Adding another Caique Questions, and more questions

I am very happy to be owned by a wonderful male WBC. My fid is Rocco, he is 7 years old now. Rocco came into my life when he was still young. He was over a year old, almost 2 i think but I dont know exactly. When I adopted Rocco, he had already been in 2 previous home that could not manage his needs. I think they were not prepared for what these guys are like.

Anyway, he brings me such joy, companionship and pleasure. He just always makes me smile, even when he is being a little brat. The whole jeckyl and hyde thing that these guys have about them.

For the last severl years i had to fortune of taking Rocco with me to work each day to a retail place where he had the chance to interact with anyone who wanted to that he wanted to... which was almost everyone. There are very few people he gave the evil eye to over the years. Outside of that, at home, he is with me or not locked in his cage most of the time. I have to lock him in there when he is not supervised because he's like a toddler and I dont trust him to not hurt himself. He goes on outings with us ect.

About a year and a half ago with the way the economy has been i had to change jobs. Rocco is still picked up from my house everyday and goes to the retail job i once worked at full time during the day. I pick him up at night. Right around the same time I started the job, he started over preeneing kinda thining his flight feathers. I dont know if this was a result or just co incidence. His schedule didnt change and I didnt hold him and play with him while at work all day... I was working after all hahahhaa..

Anyway, my new job if 45 mins from my house and I am looking to move closer to work. I have an 11 year old son and dont like being so far from him considering now that shortly he will be in middle school and the after school program is done. Meaning he will be home from school alone for some part of the day. Being 45 mins away or more if traffic is not a nice feeling...

But, moving closer to work means Rocco would not be picked up every day as he has been. I hate the thought of leaving him home alone, and also, I would really love to add another caique to my flock.

So... I want to get another bird for our family. What is my best option to add another bird. I would think female based on research. How old? mature or a baby?

So far, I have introduced him to a female listed on craigs list needing a new home. I got Rocco third hand and wanted to again offer a home to a bird in need.

When I introduced Rocco to a nearly 3 year old female last week, he initially wanted to attack. But after a cpl hours he seemed more curios and was trying to explore her more. But I think his initial response to her scared her and then she turned on him, so as he was getting curious she wanted to attack him, i am sure it was in defensive mode because of the way he initially acted to her....
Would caging them in the same room, then side by side, either a baby or adult female allow them to get to know eachother safely and then over time, possibly be able to get along?

I dont have the desire to cage them together or expect things to go well right from the start. I am willing to take the time and patiently introduce them and allow the time needed for them to get to know each other.

I would just like to not start WWIII in my house adn offer companionship to Rocco should it come to me leaving him during the day to work. And, again I really want another one.

Any feedback is appreciated!

Thanks!

You truly are a exemplary parront to Rocco! WOW!

I'm sorry to hear he started overpreening. Does he have any foraging toys and/or activity centers? Do you rotate toys regularly?

Adding a second Caique is certainly doable. They are such social rolly-polies. I agree with putting the cages side by side. Since Rocco is a mature male, perhaps adding another male would be a good idea, to prevent his hormones from going through the roof? I'm only taking a guess here, as I've never had 2 Caiques, and don't know a thing about their breeding ritual.

And BRAVO for trying to get a rehomed Caique, for giving one a second chance a life!

Rocco has more toys and cages that he can occupy or play with LOL. I have 3 large caique size cages, none of which he spends much time in, but either way there are various toys in each. He has one main cage he sleeps in, when not curled up with us in our bed... I swear he is like a toddler. He comes into bed with us, crawls under the covers and goes to sleep.. we cuddle him there for awhile and then return him to his cage where he sleeps in a hammock. (He is so spoiled! but I cant help it, love him.) He has a large cage at my retail location and a good size one near the glass door... He likes to watch traffic. ( maybe he thinks he is a cat or a dog ??) There is a play stand there too

At home he has an outside cage, one on the enclosed porch to look out side and the sleep/ home cage I mentioned above.

His over preening isn't bad and you cant see it till he opens his wings at all... I think its hormonal.