Bell is a blue male 2 yrs old. Whereas I have enjoyed having this bird and training him to fly to me on command, play hide and seek throughout the house, play fetch, and learn a few colors, the reality is that the "new" has worn off and now I feel like I may not give him enough attention. Being a bird I just think he needs constant stimulation while awake and active.. versus me just ignoring him for a couple hours at a time. When I come home from work I let him out of his cage (if he wasn't left out all day anyway).. then about an hour later I go to the same room with him. I talk to him, play briefly, then get distracted and move on to other things. At this point he's following me around everywhere and I just accept that he's there but we're not really interacting.
So I'm considering getting him a partner.. specifically I want another male (color doesn't matter) I understand that in the right conditions that the females could end up hurting a male and I don't want that. I have no desire to breed birds so there's not need to have a male and a female. Personally I think too many birds go to bad homes and I just don't want to contribute to that.
Anyway.. this thread .. http://www.indianringneck.com/forum/vie ... f=4&t=3770 ... actually has made me second guess getting a companion bird.
What is your experience from transitioning from one bird to two? Am I about to slip into some weird habit of buying birds? Will the current bird lose his people skills?... does he even need a partner?... Are two male indian ringnecks likely to bond and enjoy each others company, thereby alleviating some of my guilt of not giving him constant attention and interaction during my off hours (by off hours I mean about 3 hours a day)
He is home a lone for 12 hours or so a day.. nothing to do.. no one to talk to.. just secluded.
Companion for an established bird, possible
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Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
Gone are the days when l would advocate leaving him out all day because my bird Billie keeps looking for nesting sites, she slept in my Bedroom last night but before she went to bed she made an absdolute beast of herself trying to wriggle into nice looking cubby holes.
Would getting a mate for Bell absolve you from the responsibility of given them enough of your time to them in the hope they would have each other? A bird is for life.
What about another specis a budgie?
Would getting a mate for Bell absolve you from the responsibility of given them enough of your time to them in the hope they would have each other? A bird is for life.
What about another specis a budgie?
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
budgie has been recommended except I don't like how the ringneck lifespan is nearly double that of the budgie. Even under the best conditions the budgie would die early compared to the IRN.
Do you think cross species partnering would be better for some reason?? (There's no question that an IRN is a major handful)
Do you think cross species partnering would be better for some reason?? (There's no question that an IRN is a major handful)
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
Donovan l have no expert knowledge on cross species partnerships it was an idle suggestion as you are absent from Bell for so long would it possible to take Bell with you when you go to work? There is a harness you can buy. Would you have space for an aviary? Are there any friends or relatives or neighbours who could look after Bell duirng the day? I put these question you as rhetorical a consideration on what to do next.
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
I think any social animal should have company of the same or a similar species, especially if their human flock is unable to give them much attention.
I was awfully disappointed that Sapphire didn't like Nila, I wanted a second bird as a friend for him. There's no guarantee that Bell and another bird would get on straight from the start. I did consider getting rid of Sapphire because she was so horrible to Nila. I only kept her because I owed her it after gaining her trust and taming her. I think you do need to want a bird for yourself, otherwise it's really hard to tolerate them when they don't live up to expectations! My boyfriend and I do like Sapphire now and have learnt to accept her the way she is.
Our birds now get on pretty well, most of the time. In hindsight I think a male would've been a good idea!
It would not be advisable to allow an irn and a budgie to share a cage. Irns do kill budgies sometimes.
Both birds still follow us around and want to interact with us. They are hard to work with one on one, as they both want to be involved and bicker over props. Flights are fine as Sapphire is trained to land on my left hand and Nila my right. They are getting better at playing with each other.
Nila still talks non stop. He's learning some new words too, we just can't work out what he's saying yet. Sapphire contact calls for him like crazy (in his contact call) when he is out of sight. They contact call back and forth too.
We still cage them separately, Sapphire is a giant with a huge beak and a short temper! They are fine with each other when they are out of cages, Nila flies ah from her if she gets aggressive.
The cage cleaning isn't that much more work, but the general mess outside of cages is about 4 times as much! Sapphire is destructo-beak, she even demolishes perches. Nila has always been very tidy and will play with a budgie toy for months without breaking it, so he's not very typical.
Foraging can be very time consuming to set up 2 cages. It would be a lot better if they got on and shared a cage!
Good luck making a decision!
I was awfully disappointed that Sapphire didn't like Nila, I wanted a second bird as a friend for him. There's no guarantee that Bell and another bird would get on straight from the start. I did consider getting rid of Sapphire because she was so horrible to Nila. I only kept her because I owed her it after gaining her trust and taming her. I think you do need to want a bird for yourself, otherwise it's really hard to tolerate them when they don't live up to expectations! My boyfriend and I do like Sapphire now and have learnt to accept her the way she is.
Our birds now get on pretty well, most of the time. In hindsight I think a male would've been a good idea!
It would not be advisable to allow an irn and a budgie to share a cage. Irns do kill budgies sometimes.
Both birds still follow us around and want to interact with us. They are hard to work with one on one, as they both want to be involved and bicker over props. Flights are fine as Sapphire is trained to land on my left hand and Nila my right. They are getting better at playing with each other.
Nila still talks non stop. He's learning some new words too, we just can't work out what he's saying yet. Sapphire contact calls for him like crazy (in his contact call) when he is out of sight. They contact call back and forth too.
We still cage them separately, Sapphire is a giant with a huge beak and a short temper! They are fine with each other when they are out of cages, Nila flies ah from her if she gets aggressive.
