I want another bird

[GreenWing]

I have my sights set on getting an African Grey at the bird shop where I bought Tiki. <3 (I'd like to take in a rescued Grey but there aren't any in my area). I told the avian vet that I would like a Grey; she said a Grey would be ideal as Senegals can be bullies.

My spouse is opposed to another bird; he says our house already sounds like Hawaii (lol), but I think another bird would be good for Tiki. Tiki is very spoiled, and another bird would allow a balance, as well as provide additional companionship for her.

How do I convince my husband to adopt another bird? Would another cage be needed, or can an African Grey and Senegal share a cage?

[Michael]

My spouse is opposed to another bird; he says our house already sounds like Hawaii (lol), but I think another bird would be good for Tiki. Tiki is very spoiled, and another bird would allow a balance, as well as provide additional companionship for her.

Well in this case you'll be glad to know that you don't have to convince your husband or shell out anymore money because another bird would be bad for Tiki. Senegals are usually "one person birds" and don't like any other parrots in the household so you'd be doing the opposite of a favor for her by getting another. So don't get another bird and just spend time playing and training with her. Problem solved

[Pomlover2586]

My hubby was opposed to a second bird as well.....until she came home and now he's all about Zazu baby girl I think the idea of additional noise etc is worse than the reality.

I was also told don't get a second bird....original bird will hate new bird etc etc.......within 30 seconds they were preening each other and trying to feed one another. They have had a few small spats trying to work out hierarchy- but nothing where intense screams were involved or blood.

I say it can't hurt to try....each bird is different and Tiki may surprise you and love the new bird. I would advise you to be prepared to make time for two birds- two out of cage times, training times etc in case Tiki does not take to the newcomer.

@ Michael- Wondering why do you even own a Senegal when you seem to hate the species? All I ever see you post about Sennies is negative negative negative. Why own one if you dislike the species so much?

[ginger]

Now just hold on a minute! The species might have some quirks, but I really, seriously doubt that there is so much negativism on here that you actually believe that Michael hates the species. C'mon!

I have 8, yes 8, Senegals and I do rehabilitation with them. If you do NOT have experience with Senegals then please don't give advice to somebody based on your experience with other species. Senegals have wonderful, sweet personalities. But, they are very much a one person type of bird. And, they also do NOT want ANY other parrots around. It is a rare occasion that you will find a Senegal getting along with another Senegal let alone getting along with another species. So, Michael is absolutely right here. Do NOT get another bird or you are certainly asking for trouble. Unless you have the means to house them separately, and in most cases, have the birds out one at a time in separate rooms, without lots of experience with Senegals and proper training you will only have heartache. I would advise strongly against it.

Senegals are so often misunderstood and they end up being re-homed again, and again. Don't let your little guy end up being in that situation. Enjoy the time you have with the sweet bird that you took on as your responsibility as a parrot owner and give it the absolute best life you can. Training is crucial to have an excellent relationship with a Senegal. There are so many helpful videos that are available to you through Michael. Use them and learn how to teach your bird to be an excellent companion. It will make a world of difference.

[GreenWing]

Michael, noooooo wrong answer! Lol! (I was hoping you'd say, "Sure! Get another bird! It's worked for Kili!" )

I've heard that Senegals can be one-person birds, but the avian vet told me they aren't. She said that IF I get another bird, to get a larger bird.

Tiki is slightly more bonded to me than my husband, but she loves him, too; preens and cuddles him as well. When he comes home from work, she flies at him because she is happy to see him. She is friendly with other family members who also handle her. She has never acted out negatively to any stranger holding her. She is only weird when it comes to food -- very possessive of food and will lash out at it when she wants it.

Michael, you have another bird other than Kili, right? Do your birds get along? And if so, can it work out for Tiki and a Grey, too? I agree that Senegals are intermediate birds because they're so intelligent, but Tiki isn't an aggressive bird (so far, anyway; she hasn't gone through sexual maturity yet). She is a baby, is it better to get another bird while she is a baby, so she can grow with it?

Senegals are so often misunderstood and they end up being re-homed again, and again. Don't let your little guy end up being in that situation. Enjoy the time you have with the sweet bird that you took on as your responsibility as a parrot owner and give it the absolute best life you can. Training is crucial to have an excellent relationship with a Senegal. There are so many helpful videos that are available to you through Michael. Use them and learn how to teach your bird to be an excellent companion. It will make a world of difference.

