Am I creating enemies with introduction process

Hi all,

wondering if ya'll could help me out. I have a 5 year old Quaker parrot, and just adopted a 7 year old Nanday parrot. I'd love these two to get along, so far seperately they are both amazing birds with me. We finished Una's (nanday) 30 day quarantine and 3 days ago have put her and Uptown's (Quaker) cages together so they could get to know one another. While in Quarantine they often chattered back and forth to one another - very cute - with Uptown trying hard to imitate Una's sound. Uptown is not a caged parrot she only sleeps in a cage the rest of the time she is free to go anywhere in my apartment. Putting her in a cage for this introduction process has been a bit stressful for her I think, as she's not used to being in one. She climbs all over it (seemingly agitated) and just repeatedly calls. So I let her out of her cage and kept Una in a cage. Uptown (the quaker) immedately flew to Una's cage and perched right on top. She follows Una around the cage (on the outside) and they have gotten into maybe two sword fights with their beaks. Nothing too aggressive, but they weren't kisses Mostly Uptown just sits up on Una's cage watching her eat and play. Sometimes when Una eats, Uptown will go eat as well, and sometimes when Una plays with her toys, Uptown will go get a stick and will "pretend" she's playing too.

My questions/concerns are should I not let Uptown out and on Una's cage while Una is in there? Am I unknowingly giving Una a complex, by allowing Uptown to run over her cage while she's stuck inside? Am I setting the ground for Uptown or Una to be an agressor? I also don't want to change Uptown's program too much as I don't want her to resent Una as the reason for the changes in her schedule ... I want to do everything I can so that these two can potentially be friends...right now it seems like I'm just annoying uptown trying to keep her off Una's cage and in one herself. Una for her part is really easy going she just sits in her cage and eats, plays or looks around. I often feel bad that she doesn't get as much out of cage time as Uptown, but it's only been 3 days since they've been together so many things will change...

sorry for the long post, any thoughts ya'll have or suggestions would be MOST appreciated!
thank you
Kai

Welcome to the forum Kai! You are very in tune with your birds! Are they both fully flighted? If so it will take some extra work to get them use to each other with out causing upset. If they are clipped, I would separate their cages, maybe across the room so that they can come out at the same time. By allowing Uptown on Una's cage it may cause some aggression on both parts. That is Una's home and she should feel safe inside or out of it. Likewise with Uptowns cage. It may be best to take them away from their cages on separate playstands so they feel safe and do feel as if they have to protect their territory. There is no guarantee that they will ever accept each other physically, but they will get enjoyment from talking with each other. If they ever physically meet you will have to be on alert at all times till they learn to trust each other.

Thank you, Greycloud!

that is good advice. Uptown is fully flighted and Una has been lightly clipped by her former owners, she flies but not well. Think I should keep her clipped? I adopted Una mainly because my schedule changed. Going back to graduate school and working so I'm out of the house more. The thought of leaving Uptown completely alone (my longest day is 9 hours once a week) was so stressful for me. I'd find myself rushing home, feeling bad when I had to leave...etc, so I adopted Una. The worst case scenario I hope to create a situation where they will give one another some company and enjoyment and at best come to love each other. I've only had them in separate cages together for 5 days, is it normal for them to show some mild aggression. Right now they had a bit of a screaming match (mainly caused by Uptowns yelling showing upset for being put in a cage) and now they are both preening away

All the best
Kai