The cage cleaning isn't that much more work, but the general mess outside of cages is about 4 times as much! Sapphire is destructo-beak, she even demolishes perches. Nila has always been very tidy and will play with a budgie toy for months without breaking it, so he's not very typical.
Foraging can be very time consuming to set up 2 cages. It would be a lot better if they got on and shared a cage!
Good luck making a decision!
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
InTheAir are yours both boys? How long have they been together? do you have problembs with aggression during breeding season?
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
No. Our aggressive one is a female. She is only about 6 months old and we've had her around 3 months.Tyeman wrote:InTheAir are yours both boys? How long have they been together? do you have problembs with aggression during breeding season?
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
My $1.50: I can address the specific idea of getting a Budgie or Canary to keep a Ringneck company. It may surprise a few, but I now recommend *against* it, unless you really, really adore them for now and forever.
I had Canaries already when I brought home my Ringneck, but they were too stressed by being in the same room with him, so they could not be companions. I keep Canaries in a different room, and that's fine as long as the Ringneck doesn't go there. If he does, I have to keep him off their cages for their protection.
I did look diligently for a second IRN or an Alexandrine to be a flock member for Rocky. I'm out of the house about 60 hours a week just for my job. I was not able to find a suitable (to me) second Psittacula after maybe six months of searching, and I was getting pretty dismayed over it. I already loved Budgies, so I brought home a single Budgie at six months after Rocky came to live with me. At nine months I got a second Budgie, and at nineteen months two more. I figured it was OK to put 4 Budgies in the giant cage I had already bought when I was hoping for a second Psittacula, a dream I have about given up on.
At first, I didn't see any great bond between these birds. The first Budgie grew up to be a girl, and seems only a fair-weather friend to other Budgies. The Ringneck, however, fell in love with this Budgie. In recent weeks it seems she has finally decided to entertain the idea of giving him her attention.
Herein lie the Ringneck/Budgie problems.
1) Regardless of his friendly intent, the Ringneck is too large and powerful to really cosy up to a Budgie.
2) The Budgie is a bit nippy as bossy females can be, and there seems at all times a danger she may nip the Ringneck and suffer a retaliatory bite that would be quite damaging, if not fatal.
3) The Ringneck appears now quite willing to attack any of the other three Budgies. I can only assume he is trying to protect his interest in the first.
4) The birds cannot be let out together, due to the potential for harm to the Budgies.
5) The Ringneck must be very closely supervised because he prefers to cling outside the Budgie cage, making goo-goo eyes at his love and lunging at the others.
I find these challenges acceptable because the alternative is to send one faction away.
However, I would be lying if I said this arrangement of always protecting the Budgies was not a giant pain in the butt. It is! I would, though, if the exact situation were to represent itself, still choose to keep Budgies along with the Ringneck over keeping a single and solitary Ringneck. It is quite obvious that my Rocky spends most of his time physically near the Budgie cage. He shuns half of his own flight cage, I guess, because he prefers to be close to the other birds. He would be in their cage if he could.
From the Ringneck standpoint, it does look like a small flock of Budgies successfully provides enrichment and companionship, though it must be quite frustrating to never be allowed to really touch. From the Budgie standpoint, I feel they do enjoy some enrichment from the experience, but would just as soon keep their own company. From the human standpoint, it is certainly a tool for keeping the Ringneck and a compromise in which the needs of the Ringneck trump the convenience of the human. It is only because the flock of Budgies provides perfect companionship for each other that they actually have the best deal in this.
Philosophically, I feel most birds need the company of their OWN kind. The smaller ones deserve to not be seriously endangered by mingling with the larger, and the larger are entitled to companions they can fully interact with. Every bird is an individual and so I cannot say you should go out and bring home another Psittacula and expect bliss. However, if I were betting, I would bet that you had the best chance of ensuring avian fulfillment that way.
Whether you, yourself, are better served by adding a bird or subtracting a bird is something you must decide for yourself. As for Mr. Bell, I imagine he would prefer some sort of company to solitude. As for stepping onto a possible slippery slope of bird collection, again, this is one only you will know. If you get a bird for Mr. Bell, and it's the right one, you may go no further. However, if it is not the right one, will you keep trying? That could get dicey. I've got four Budgies, and I think it's a stable number because I have some firm ideas about population density and an understanding of "home turf" that I think will prevent me from adding to that flight cage. I don't really have room in the house for another big cage, though I know it would be hard to turn away the Alexandrine I have wanted. I guess I won't know how that would go until one lands in my lap!
Best wishes with this, and sorry your little guy isn't bringing the joy like he used to!
I had Canaries already when I brought home my Ringneck, but they were too stressed by being in the same room with him, so they could not be companions. I keep Canaries in a different room, and that's fine as long as the Ringneck doesn't go there. If he does, I have to keep him off their cages for their protection.
I did look diligently for a second IRN or an Alexandrine to be a flock member for Rocky. I'm out of the house about 60 hours a week just for my job. I was not able to find a suitable (to me) second Psittacula after maybe six months of searching, and I was getting pretty dismayed over it. I already loved Budgies, so I brought home a single Budgie at six months after Rocky came to live with me. At nine months I got a second Budgie, and at nineteen months two more. I figured it was OK to put 4 Budgies in the giant cage I had already bought when I was hoping for a second Psittacula, a dream I have about given up on.
At first, I didn't see any great bond between these birds. The first Budgie grew up to be a girl, and seems only a fair-weather friend to other Budgies. The Ringneck, however, fell in love with this Budgie. In recent weeks it seems she has finally decided to entertain the idea of giving him her attention.
Herein lie the Ringneck/Budgie problems.
1) Regardless of his friendly intent, the Ringneck is too large and powerful to really cosy up to a Budgie.