I appreciate the response, and I know you mean well, but do not worry: I will never, ever give Tiki up. Before I owned Tiki, I had a pigeon that I personally rescued, and believe me, pigeons are challenging and stubborn. The pigeon return to the wild after he healed in my care, and I missed him terribly even though I did a good thing. I could never abandon an animal or bird no matter the circumstance.
I have watched Michael's videos and I still do. Michael's videos help tremendously. BUT regarding my initial question, I have been told an entirely different response to owning another bird that is contrary to your statement, by a bird expert AND an avian vet. So, I'm a little confused and unsure, as I should be, soI'm looking into it further (hence why I'm asking you all).

[Eurycerus]

I've heard that Senegals can be one-person birds, but the avian vet told me they aren't. She said that IF I get another bird, to get a larger bird.

Tiki is slightly more bonded to me than my husband, but she loves him, too; preens and cuddles him as well. When he comes home from work, she flies at him because she is happy to see him. She is friendly with other family members who also handle her. She has never acted out negatively to any stranger holding her. She is only weird when it comes to food -- very possessive of food and will lash out at it when she wants it.

I also want you to really think about the fact that she's still a baby and has not reached sexual maturity. Babies act very differently and much friendlier. Please consider that. Why do you want another parrot? A single parrot is very demanding! ^_^ Just think of every possibility. Think of the worst case scenario and then proceed with caution. I'm really referring to her interaction with others. If you suddenly are splitting the time with her and another parrot and then she goes through sexual maturity on top of that! It could be really difficult.

My Senegal is a good girl but is very protective of me and her food and water bowl. She supposedly was good with others before I got her but I strongly doubt it. Adults are different! Aren't you different than when you were a little toddler?

She did live with a Pionus before me but apparently was pretty territorial. Didn't damage him but did fend him off. Not friendly

[GreenWing]

I also want you to really think about the fact that she's still a baby and has not reached sexual maturity. Babies act very differently and much friendlier. Please consider that. Why do you want another parrot? A single parrot is very demanding! ^_^ Just think of every possibility. Think of the worst case scenario and then proceed with caution.

My Senegal is a good girl but is very protective of me and her food and water bowl. She supposedly was good with others before I got her but I strongly doubt it. Adults are different! Aren't you different than when you were a little toddler?

Thanks for the reply, I was hoping you'd chime in... such passionate responses, though!

Most parrot owners, including those who own Senegals on this board, own more than one bird. So why is it so unusual that I'd like another bird, too? Keep in mind nothing is set in stone at this point.

Tiki has her cranky moments, sure, but she really isn't that much of a handful. She is not aggressive and I know what to expect when she hits sexual maturity, and if I handle it right, her challenging behavior during sexual maturity will be temporary, only a phase.

[Eurycerus]

I'm questioning because I want to know! I honestly may at some point want another parrot but not until Nika is 100% solid. I need her fully socialized, harness trained, and safe with people and preferably some parrot interaction time too before I would consider getting another parrot. I love Pionus parrots they are so great and I am extremely interested in them but I couldn't bare to put another parrot in danger of my beastie. I legitimately want to know why I and others wants an additional parrot? How does one even make it work? So that's basically why I commented.

Although I think African Greys are great (and read books and questioned whether I wanted one), I am concerned about the idea of getting one because of their high need for attention, even higher than a Senegal! Nika and others seem to do okay with people working for eight hours and then some quality time. No plucking (crosses fingers) or other self destructive behavior granted you provide toys and amusement (a window and music in my case). I would probably spiral into depression if my parrot began self destructive behavior because I have to work and live my life. I feel a very strong responsibility for anything that I choose to do in my life, whether it's as small as house sitting some house plants or as big as having a parrot that lives 70 years that you will have to care for for the rest of your life. Honestly a parrot is a greater responsibility than your own spawn to some degree. :]

P.S. I saw the most depressing Criagslist ad with a cockatoo that is digging a hole into her chest and the lady is giving her up in my area. I wish that I had a place in my life to deal with damage parrots. This is honestly not even related to the comment but I had to write this little tale somewhere. :/

[Michael]

You started out by saying that you want another bird but later you explained that the reason is to serve as a companion for your Senegal. This is why I said forget it. It's much more likely that the Senegal does not get along with the other bird than that it does (even if it's another Senegal). It's not that it can't happen but it is so unlikely, that it's not a prudent move that is only based on a hopeful exception.

