A new friend for my CGCC?

[Diashi]

Hi All,
I have a sweet, two-year-old cinnamon green cheek named, "Aloha!"

I have been able to be a stay-at-home bird mom for the first two years of his life (lucky us)! But I will be returning to work soon. I am so worried about his loneliness factor during the day.

I have been contemplating getting another bird to keep him company while I'm gone. Yes, I have read/heard that this can go horribly wrong and they could end up hating each other.
That's why I need help. Can anyone recommend a species that a cinnamon green cheek is likely to get along with, or learn to love?

Short of getting a human nanny for my bird, I can't think of any other way to combat loneliness during the day.

Please help! Thanks!

 

[veimar]

It's always a guess play... When I was afraid my conure would get lonely I started looking, and someone offered me a lovebird. When I came to pick her up the lady gave me two budgie babies for free as well. Luckily they all get along well, but guess who is Parry's best friend? A budgie!! They are inseparable - the budgie runs after him like a puppy, preens him, regurgitates at him, and they cuddle all the time. The funniest thing is that they are both male and there is no any mating behavior involved.

 

[CFellows]

I have often wondered if our Sunny would be happier with a bird friend around, but have not been able to find the bird that feels right for our home yet. I think we will end up with another bird but I dont know when or what kind. I am interested to see how it goes for you. Good luck!

 

[Conurecountry]

Have you considered getting another Green Cheek? They typically get along and bond fairly quickly. Problems could occur but I have personally only seen on one occasion of a Green Cheek not getting along with another Green Cheek and I really believe he thought he was human and not a bird. After quarantine I would keep them in separate cages and let them adjust to each other before housing them together. Gradually let them out to check each other out and bond a little outside the cages. Once you see they are getting along then you can put them in one cage. Just monitor them.

 

[Diashi]

Conurecountry, Those were my thought exactly. We were looking into getting another cinnamon or a pineapple conure. However, then we became concerned about possible mating. We don't want anyone to start laying eggs!
I don't know, I am having some serious second thought about the whole thing. I am torn completely in two.
On one hand, I don't want my bird to be alone. On the other hand, I don't want to just double our trouble - meaning exposing two birds to lonliness instead of just one.

Does anyone have experience socializing an established "only bird" with a new friend for reasons of loneliness? Did it work?

Ideas on what I should do? Someone told me it would be more humane of me to put him up for adoption if I cannot be home with him. Ouch, that hurt....but are they right?

:/

 

[angels123]

i have always believed a bird should not be alone my cbc was acting depressed then i got cooper a black headed conure what a difference even if they don't like each other al least he has someone that he can talk to i love my birds so much but if i had no other human to talk to i can't even imagine

 

[Dinosrawr]

Every bird is different. Some do absolutely phenomenal being an only bird and become even more stressed out if a second bird is added. Others are great candidates for having companionship. It's really a coin flip if you've never seen your bird interact with other birds before. I knew my GCC would do well with a second bird because friends of mine have two conures and we had birdy play dates. Avery desperately wanted to preen and be preened, but the two were much too bonded with one another.

That being said, be wary of buying a bird for your bird. If YOU don't want it, then there's a possibility you'll regret the decision to double your work. That's extra feeding, extra cleaning, and extra vetting you now have to consider for a bird that your conure may not even like. I added Shiko, my IRN, into my flock after doing a lot of researching and debating. I added him first because I love ringnecks, and second because I knew Avery would like the company... but unfortunately Shiko is a bully and will attack Avery if jealousy becomes an issue - something else to consider.

Both of my birds are well bonded to my boyfriend and I, but I've been a victim of displacement biting from my conure and my conure has been subject to attack by my ringneck all due to jealousy. Avery is no longer a shoulder bird as a result. This doesn't mean they can't be out together, however, but this means I have to take extra time to train each of my birds individually each day. So that one-on-one quality time that ranges from 1-4 hours (and I mean quality, not out of cage time) now doubles because of your second bird.

I would never rehome a bird simply because some stranger who doesn't know your bird told you to. I think Shiko and Avery benefit from the talking to one another they have throughout the day as I'm gone, even though they don't get along. Whether you get another bird or not is your choice, and you need to consider what makes you AND your bird happy, not just one or the other.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[veimar]

I bought 3 extra birds *for* Parry and never a second regretted it! I love them all so much! Of course I had nothing against having more fids, but seeing Parry trying to run after every bird outside and screaming to them for attention just broke my heart, and I decided he needed to have feathered company. He is still very loving with me and my hubby, but definitely very happy with his friends.