2) The Budgie is a bit nippy as bossy females can be, and there seems at all times a danger she may nip the Ringneck and suffer a retaliatory bite that would be quite damaging, if not fatal.
3) The Ringneck appears now quite willing to attack any of the other three Budgies. I can only assume he is trying to protect his interest in the first.
4) The birds cannot be let out together, due to the potential for harm to the Budgies.
5) The Ringneck must be very closely supervised because he prefers to cling outside the Budgie cage, making goo-goo eyes at his love and lunging at the others.
I find these challenges acceptable because the alternative is to send one faction away.
However, I would be lying if I said this arrangement of always protecting the Budgies was not a giant pain in the butt. It is! I would, though, if the exact situation were to represent itself, still choose to keep Budgies along with the Ringneck over keeping a single and solitary Ringneck. It is quite obvious that my Rocky spends most of his time physically near the Budgie cage. He shuns half of his own flight cage, I guess, because he prefers to be close to the other birds. He would be in their cage if he could.
From the Ringneck standpoint, it does look like a small flock of Budgies successfully provides enrichment and companionship, though it must be quite frustrating to never be allowed to really touch. From the Budgie standpoint, I feel they do enjoy some enrichment from the experience, but would just as soon keep their own company. From the human standpoint, it is certainly a tool for keeping the Ringneck and a compromise in which the needs of the Ringneck trump the convenience of the human. It is only because the flock of Budgies provides perfect companionship for each other that they actually have the best deal in this.
Philosophically, I feel most birds need the company of their OWN kind. The smaller ones deserve to not be seriously endangered by mingling with the larger, and the larger are entitled to companions they can fully interact with. Every bird is an individual and so I cannot say you should go out and bring home another Psittacula and expect bliss. However, if I were betting, I would bet that you had the best chance of ensuring avian fulfillment that way.
Whether you, yourself, are better served by adding a bird or subtracting a bird is something you must decide for yourself. As for Mr. Bell, I imagine he would prefer some sort of company to solitude. As for stepping onto a possible slippery slope of bird collection, again, this is one only you will know. If you get a bird for Mr. Bell, and it's the right one, you may go no further. However, if it is not the right one, will you keep trying? That could get dicey. I've got four Budgies, and I think it's a stable number because I have some firm ideas about population density and an understanding of "home turf" that I think will prevent me from adding to that flight cage. I don't really have room in the house for another big cage, though I know it would be hard to turn away the Alexandrine I have wanted. I guess I won't know how that would go until one lands in my lap!
Best wishes with this, and sorry your little guy isn't bringing the joy like he used to!
-MissK
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
I enjoy him quite a bit. When he's really wanting attention I will make a point to stop what I'm doing and interact with him. I don't mean to say that I otherwise neglect him. I'm just not convinced he gets the level of interaction he should get and so getting another IRN comes to mind. I wouldn't go for a budgie. There is the possibility that they may never buddy-up with each other, but somehow I suspect that time would bond them together and help lift some of my guilt for being gone so much. The little amount of time I have after work each day simply can't be all consumed by giving him proper attention.
The aggression issue is why i am more interested in getting another male instead of a female.
Truth is, I don't really -want- a bird because one is so much work. But it bothers me that he only gets about 30 minutes of good quality interaction per day.. the rest is tv and just watching me while i do my own thing.
Another bird would likely draw my attention more for a while. I would work with them together, but mainly he wouldn't have to be so secluded while i'm away for 12 hours a day. This schedule has been consistent since I bought him nearly 2 years ago. Being accustomed to it maybe he isn't unhappy at all. I suppose he could even get possessive of a new bird like he has done with my cellphone (long story but he loves a cell to the point I had to give him one of his own so he could chew it up, dismantle it, and surf youtube) Just not sure what to do. Pros and cons seem to be plentiful.
The aggression issue is why i am more interested in getting another male instead of a female.
Truth is, I don't really -want- a bird because one is so much work. But it bothers me that he only gets about 30 minutes of good quality interaction per day.. the rest is tv and just watching me while i do my own thing.
Another bird would likely draw my attention more for a while. I would work with them together, but mainly he wouldn't have to be so secluded while i'm away for 12 hours a day. This schedule has been consistent since I bought him nearly 2 years ago. Being accustomed to it maybe he isn't unhappy at all. I suppose he could even get possessive of a new bird like he has done with my cellphone (long story but he loves a cell to the point I had to give him one of his own so he could chew it up, dismantle it, and surf youtube) Just not sure what to do. Pros and cons seem to be plentiful.
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
Another thing to consider is that a new bird will probably require a certain amount of training to fit into you and bell's comfortable routine. Just the day to day stuff that Bell does.
Btw Nila and ellieelectrons male, Charlie, have got on since they met. Charlie stayed for almost a week and the boys were fine. Janey and Sapphire are the trouble makers!
It's also really fun watching the birds interacting. Nila LOVES Charlie, he is always trying to feed him and preen him. But, on saying that, Nila is also in love with Sapphire, the mirror, phones and computers that have YouTube, his nail clippers and bottles of juice or beer....
You might enjoy having 2 twice as much, but I doubt it will stop them from wanting to interact with you whenever you are home! I do think Bell would benefit from a friend, but not if it will be too much for you.
Btw Nila and ellieelectrons male, Charlie, have got on since they met. Charlie stayed for almost a week and the boys were fine. Janey and Sapphire are the trouble makers!
It's also really fun watching the birds interacting. Nila LOVES Charlie, he is always trying to feed him and preen him. But, on saying that, Nila is also in love with Sapphire, the mirror, phones and computers that have YouTube, his nail clippers and bottles of juice or beer....
