Looking for another bird... Is it madness? :P

[kishisaint]

Help! I have 3 sweet wonderful birds, a GCC, a black capped, and a budgie. Budgie is 6, so older but no signs of aging, he's still as fiesty as ever. The Conures are 4, they were hand raised together and live together (I wasn't going to get the GCC except they were already bonded and I couldn't bear to part them). They get along well with the budgie, and he's often found on their cage or they on his.

Anyway, recently I've gotten baby fever. You know, when you start looking around "just to see" and before you know it you've spent 5 hours looking into birds and you really need to sleep? I mean, every item of clothing I own has been pooped on, and I've already got all the special cooking pans, sprouting trays, lair filters, robot mops, separate room and full house length screened porch... So yeah.

I'm specifically wanting to know what species tend to do well with Conures, and if there is specific advice for bringing babies into a house with adult birds.

We are looking at parrotlet's, kakariki, lovebirds and more conures. No large birds. Looking for not more noisy than the GCC (so no aratinga, although my GCC is LOUD when she wants to be so we don't have crazy no sound expectations) and my husband is in love with the look of lutino kakariki. Sadly we don't have anyone near us in MO that breeds them, so I haven't been able to find out if anyone has experience with them and conures. I'm also wondering if they are a dusty bird, as I'm very allergic to those (current birds don't cause problems if I don't sniff them, they are on my shoulder much of the day with no wheezing on my part, but I go into a store with a cockatoo and grab my inhaler). I know they are NZ birds, but nothing I've found really talks about how they do in a mixed flock or if they are dusty.

Overall I'm just wanting to make sure I don't just get more birds for the novelty factor, I want to be sure they are a good fit for the whole family. I know there's no guarantee with any individual bird, but I want to have as good a chance as possible.

Finally, if you have read this far (and thank you!) am I being selfish? My birds are in my (home) office and all get all day attention, the total square footage of the space they are in is actually more than the single wide I grew up in, not even counting the screen porch, so I know they will have lots of room and socialization healthy food and such. Part of me really really wants a turquoise or lutino bird, something more colorful than the GCC or black cap green with accent. But pretty doesn't last, personality does, so I'll take a bland looking bird that is good for the flock over the prettiest diva that can't get along with my babies.

I'm also willing to accept no for an answer, if a new bird is likely to ruin the dynamic with my current conures.

Thanks for any advice!

 

[chris-md]

I don’t think no is really an answer for you. We always say “get another bird if you have room in your heart, home, and wallet for another bird”. You’ve got the right mentality here for an addition should you so desire.

Pretty much any pyrrhura conure would work for you (crimson bellied, painted, blue cheeked, etc). Quakers, kakarikis.

But I feel inspired to suggest something completely different from what you currently have, if only to probe your interest (and I’ll be honest, the half bottle of Chardonnay and three killians May contribute to my wide swing here): have you thought about a flight of finches or canaries? Or button quail?

Point being you’ve got the conures, you’ve got the budgie. You’re covered with parrots. Swinging way out of the box here, just to get some juices going.

Also “good with conures” is a misnomer. All birds are individuals, you won’t find one species that “tends to be good” with conures specifically. That’s the wrong point to try to make.

 

[kishisaint]

I hadn't thought about canary or quail... Now I'm off to do more research! Thank you.

And yeah, it has to the the right birds. They don't all get along any more than any 2 people get along. I've just been crazy lucky with my 3 so far.

I forgot to say one reason we are looking farther afield is because we do NOT want to be breeders, and I know it's more common if you get similar species.