New bird

[Hawkinszoo]

I've had a cockatiel for about 20 years, about a month ago, I found a conure outside. I ended up keeping the conure, my question is, can I let the 2 bird's out of their cages, at the same time, to have free time, in their room

 

[jdlehman76]

Can they currently see each other in their respective cages? If so how do they act towards each other?

 

[Kiwibird]

Welcome. Did you try to locate the conures owner? He/she could be a beloved and dearly missed pet!

If you did try to find the owner and couldn't, I'd say the next step before introducing them would be to have the conure examined by your avian vet. Disease spreads easily amongst birds, your old guy probably isn't as strong to fight off infection anymore and a bird of unknown background is always a risk. Once you're certain the conure is disease-free, I would suggest placing them in the same room so they can see each other from inside their cages, see how they react and go from there.

 

[Hawkinszoo]

I tried finding owner, nobody answered. The 2 bird's r currently right next to each other, in separate cages. There doesn't seem to b any loud screeching or anything at each other. Would they b making a lot of noise at each other, if they were mad

 

[jdlehman76]

If they were going to be territorial or aggressive towards each other then you would most likely see some signs of this when they were still in their cages. I would take KIWI's advice and take the new bird to an Avian vet to make sure it is healthy before doing anything to introduce the birds together.

 

[Scott]

Welcome to the forum, and thanks for providing a new home for the conure. Kudos for having searched for a potentially saddened prior owner.

Many of us quarantine a new bird for at least 30 days, even if deemed apparently healthy by an avian veterinarian.

 

[Brittany741]

Definitely agree with the 30-day quarantine.

Introducing birds should be a slow process, step by step. Once quarantine and avian checks have been completed, allow them to see each other. Then you can allow them out of their cages on separate play stands or separate perches. Do this for a few weeks.

The conure is likely a much larger and stronger bird than your cockatiel. His advanced age and smaller size puts him at risk for stress, which can cause heart issues in an elderly bird. Watch for panting or any signs of stress. If this occurs, immediately remove him from the situation. Sitting quietly in a dimly lit room for an hour can help calm him down.

If there are still no signs of aggression or stress, then you can begin moving them closer and closer. Again, patience is your friend here. They very well may bond and become close friends, but a slow pace is the best way to introduce them.


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