introducing a new bird to an old african grey

[John_Woodside]

I know I'm getting ahead of myself now, I dont even have my grey yet. But the more I visit birds the more I want more than one, so I want to know if people have had trouble introducing a new parrot to an existing grey

[Ophee]

I've only minor experience dealing with a Grey but based on experience with a few other breeds just introduce them slowly. If you are at all unsure of how they will get along never allow both birds to sit on your shoulders at the same time. Never introduce them around or on the cages, they can be very possessive of the cages.

I had my 7 year old Grey for about 6 months when my girl got a Sun Conure who is about 10 months old. We started out holding them in the same room and after a few weeks I held both of them on either hand and very slowly brought them within reach of eachother but ready to separate them instantly. I repeated this several times a day over a period of 2 weeks until I was sure the grey wouldn't hurt the Conure nor the Conure provoke the Grey. I still don't allow them to play on the same surface but given that my Grey was abused I'm not willing to risk her accidentally or purposfuly injuring or killing the Conure.

Knowing your bird's personality will help a lot in determining how he/she may or may not react. Better safe than sorry though! Animal/Animal interactions can't be safely determined via Animal/Human interaction.

Good luck!

[BaxtersMom]

After you get your first bird and then you get another. The second bird will need to be quarantined about 4-6 weeks away from the first bird to ensure they can not transmit any diseases. They will know there is another bird in the house so by the time they meet close up they may already be a little familar with one another. Some birds will get along with eachother and some birds won't. I have some that are buddies and then I have one that tries to attack another one. You never know if they will get along or fight.

[danmcq]

The others gave great and accurate advice.

It's all SLOW going and supervision at all times. You never know if they will put up with one another or not.

My Grey and Conure put up with each other at a distance. Sometimes they are like the keystone stone cops flying around, dive bombing, screaming etc.

I do have to watch them at all times though and have had to break them a part before someone lost a head or a talon. That little conure has the heart of a lion and has gotten to where he will not back down and fly away..... :-)

[BaxtersMom]

You are so right about the conure Dan. Mine has the heart of a lion, too. He gets along with my grey but the our Amazon he hates he can't stand and will dive bomb him and flog him with his wings. He fights with all his might and we have to separate them asap. My conure is the smallest we have and our amazon is the biggest but he beats him up everytime he gets the chance. {Feel-bad-00020080}<br><br>Post edited by: BaxtersMom, at: 2009/03/31 21:22