I do not hate Senegals. Quite the contrary. I love them and have a pretty good understanding of them. This is why I understand that they are not good with other birds. This does not make me hate them or think that they are bad birds, it's just something to accept about them. I make a big deal about these things because no one told me any of this when I got mine and later I had to just learn to live with it. I did not make a well thought through and balanced decision about getting a Senegal because most of this information was non-existent.

I got a Cape Parrot because I wanted a bigger kind of parrot for me. I wanted the challenge of working with a smarter and never clipped parrot. This was something I decided to do strictly for me and was not meant to serve as any sort of benefit for my Senegal. If it would, that would have been nice but it was not at all expected. From the start it was planned for them to live in separate cages and have out of cage time together or separately as needed. I was prepared that the birds might be so impossible to have out together that I would only be able to have one out at a time and alternate their times out.

The reason I chose to go with something bigger was because I was warned that my Senegal would try to bully a newer bird. Sure enough she does. Truman is 3 times her weight and yet he is terrified of her and she is the one that goes after him. She knocks him off of perches, steals his food, and pretty much has the run of the house. She has bit him and made him bleed many times before he learned to keep his distance.

A Cape Parrot and Senegal combination or a Grey Parrot/Senegal combination is merely plausible but by no means a "good match." It is plausible because the other parrot is so much bigger that the damage the Senegal can do is proportionately less harmful. It gives a fleeting chance that they could be equal where the bigger birds size compensates for the Senegal's greater aggression. Most of the time, this is not the case. My Senegal bullies my Cape, Pchela's Senegal bullies her Jardine's and Grey, Ginger's Senegals terrorize her Grey, and Mona has problems of Senegals going after Greys as well. This is a very big problem not only because the Senegal keeps attacking the other bird but also because if the bigger bird fights back, it could do major damage to the Senegal. The Senegal is an instigator so it is difficult to manage aside from complete separation.

If your Senegal hasn't even reached maturity, you're in for a whole new bird anyway! No need to get another bird to feel like you got the experience of another bird. Really. You have so much work still ahead of you and so little time with this one, that right now is definitely not the time to add another. If you want to reopen these thoughts later (after the bird has matured, been trained, socialized, etc), it's a legitimate discussion. But I think you'd be in way over your head to be working with a new parrot while this one is still going through the more difficult stages.

Also, I wouldn't give much weight to what the Avian Vet said. Most of them are only good for analyzing test results and little else. Forget about knowing the idiosyncrasies of specific species. I'm not saying it's impossible to make it work, but it definitely is no cakewalk. A grey in itself would be a lot more work and problems than a Senegal and then add the Senegal trying to find every opportunity to attack it and you're in for a real nightmare. There have been several discussions about this lately and I suggest you read them entirely because many great points and stories have been made:

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=8704
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=8716
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=8532
http://flyingparrotsinside.com/flyingpa ... iting.html

[GreenWing]

I'm questioning because I want to know! I honestly may at some point want another parrot but not until Nika is 100% solid. I need her fully socialized, harness trained, and safe with people and preferably some parrot interaction time too before I would consider getting another parrot. I love Pionus parrots they are so great and I am extremely interested in them but I couldn't bare to put another parrot in danger of my beastie. I legitimately want to know why I and others wants an additional parrot? How does one even make it work? So that's basically why I commented.

Although I think African Greys are great (and read books and questioned whether I wanted one), I am concerned about the idea of getting one because of their high need for attention, even higher than a Senegal! Nika and others seem to do okay with people working for eight hours and then some quality time. No plucking (crosses fingers) or other self destructive behavior granted you provide toys and amusement (a window and music in my case). I would probably spiral into depression if my parrot began self destructive behavior because I have to work and live my life. I feel a very strong responsibility for anything that I choose to do in my life, whether it's as small as house sitting some house plants or as big as having a parrot that lives 70 years that you will have to care for for the rest of your life. Honestly a parrot is a greater responsibility than your own spawn to some degree. :]

P.S. I saw the most depressing Criagslist ad with a cockatoo that is digging a hole into her chest and the lady is giving her up in my area. I wish that I had a place in my life to deal with damage parrots. This is honestly not even related to the comment but I had to write this little tale somewhere. :/

You do bring up some excellent points, thank you. My heart also bleeds for the birds that need rescuing, hence, the pigeon I rescued and returned to the wild. But I would hate to bring a bird into my home, and have the situation be disastrous -- especially for Tiki.
I work from home currently (an artist and soapmaker) and I spend a lot of time with Tiki. There's room in my home and heart for another bird... but I just need to be sure it can work. Maybe I should wait for Tiki to go through her hormonal changes before I really consider it.