You might enjoy having 2 twice as much, but I doubt it will stop them from wanting to interact with you whenever you are home! I do think Bell would benefit from a friend, but not if it will be too much for you.
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
nah it wouldn't be too much to handle.. it's just like having a kid.. it's a big decision 
I would really enjoy if they became a team and harassed me together.. played games with me at the same time.. and then had each other once i lose interest in the game or get distracted by something else.
I would really enjoy if they became a team and harassed me together.. played games with me at the same time.. and then had each other once i lose interest in the game or get distracted by something else.
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
Well, Claire can check me on this, but my take on multiple birds is that so long as they have the same needs it isn't much more to do cage maintenance & feeding for two than it is for one. You just prep a slightly larger amount of food, change papers twice, wipe twice, etc. If you have a good approach, and maybe a cart or at least a tray, this is very within reach.
It's when they have different needs and furnishings, and you're keeping two (or three) different diets, managing different sizes or types of bowls, etc, that things can become tiresome. I really make use of identical cages and fittings, as much as possible, but it was not always that way. Just using identical bowls and placing them in the same spot in each cage makes a big difference. Right now I'm in the process of switching the Budgies to eat the same seed mix as the Ringneck. Eventually, when I am sure they are all eating properly, this will make things even simpler.
Another thought I have is that cage selection is very important. There are a lot of cages on the market, some better than others. Some are great for the bird, and this is frequently how we choose. However, you should also have one that makes maintenance easy, with large doors, sliding grates and pans, wheels, powder coating, etc. If you do decide to get another bird, it would be appropriate to review how you feel about your cage before you shop for a second. You might find your cage is perfect, and buy another one the same, or you might identify trouble spots and choose to upgrade Mr Bell as you get a cage for the companions as well. NOTE: You cannot get a double cage like mine to house a pair of birds who you are not certain won't harm each other's toes through the divider. Just saying, because I know I always say how great my cages are.
They do make a single version.
It's when they have different needs and furnishings, and you're keeping two (or three) different diets, managing different sizes or types of bowls, etc, that things can become tiresome. I really make use of identical cages and fittings, as much as possible, but it was not always that way. Just using identical bowls and placing them in the same spot in each cage makes a big difference. Right now I'm in the process of switching the Budgies to eat the same seed mix as the Ringneck. Eventually, when I am sure they are all eating properly, this will make things even simpler.
Another thought I have is that cage selection is very important. There are a lot of cages on the market, some better than others. Some are great for the bird, and this is frequently how we choose. However, you should also have one that makes maintenance easy, with large doors, sliding grates and pans, wheels, powder coating, etc. If you do decide to get another bird, it would be appropriate to review how you feel about your cage before you shop for a second. You might find your cage is perfect, and buy another one the same, or you might identify trouble spots and choose to upgrade Mr Bell as you get a cage for the companions as well. NOTE: You cannot get a double cage like mine to house a pair of birds who you are not certain won't harm each other's toes through the divider. Just saying, because I know I always say how great my cages are.
They do make a single version.-MissK
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
Mr Bell's indoor cage is a bit too small for him. I am looking up make a slight upgrade pending funds for it (tax time hehe)
If I do get another bird, and I am leaning towards it, I will likely buy two cages. Now, I still need to be able to transport them outdoors during warm weather but that's another issue altogether.
Once I bring home a new bird. (he'll be about 13 weeks old at that time) I'm sure mr bell will be all over his cage checking him out and making a fuss. Do we have any inventive ways of creating a divider for the sake of protecting toes of the new bird?
on a side note, one thing I look forward to is introducing a better diet to the new bird, whereas mr bell eats fairly well, he could do better, and the new bird will be so young that I should be able to teach it to eat stuff like seed sprouts, but that's also another issue.
On cages I would love to have a sort of double cage for them but I don't think that will be possible as i won't be able to just carry a large double cage outside so i'll probably stick with smaller cages. Mr Bell spends a very significant amount of time out of his cage, sometimes for days at a time so his cage, although a tad too small, isn't a major problem.
If I do get another bird, and I am leaning towards it, I will likely buy two cages. Now, I still need to be able to transport them outdoors during warm weather but that's another issue altogether.
Once I bring home a new bird. (he'll be about 13 weeks old at that time) I'm sure mr bell will be all over his cage checking him out and making a fuss. Do we have any inventive ways of creating a divider for the sake of protecting toes of the new bird?
on a side note, one thing I look forward to is introducing a better diet to the new bird, whereas mr bell eats fairly well, he could do better, and the new bird will be so young that I should be able to teach it to eat stuff like seed sprouts, but that's also another issue.
On cages I would love to have a sort of double cage for them but I don't think that will be possible as i won't be able to just carry a large double cage outside so i'll probably stick with smaller cages. Mr Bell spends a very significant amount of time out of his cage, sometimes for days at a time so his cage, although a tad too small, isn't a major problem.
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
I find budgie cages work well for transporting my guys around. They are cheap too.
I should get my boyfriend to post the pros and cons of a second bird on here. .. He's the one who generally complains the most about how long it takes to set up foraging for them both. ..
I should get my boyfriend to post the pros and cons of a second bird on here. .. He's the one who generally complains the most about how long it takes to set up foraging for them both. ..
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
It seems no answer is simple when dealing with birds.. there are no yes or no questions haha
There are always so many potential variables involved, so many possible outcomes. They are as diverse as people. Maybe one day there will be some law that regulates who can have certain animals.
Anyway, I am really leaning towards getting mr bell a companion. I have no doubt that i am able to rise to the demands of a second bird including basic training and taming. The main thing is poor mr bell isn't left alone for 12 hours+ per day.
