Second bird?

[Alehner529]

Here is a picture of my sun conure, Mango (and my husband). I have had her for a little over a year, and she is 2.5 years old. She is my only bird. I toy around with thoughts of getting a second bird, mainly to keep her company. She gets loads of attention and love from us, but she came from a home with multiple other birds and I cant help but wonder if she misses avian company. A second bird would likely be a different type of conure. Any thoughts on this?

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[Laurasea]

A bunch of us have multiple birds and are happy with that. But you never know how things will work out, abd adding a bird can really increase the noise level in a previous quiet bird. When one of my GCC passed leaving me with only Ta-dah I wanted her to have a friend, and I wanted a quaker, it worked out great, then I got my three rescues and that was complicated.. Penny and Ta-dah don't get along very well, but I make it work.. Your zSun is gorgeous!!!!

 

[Owlet]

I suggest not getting a 2nd bird unless YOU want a second bird. It's very much possible that the two birds won't even get along and now you have two birds that need equal and lots of attention individually.

 

[Sunnyclover]

I wondered the same thing g and pulled the trigger on a second bird when my Ollie (also a SC) had been with us about a year. I ended up getting a rather difficult 2nd bird (Nanday Conure) and wow...it was tough. Now it's 2 years later and I have different birds who are different types of Conures. I don't regret a thing. The Nanday and Sun are now buds and call each other if they can't see each other... it's cute. They don't preen each other or anything but they definitely keep each other company even though they're in different cages. Both of them still love me and my husband to bits!

 

[Jen5200]

Mango is adorable!

My opinion would be - the more the merrier . I love having multiple conures! I guess my recommendation would totally depend on what your expectations are. As stated above, there are no guarantees that they’ll get along. As long as you are prepared to house them separately and supervise out of cage time and give separate attention....all good! I have 4 conures and a cockatiel...and I love them all to bits. 2 conures love each other, the rest of my flock don’t like other birds. I never had any expectations that they’d all be friends, so we’re absolutely fine with things the way they are. I believe that they keep each other company when we’re not home (separate cages but all in the same room so they can interact). Mine are all out in the evening together and everything is good as long as everyone respects each others’ space. We have multiple play stands and perches so that they can all be with us and not have to share space with each other. 4 of 5 are flighted (5th is almost flighted) so they follow us around the house and decide where they want to be - so having multiple perch points available works very well for us.

 

[EllenD]

The more the merrier...BUT ONLY if YOU want the second bird for yourselves, and not for Mango...It's very simple: You have no idea if any bird that you bring home will even be able to be in the same room with Mango or vice versa, so often people who buy a bird as a "friend" for the bird they already have end up with two birds that hate each other, attack each other, can't be near each other, etc., and then you have two birds...And your time with Mango, which right now is quite plentiful apparently, gets split in half because you have to spend just as much time with the other bird...So you trying to get Mango a friend turns into a bad thing all the way around...And especially with a bird who has had you all to himself for over a year, they tend to become extremely jealous and territorial whenever a new bird is brought home.

So, if you are truly only wanting another bird as a "friend" for Mango and that's it, then NO, don't do it. If you want another bird for you and your husband to spend time with, then great, do it. But be prepared before-hand to have to house them separately, keep them in separate rooms, etc. just in case.

***Something a lot of people don't realize is that bird/parrots are "flock animals"...you have been Mango's "flock" for almost 2 years, he is happy and healthy. So he doesn't need "a friend" at all as long as you guys are spending that much time with him every day....just make sure you're aware that while your intent to "get him a friend" is very good, it may very well end-up actually taking time that you spend with Mango away from him and serving to do the exact opposite...or it may be fine and they'll love each other and get along..that's the point, you can't ever know, and that's why it has to be a new bird for YOU, not Mango...Mango is very happy with his current flock...