) anyways I had Polarn out and he perched on the back of a chair next to their cage and started flirting with the little budgie. After a while I put Polarn back and let the other two out. And they went right to Polarns cage (the budgie eventually climbed in through the bars) and showing no signs of aggression from any of the birds I figured I might as well keep both cages open.

Right now I can see them (thought I'd leave a light on in case any of them has to move) perched on the same branch sleeping. Hopefully these three can keep on getting along just fine and the two small ones won't have to move out into another room (I do have another room I can let them fly outside the cage but I don't spend any time in there, more than I would have to start doing so if I moved the birds in there...
Anyways it does look kind of cute when a budgie cuddles up against an amazon, slightly frightening at the same time tho... So far today Polarn is flirting with the budgie, the cockatiel seems fascinated with Polarn and the little budgie seems to follow any of these two around, even tho the cockatiel sometimes hisses her off. Thought they would be sticking together like glue seeing they have lived together for the past four years.
Will make sure to grab a camera one of these days and try get some good shots and perhaps someone might be able to help me specify gender of the little ones, not that it really matters.

[brfussne]

About five years ago when I was visiting my parents I heard a squeaking sound from the chickens house so I went outside to check it out. Inside up in a corner I found a little cockatiel, I then tried to find the owner but without luck. And at that time I was in no means able to be home as much as required to keep the little fellow, however I found him a home with one of my neighbours who has been caring for him(or her) since and for some reason they had gotten a budgie as well for him not to be alone, why they didn't get another cockatiel I can't really understand. However they had asked me becouse their children après toy didn't like the birds anymore and they couldn't have them outside the cage unless in one of the bedrooms so they haven't been out for over a year... Anyways when they asked me if I could see is I knew anyone who could give them a good home I asked them to bring them to the vet for a full exam. They then got to move in downstairs here but again couldn't be out there due to loads of traffic in and out that apartment and cats.

However yesterday I rearranged here at home moved around bedrooms etc and figured since I moved Polarns cage into another room it might be good to introduce the new birds (I ended up adopting them myself, I think, if this works out. Unspecified age and gender is not the optimal for finding new homes) anyways I had Polarn out and he perched on the back of a chair next to their cage and started flirting with the little budgie. After a while I put Polarn back and let the other two out. And they went right to Polarns cage (the budgie eventually climbed in through the bars) and showing no signs of aggression from any of the birds I figured I might as well keep both cages open.

Right now I can see them (thought I'd leave a light on in case any of them has to move) perched on the same branch sleeping. Hopefully these three can keep on getting along just fine and the two small ones won't have to move out into another room (I do have another room I can let them fly outside the cage but I don't spend any time in there, more than I would have to start doing so if I moved the birds in there...
Anyways it does look kind of cute when a budgie cuddles up against an amazon, slightly frightening at the same time tho... So far today Polarn is flirting with the budgie, the cockatiel seems fascinated with Polarn and the little budgie seems to follow any of these two around, even tho the cockatiel sometimes hisses her off. Thought they would be sticking together like glue seeing they have lived together for the past four years.
Will make sure to grab a camera one of these days and try get some good shots and perhaps someone might be able to help me specify gender of the little ones, not that it really matters.

Im not sure if I read this right or not, but you have already introduced the 2 new birds to your own bird??? Not good if you did. You're suppose to quarantine the 2 new birds in a separate room for a month just in case of any sudden illnesses ... If you've already introduced them and Polarn is healthy it's probably okay. Just remember to quarantine any new birds you get to prevent any illnesses getting to your flock.

[GlassOnion]

Yep, please quarantine! Or did you already do the full blood panel/fecals/gram stains?
Also, please please don't let your BFA and your budgie interact. I've heard of MANY stories where the owners thought that an accident would never happen, but it eventually did.

[liz]

I don't agree.
He knew the birds before he got them. They went to the vet before he brought them home. I don't think they need quarentine.
If Polarn took to them right away and the little ones like Polarn there is no reason to keep them seperate. They are already bonding and the little ones are happy to be in your home.