As I type this, I am home and not at work. Mr Bell is sitting on a small tree i brought in for him in the corner of the room.. chirping and speaking some foreign language he learned on youtube probably. (apparently arabs and/or indians love their ringnecks) But the fact is, i'm ignoring him. He's not currently demanding my attention but I bet he would welcome it. He's only accepting the lack of attention because he is accustomed to it. I should be doing some kind of training or playing right now, but instead i'm typing in this forum and getting ready to go to the store, then shower, then eat supper, then get ready for bed for work tomorrow... If there were another bird here they could be talking or screaming to each other.. flying around and being annoying and entertaining each other. Mainly I want them entertaining each other while i'm gone, or when i'm just not interested.
So i'm really.. really.. leaning towards getting a new IRN.. I have found a baby yellow male... I don't really care for the color yellow, but, whatever.. .... If I get it, I will no doubt take lots of time to tame and train it to be a great bird.
There are always so many potential variables involved, so many possible outcomes. They are as diverse as people. Maybe one day there will be some law that regulates who can have certain animals.
Anyway, I am really leaning towards getting mr bell a companion. I have no doubt that i am able to rise to the demands of a second bird including basic training and taming. The main thing is poor mr bell isn't left alone for 12 hours+ per day.
As I type this, I am home and not at work. Mr Bell is sitting on a small tree i brought in for him in the corner of the room.. chirping and speaking some foreign language he learned on youtube probably. (apparently arabs and/or indians love their ringnecks) But the fact is, i'm ignoring him. He's not currently demanding my attention but I bet he would welcome it. He's only accepting the lack of attention because he is accustomed to it. I should be doing some kind of training or playing right now, but instead i'm typing in this forum and getting ready to go to the store, then shower, then eat supper, then get ready for bed for work tomorrow... If there were another bird here they could be talking or screaming to each other.. flying around and being annoying and entertaining each other. Mainly I want them entertaining each other while i'm gone, or when i'm just not interested.
So i'm really.. really.. leaning towards getting a new IRN.. I have found a baby yellow male... I don't really care for the color yellow, but, whatever.. .... If I get it, I will no doubt take lots of time to tame and train it to be a great bird.
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
Haha my 2 entertain themselves by harassing us as a team. It's very endearing though.
But that's great. Yellow will grow on you. Babies are so sweet and cute in any colour.
But that's great. Yellow will grow on you. Babies are so sweet and cute in any colour.
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
I told the breeder i didn't care about color, and I don't, though, just between us i would have preferred he said blue or green or something else besides yellow lol.....it's interesting, it will probably be the best bird ever.
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
Yeah, I'm a Blue tones person. If I got a yellow one it would have the advantage of not getting lost in my washing basket! Ellie's Charlie is yellow and a very good looking and sweet bird.
Is he hand raised or accustomed to people?
Is he hand raised or accustomed to people?
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
when/if I get the bird it should be 13-15 weeks old... and has supposedly been hand raised. I have a good feeling about the source..
http://www.luvnbirds.com/
these are the people, about an hour and a half drive from where I live. Their yellow babies are just now being born. I'm not sure the exact date but in a few weeks I understand they will be surgically sexed. What does that even mean? I am in the market in early april or so when I can afford both the bird and the accommodations.
http://www.luvnbirds.com/
these are the people, about an hour and a half drive from where I live. Their yellow babies are just now being born. I'm not sure the exact date but in a few weeks I understand they will be surgically sexed. What does that even mean? I am in the market in early april or so when I can afford both the bird and the accommodations.
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
They sound parrot-crazy! That's always a good sign.
It's exciting waiting for your baby bird to grow up and come home.
Surgical sexing is a bit more invasive than dna, but very accurate.i haven't seen it done, we had a dna test done on Nila.
Are they happy to leave your little guy fully flighted? I heard some breeders in the usa are a bit weird and always clip birds before they sell them, even if the owner requests it be left flighted.
It's exciting waiting for your baby bird to grow up and come home.
Surgical sexing is a bit more invasive than dna, but very accurate.i haven't seen it done, we had a dna test done on Nila.
Are they happy to leave your little guy fully flighted? I heard some breeders in the usa are a bit weird and always clip birds before they sell them, even if the owner requests it be left flighted.
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
I would rather he be clipped before I got him so I can handle him more. A clipped bird can be a bit more tolerant of things he doesn't like
Mr Bell was clipped .. i have never clipped him since, but it took him 6-8 months before he could fly. Once he figured out he could fly he no longer tolerated certain activities.
So I'll need the clipped period of the new bird to train it to do things like be petted, be handled, shower, and a few other things...
Before the question disappears deep in the thread. I want to ask if we have any inventive ways of protecting bird toes from another bird who may be walking around on the new bird's cage. (lol omg, he's gonna do his business right -on- the new bird hahahaha.. take that new guy!)
Mr Bell was clipped .. i have never clipped him since, but it took him 6-8 months before he could fly. Once he figured out he could fly he no longer tolerated certain activities.
So I'll need the clipped period of the new bird to train it to do things like be petted, be handled, shower, and a few other things...
Before the question disappears deep in the thread. I want to ask if we have any inventive ways of protecting bird toes from another bird who may be walking around on the new bird's cage. (lol omg, he's gonna do his business right -on- the new bird hahahaha.. take that new guy!)
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
Hi Donovan,
Claire will be along to explain how the new bird needs to learn to fly well before any clipping is done, and how there is a school of thought that suggests when we remove the bird's option of flight all we leave them with is fight and that promotes biting. I'll back her up on that, when she gets around to commenting........
