GCCs with other birds?

[SilverSage]

I have never owned a Green Cheek or any other kind of conure, though I have owned many small parrots including Quakers. The lady who is giving me my new Green Cheek Conure says, and I quote "They are such little sweethearts until there is another bird out and then they turn into tiny little pitbulls! It doesn't matter how many are out or where, they just do not like the other birds, but they get along just great with other green cheeks." In your experience has this been true, or do you have green cheeks who welcome your birds of other species?

 

[Birdman666]

Very much "depends on the bird, how they were raised, and how well they were socialized." Usually they will get along with other conures.

 

[Nakiska]

Well, yes...in part...she's correct...they CAN turn into little pitbulls! Hahahahaha!

Our conure, Franklin was hand raised, super sweet, love him to pieces. We also have 4 cockatiels and every evening we'd let all the cockatiels out for their "foraging/play" time. Franklin had been properly quarantined and it was time to see how he'd do, socially. Well, all our cockatiels were out, snacking on their treats, playing with their sticks and balls...PLENTY of distractions for Franklin.

We put him down with the tiels....they looked at him, questioningly...what the heck is that??? He looked at them....tiels went back to their own fun...and Franklin decided to "properly" introduce himself and ducked his head, puffed up his feathers and took off charging one of our tiels...they ALL freaked out! What the heck!!!

It took some time. We were VERY and I mean VERY consistent in how we handled it. We'd let him down with the tiels...of course after the first "introduction" they kept a wide berth of that weird looking mean bird.

When Franklin started to charge....we'd immediately block him with either our hand, book, paper...what ever and tell him in a firm tone..."Nooo...Be Nice." If we didn't catch him soon enough and he got face to face and start a "fight" then we'd have to grab him and tell him "no, be nice" And then redirect his attention.

If he was persistent at charging, even after being redirected a few times in a row, we'd put him in his cage and allow the tiels to remain out for "play time." All the cages were in the same room and in sight of the play area. So Franklin could watch, but could not join.

He actually learned rather quickly that if he was to be out with his "Friends" he had to be nice.

Believe it or not....2 years later...my tiels are still a wee bit wary of Franklin, but there has been no altercations since he learned to "be nice" HE wants to give kisses and share treats and preen, but my tiels pretty much won't have anything to do with him. It's soo funny!

If you get a chance, please watch the little video clip "Cockatiels Rule" under my name...you can see Franklin and our tiels in a cute short slideshow video story I put together.

So in a nut shell..yes...conures can be "pitbulls"...but they can learn to be LESS of a bully.

Toni

 

[SilverSage]

YOUR COCKATIEL TALKS! wow, ok. I watched your videos, very cute, but I have NEVER heard a tiel talk before! Only whistle. Correct me if I am wrong but I head things like "Hi Chicken Little, such a pretty bird, are you a good boy? Whatcha doin?" Am I imagining it? My husband says they are just bird noises, but man they sounded like talking to me!

 

[Nakiska]

YOUR COCKATIEL TALKS! wow, ok. I watched your videos, very cute, but I have NEVER heard a tiel talk before! Only whistle. Correct me if I am wrong but I head things like "Hi Chicken Little, such a pretty bird, are you a good boy? Whatcha doin?" Am I imagining it? My husband says they are just bird noises, but man they sounded like talking to me!

LOLOL!! YES!! Both my male cockatiels talk...and very well too!

Cockatiels are rather under rated these days - in my opinion. Over the years I've been owned by 3 male tiels and each of them have talked. It's been my experience that a male tiel will more than likely pick up words/phrases and talk if you talk to him. Just be consistent.

The highlights of Chicken Little's vocabulary consists of:

Chicken Little
Hello Chicken Little
What'cha doin?
Him a good boy?
Such a pretty bird
I love you (followed with a kiss)
Gimme a Kiss (followed with several kisses)

When we got Charlie...I taught Chicken little to say:

Hello Charlie...so it would be like he was carrying on a conversation with Charlie.

Charlie was 3 years old when we rescued him, from a terribly abusive and neglectful home. He didn't know anything but caught on quick! He learned everything Chicken Little said with his own twist...of he refuses to say Sucha Pretty Bird....he only says....

Sucha Pretty...he also says...Kiss Kiss Kiss....followed with kisses...and he says...what's up Charlie?

Both of them will whistle "if your happy and you know it clap your hands," Charlie is a bit more accurate with it and they "cluck" for the "clap"

And of course both of them wolf whistle.

If ask for a kiss by either saying...gimme a kiss...or to Charlie...Kiss Kiss Kiss...he will make the kissing sound.

I LOVE our boys! They are awesome!

Thanks for watching the videos

Toni

 

[SilverSage]

So sweet! I miss my tiels! I never had any do anything more interesting that wolf whistles and puppy cries, but I had one who would go CRAZY if I was up past 9:30, even if the cage was covered. I was a teenager and at first my mom would think I was whistling back to encourage him because it was so constant, but he was just informing me that it was past his bed time and I was keeping him up

 

[crimson]

She may be saying that based on her own experiences/knowledge.
In time I think all birds can get along, they may not love each other but can coincide peacefully, on a case by case basis
some birds flatly refuse to get along, and will charge/attack or bite the other bird no matter what.
Senegals are an excellent example of not co-operating when around other birds, but can be taught to tolerate other birds.

I have 2 conures here along with my 2 lovebirds, 5 cockatiels, and 1 senegal. Believe it or not my Senegal hated my lovebirds, my lovebirds hated my conures, and my conures hated my cockatiels, lol.
Now I have peace, and everyone gets along, so much so I don't worry about anyone getting bit any longer, it just takes time and patience.

 

[Akraya]

Misha will not tolerate any other birds, if they turn their back on him he'll spring at them and rip feathers out. But Guapo is very friendly to other birds (unless they touch his tail, then he gets cranky).
Compared to how Nimbus my alex gets on with other birds, gcc aren't other bird birds

 

[MonicaMc]

I have a female cockatiel that can whistle. Wish she learned it from me but I can't whistle worth squat! LOL


Green cheeks can get along with other species. They have hybridizied with black capped conures, maroon bellied conures, maybe crimson bellied conures, sun conures, nandays, dusky's, and maybe even a patagonian... of the species I can think of off the top of my head.

But it's also true that they might not get along with other birds! It really depends on the birds themselves.



I know that both of my current conures [currently] don't get along with each other nor do they get along with any of my other birds. Of course, all my other birds get along just fine, to a lesser or greater degree!

 

[SilverSage]

Thanks guys! I am getting the little guy regardless, and have had birds before who hated each other and some learned not to, I am just really new to the GCC's, and to be honest, most of my bird experience in the past was pretty "fly by the seat of my pants" because I was young and afraid that if I asked for help, people would say I was too young to have birds. That was silly of course, but I have a lot of back learning to do now!

 

[MonicaMc]

Sad that you felt that way.

I've been a bird owner since I was 12 years old and have been a sponge for information since then! I enjoy learning about them and figuring out any potential behavioralx problems in my birds.


I've seen some amazing young owners! Including some on this forum!