[GlassOnion]

No. I know a handful of people who thought exactly as you did, and their little birds ended up dead or severely injured. You wouldn't let your own child play with a tiger everyday no matter how friendly it seemed. Accidents happen, and people say it won't happen to them until it does.

[Polarn]

I live in a building with two apartments and the new birds were brought to the vet and then to the apartment downstairs for quarantine and yes they had bloodwork done etc. we have a standard protocol exam here that we have to have done in order to bring our birds to courses etc where other birds attend. So I'm sorry but the vet exam plus 4 weeks under observation downstairs I consider good enough. Only thing is I recently decided to adopt them myself rather than having them stuck in quarantine forever.

At the same time tho with bloodwork etc I do bring my birds to meet other birds at free flight days or courses. However these were both checked and quarantined.

[pennyandrocky]

hi, i'm with liz and polarn,i had a bluefront who loved his smaller companions. he had a parakeet friend,then a lorikeet, and my greencheek penny.if he was irritated by penny,who can be a pest,he would growl at him or fly away from him.

[Polarn]

The way i see it their all flighted, and the smaller ones cage the amazon can't get into (had to restrict the entrance too it somewhat) and as mentioned in the first post having only the small ones out didn't quite work to keep them away from Polarn, since his bars are wide enough for the budgie to climb through, therefor i felt it to be a safer solotion to open the door to his cage so that the budgie could fly out of it easily in case polarn got agitated. And I don't beleive the first resort for a parrot would be to kill the other parrot if they get annoyed, but shuv em off, I've found there is one spot Polarn is possessive about and that is his swing, so whenever their on the swing he flies there and I cant even hear him growl but they jump off and perches on the curtainrod right next to him, while ontop of the cages or even on the perches inside the big cage they dont move when he comes there, so im guessing he somehow lets them know the swing is his.

And given the fact that there is plenty of room in here and all of them are flighted I think te odds for something tragic to happen is wery slim, my main concern if they for some reason decide to not get along is the stressfactor rather than a decapitation. Although I hadn't planned on getting such small companions I feel that this serves for their good as well as the constant socialization for Polarn. And comparing a Bird to a tiger... C'mon... a tiger is a predator with an instinct to hunt and kill. I know birds sometime severely hurt each others i na struggle if there is one, but so does dogs. And it isnt too uncommon that people keep smaller dogs together with larger dogs, or bring em to the dogyard where they meet, and a big dog that decides to turn on a little dog barely gives you time to react unless the smaller dog turns around and run. And I know dogs are domesticated animals etc, But seeing I keep an amazon and not a falcon I dont think its natural instinct is to hunt down a smaller bird for dinner. However I do admit there are risks involved if they do get into a fight, but I also think there is a risk that is worth taking, and also something you might be able to prevent by watching their behaviors closely.

And as mentioned I do think the little ones (Bimbo & Pelle) will find it far more enjoyable being let out of their cage, having playstands to play on be allowed to fly to you (when their tame enough, the cockatiel however came landed on the pillow next to me while i was reading earlier today) and beeing in a room where they get the most attention possible seeing i work from here, study from here and sleep in here. Rather than be in another room where I would have to leave them whenever i was studying, working or watching movies etc.... sometimes however I watch movies in the living room if i got company, and eventually they might be able to join me and polarn there as well.

To sum it up, I think as long as their all relaxed preening, eating etc and the smaller birds fly off if Polarn wants to be left alone everything will work out just fine, today Polarn landed next to the cockatiel and the cockatiel hissed and Polarn walked off a few steps... I do think that keeping clipped birds in these combinations or trying to cage them together in a more confined space would produce a lot more trouble tho.

[liz]

Rambo had a cockatiel friend named Erin before I knew him. He still calls Erin. He also had one named Curley that he played with. Other than that Rambo does not like the little birds because they scare him. He can't fly to get away but the tiels can land beside him when he is off guard.

Myrtle seems to like the tiels even if she can't play with them. I can't let them out because of Rambo but one day I left the door open. The baby tiel flew to the living room and landed. Myrtle flew with her. When I caught up Myrtle was sitting beside her.

I could probably leave Myrtle and the tiels together if it wasn't for Rambo.