As far as protecting the toes, you can put plexiglass (or a reasonable substitute) on the outside of the cage. It will prevent climbing on the cage as well as biting through the bars. I had some old poster frames that had done their job for me and I just took the clear plastic "glass" and laid it on top the cages. It works great. I did install some plexiglass on the back of another cage, to protect the wall, but it would work as well for bird toes. You'll want to look around for the cost effective way to get this done, as just going to the Home Depot for sheets of thin plastic is very expensive. (I checked.) You can use actual posterboard on the backs of the cages, and possibly the sides. It gets messy and has to be replaced, but it is a good short term fix, UNLESS they eat it. Mine hasn't.
About colour, there is a strong chance you'll learn to love it and later not be able to understand why you objected in the first place. I was originally hoping for a blue but, you guessed it, now I think green is the best!
Claire will be along to explain how the new bird needs to learn to fly well before any clipping is done, and how there is a school of thought that suggests when we remove the bird's option of flight all we leave them with is fight and that promotes biting. I'll back her up on that, when she gets around to commenting........
As far as protecting the toes, you can put plexiglass (or a reasonable substitute) on the outside of the cage. It will prevent climbing on the cage as well as biting through the bars. I had some old poster frames that had done their job for me and I just took the clear plastic "glass" and laid it on top the cages. It works great. I did install some plexiglass on the back of another cage, to protect the wall, but it would work as well for bird toes. You'll want to look around for the cost effective way to get this done, as just going to the Home Depot for sheets of thin plastic is very expensive. (I checked.) You can use actual posterboard on the backs of the cages, and possibly the sides. It gets messy and has to be replaced, but it is a good short term fix, UNLESS they eat it. Mine hasn't.
About colour, there is a strong chance you'll learn to love it and later not be able to understand why you objected in the first place. I was originally hoping for a blue but, you guessed it, now I think green is the best!
-MissK
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
Hmm. ... This is a subject that I'm rather passionate about and I tend to get in trouble with the mods when I contribute to these types of discussions! I'll try to keep to some key points.
Firstly, you know my aviary raised bird has never had her wings clipped. She steps up every time, flies to me when called, goes to her cage, doesn't bite unless provoked, does a few tricks, loves the shower. .. She is learning to be restrained with both a hand and a towel at the moment. Also to hold her feet out for me to trim her toe nails.
Sapphire is almost 7 months old now (i think) and just yesterday my boyfriend was commenting on how much better her aerial acrobatics have gotten and her speed flights have got over the last month. She is still developing her flight at this age. She is also a very confident bird, due to being left au natural in the wings department. http://theparrotuniversity.com/flight
Nila has never been clipped either, but he was hand raised and tame when he moved in. Our avian vet complimented us on how confident he is and said that the biggest factor in that is because be has always been flighted. He will never be clipped for medical as well as philosophical reasons. Neither of our birds are overly keen on being patted, that's Irns, we haven't bothered to train them to like it. Nila sometimes wants a scratch when he's moulting and Sapphire likes to have her beak stroked. When we choose an irn, my bf and I weighed up what was important to us, potential to talk was more interesting than patting. We could train them to accept it, but neither myself or my boyfriend care enough to bother.
If you would like your bird to tolerate things, whether clipped or flighted, positive reinforcement is the way to go. The reward has to outweigh the dislike of the activity. Nila will allow us to grab him and turn him upside down. He does not like it, but he likes sunflower seeds more. Overcoming fears means working in small increments towards the activity, and can be easily put back to square one by moving too fast. Clipping can give you a false sense of control, as you have already expressed. With good training you can teach a flighted bird anything. I think there's someone who has taught their flighted irn to roll over on his back.
You obviously have a good grasp on training already, so you could easily brush up your knowledge a little and achieve the result you want from a flighted young one.
There seem to be more people coming through this forum with problems with clipped birds, especially biting. Miss k touched on the reason for this, as that article above says in the opening paragraph, flight is the first defense. Bite is the second! If the bird feels threatened it wants to defend itself any means possible.
Not a good idea to mix clipped and flighted birds, some breeders on here do it too stop aggressive hens from killing cocks though. The clipped one is unfairly disadvantaged. This can be dangerous if they get into a disagreement, as the clipped bird can't back off in some situations, the flighted bird can misinterpret this and come on more aggressively... use your imagine on the result.
I ensure toes are safe by letting the birds out at the same time. If Sapphire wants to bite Nilas toes he flies away. ... but the plexiglass would be the way to go. Nila got a beak bite from Sapphire when my bf left him in his cage and let Sapphire out.
Nila and Sapphire were visiting Ellies birds today and they watch Janey very carefully when they climb her cage! They get out of there smartly when she gives them the evil eye!
Firstly, you know my aviary raised bird has never had her wings clipped. She steps up every time, flies to me when called, goes to her cage, doesn't bite unless provoked, does a few tricks, loves the shower. .. She is learning to be restrained with both a hand and a towel at the moment. Also to hold her feet out for me to trim her toe nails.
Sapphire is almost 7 months old now (i think) and just yesterday my boyfriend was commenting on how much better her aerial acrobatics have gotten and her speed flights have got over the last month. She is still developing her flight at this age. She is also a very confident bird, due to being left au natural in the wings department. http://theparrotuniversity.com/flight
Nila has never been clipped either, but he was hand raised and tame when he moved in. Our avian vet complimented us on how confident he is and said that the biggest factor in that is because be has always been flighted. He will never be clipped for medical as well as philosophical reasons. Neither of our birds are overly keen on being patted, that's Irns, we haven't bothered to train them to like it. Nila sometimes wants a scratch when he's moulting and Sapphire likes to have her beak stroked. When we choose an irn, my bf and I weighed up what was important to us, potential to talk was more interesting than patting. We could train them to accept it, but neither myself or my boyfriend care enough to bother.
If you would like your bird to tolerate things, whether clipped or flighted, positive reinforcement is the way to go. The reward has to outweigh the dislike of the activity. Nila will allow us to grab him and turn him upside down. He does not like it, but he likes sunflower seeds more. Overcoming fears means working in small increments towards the activity, and can be easily put back to square one by moving too fast. Clipping can give you a false sense of control, as you have already expressed. With good training you can teach a flighted bird anything. I think there's someone who has taught their flighted irn to roll over on his back.
You obviously have a good grasp on training already, so you could easily brush up your knowledge a little and achieve the result you want from a flighted young one.
There seem to be more people coming through this forum with problems with clipped birds, especially biting. Miss k touched on the reason for this, as that article above says in the opening paragraph, flight is the first defense. Bite is the second! If the bird feels threatened it wants to defend itself any means possible.
Not a good idea to mix clipped and flighted birds, some breeders on here do it too stop aggressive hens from killing cocks though. The clipped one is unfairly disadvantaged. This can be dangerous if they get into a disagreement, as the clipped bird can't back off in some situations, the flighted bird can misinterpret this and come on more aggressively... use your imagine on the result.
I ensure toes are safe by letting the birds out at the same time. If Sapphire wants to bite Nilas toes he flies away. ... but the plexiglass would be the way to go. Nila got a beak bite from Sapphire when my bf left him in his cage and let Sapphire out.
Nila and Sapphire were visiting Ellies birds today and they watch Janey very carefully when they climb her cage! They get out of there smartly when she gives them the evil eye!
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
Will a young IRN develop his own little sounds to make? Mr. Bell is so corrupted by youtube that none of his sounds are original anymore. Though I'm certain a new bird will pick up his noises I am considering doing away with the youtube playlist that i use to keep mr bell company..... in hopes of encouraging the new bird to make many of his own sounds. When i first got mr bell he made some noises but his original noises disappeared in time in favor of learned noises.
How will I be able to tell when I can finally let them interact with each other (while both out of their cages?) My current thinking is to come home from work.. spend a little time with the new bird then put him away. mr bell will be in the same room, seeing this. Once he's out i'm sure he'll spend time on the new bird's cage. I have no idea how he's going to respond. I know he loves seeing pictures and videos of birds but actually having one around in -his- territory could be way different. In any case I assume that they will eventually start obviously enjoying each other and interacting in their own little ways. In my mind that is when it will be time to let them both be out at the same time. (2 weeks to a month)
And finally, will any of the training I've done with mr bell carry over to the new bird if he observes and is interested? or will I need to start every little thing from scratch?
How will I be able to tell when I can finally let them interact with each other (while both out of their cages?) My current thinking is to come home from work.. spend a little time with the new bird then put him away. mr bell will be in the same room, seeing this. Once he's out i'm sure he'll spend time on the new bird's cage. I have no idea how he's going to respond. I know he loves seeing pictures and videos of birds but actually having one around in -his- territory could be way different. In any case I assume that they will eventually start obviously enjoying each other and interacting in their own little ways. In my mind that is when it will be time to let them both be out at the same time. (2 weeks to a month)
And finally, will any of the training I've done with mr bell carry over to the new bird if he observes and is interested? or will I need to start every little thing from scratch?
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
I don't know about the noises. Nila mimics everything. Sapphire seems to copy Nila to a certain degree. She still makes lots of loud ringneck calls.
I've found training sapphire is a breeze, I am better at training having practised on Nila and she likes to be involved in anything Nila does. I still have to explain tricks to her, but she follows Nilas lead on things like flying to the cage when called. I made friends with her before she met Nila, that was probably considered challenging, but I thought it was fun. I really like training, so I don't really notice how much I do.
I don't know about when they should be allowed to play. Watch their body language. Nila is only aggressive towards Sapphire if she is on his cage when he is inside it or is she is hogging the shower.
I've found training sapphire is a breeze, I am better at training having practised on Nila and she likes to be involved in anything Nila does. I still have to explain tricks to her, but she follows Nilas lead on things like flying to the cage when called. I made friends with her before she met Nila, that was probably considered challenging, but I thought it was fun. I really like training, so I don't really notice how much I do.
I don't know about when they should be allowed to play. Watch their body language. Nila is only aggressive towards Sapphire if she is on his cage when he is inside it or is she is hogging the shower.
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
Okay, so moving forward.... today I plan to completely rearrange my environment. It will be weeks before the new bird gets here. (assuming they're not all sold out already) So I want to move Mr Bell's cage to the other side of the room and free up his current location for the new bird.
Also I want to do this early so that mr bell has plenty of time to get used to the new setup. Once i move things around he'll be upset about it for a while... main thing is that the new bird gets to sit close to me, and bell who is already tamed and trained can go to the other side of the room now.
Also I want to do this early so that mr bell has plenty of time to get used to the new setup. Once i move things around he'll be upset about it for a while... main thing is that the new bird gets to sit close to me, and bell who is already tamed and trained can go to the other side of the room now.
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
You might be storing up trouble for yourself. Mr Bell could easily get jealous about how you favour the new bird with a position close to you l hope Mr Bell does not attack the new bird over his loss of standing.
Also let the breeder know which birds you might be interested in and could they contact you if any one else shows a similar interest?
Also let the breeder know which birds you might be interested in and could they contact you if any one else shows a similar interest?
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
I'm moving bell several weeks early to help alleviate the jealousy. He is out of his cage most of the time so he shouldn't end up with too many issues. I dont know how much he'll take to s yellow bird though.
I went to the breeder today. Phenomenal environment and although there were dozens of species of birds around it was very clean and ALL the birds were well socialized.
The babies won't be sexed for another 3 weeks. There are 4 of them. I want a male. They said one male is already spoken for. So if they only have one male then it goes to the other person. If there is an extra male then it's mine.
While there I was able to briefly interact with other IRNs. That was neat since my bird is the only IRN I've ever met. I think my bird is a little bigger than the ones I saw up there. I guess even birds have a little diversity.
I went to the breeder today. Phenomenal environment and although there were dozens of species of birds around it was very clean and ALL the birds were well socialized.
The babies won't be sexed for another 3 weeks. There are 4 of them. I want a male. They said one male is already spoken for. So if they only have one male then it goes to the other person. If there is an extra male then it's mine.
While there I was able to briefly interact with other IRNs. That was neat since my bird is the only IRN I've ever met. I think my bird is a little bigger than the ones I saw up there. I guess even birds have a little diversity.
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
Mr Bell has been eating all your goodies and put on some weight the birds at the breeders are still babies and bound to be smaller than Mr Bell. Full marks to the breeder 10/10. If Mr Bell is going to be out while the new bird is learning his p's and q's then perhaps Mr Bell won't be jealous.
We (Billie and I) will cross our fingers for you
We (Billie and I) will cross our fingers for you
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
one of the IRNs at the breeder was a year or so older than mr bell so definitely full grown.. Bell is just, bigger.. maybe he's fat. I'll have him weighed one day I suppose.. They got on to me when i told them my current bird (mr bell) was fully flighted.. saying i should keep his wings clipped... i'll never do that... granted i might regret it one day, but i won't clip his wings....
mr bell is a powerful flyer. Maybe he is muscular from flying around so much, and maybe that's why he's bigger... maybe he's all buff
. Partially clipped birds fly around a little just for the sake of getting across the room. Mr Bell flies around just for the hell of it anywhere he wants.
I'm not moving him out .. just to another spot in the room. He's had the same location for nearly 2 years.. now he will be back in the corner where i almost put him when i first got him. I moved him after about an hour (when i first got him i mean) because i didn't want him being so far away from me. But now i'm sure it's okay since he's only in his cage about 10% of the time.
mr bell is a powerful flyer. Maybe he is muscular from flying around so much, and maybe that's why he's bigger... maybe he's all buff
. Partially clipped birds fly around a little just for the sake of getting across the room. Mr Bell flies around just for the hell of it anywhere he wants.I'm not moving him out .. just to another spot in the room. He's had the same location for nearly 2 years.. now he will be back in the corner where i almost put him when i first got him. I moved him after about an hour (when i first got him i mean) because i didn't want him being so far away from me. But now i'm sure it's okay since he's only in his cage about 10% of the time.
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
Strictly speaking, isn't it toes that Billie will be crossing.......?
Actually, husbandry might have something to do with size. You know how an animal may not grow to potential if it doesn't get the optimum nutrition at critical growth times. I'm sure parent vs human raised birds will show some difference if the human cannot do a good enough job. Breeders, check me on this.
Donovan, stick to your guns on the no clipping. You have a lot of very sensible company there, and even me, too! I'm pretty sure if you take him to the vet that the vet will comment on his muscles. I had one of my Budgies in to the vet recently and she had some great things to saw about the bird's strong muscles that come from being a little birdie in really big flight cage. Difference with Mr Bell - your house is the flight cage!
Going to move Mr.Bell's cage all at once or in stages?
How did you decide on the name of Mr. Bell, anyway?
When the big day(s) comes, be sure and spoil Mr. Bell so he doesn't think the new guy is an upstart come to make trouble. I think you are supposed to tend Bell first, then tend the new guy, then check back on Bell for a second. I guess you phase that out over time but I didn't read any more on it.
Actually, husbandry might have something to do with size. You know how an animal may not grow to potential if it doesn't get the optimum nutrition at critical growth times. I'm sure parent vs human raised birds will show some difference if the human cannot do a good enough job. Breeders, check me on this.
Donovan, stick to your guns on the no clipping. You have a lot of very sensible company there, and even me, too! I'm pretty sure if you take him to the vet that the vet will comment on his muscles. I had one of my Budgies in to the vet recently and she had some great things to saw about the bird's strong muscles that come from being a little birdie in really big flight cage. Difference with Mr Bell - your house is the flight cage!
Going to move Mr.Bell's cage all at once or in stages?
How did you decide on the name of Mr. Bell, anyway?
When the big day(s) comes, be sure and spoil Mr. Bell so he doesn't think the new guy is an upstart come to make trouble. I think you are supposed to tend Bell first, then tend the new guy, then check back on Bell for a second. I guess you phase that out over time but I didn't read any more on it.
-MissK
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
Ellie and I were talking to sapphires breeder the other night and commenting on how massive Sapphire is compared to the other 3, he said its the parent raised factor.
I wouldn't buy from a breeder if they would supply me a clipped bird. I'm pretty hardcore about flighted birds for myself! Unless there is ever a medical reason or a dangerous aggression problem, I wouldn't clip at all. Birds are built for flying.
My birds do laps for fun, just like Bell.
I wouldn't buy from a breeder if they would supply me a clipped bird. I'm pretty hardcore about flighted birds for myself! Unless there is ever a medical reason or a dangerous aggression problem, I wouldn't clip at all. Birds are built for flying.
My birds do laps for fun, just like Bell.
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
Hijacking the thread for a minute, InTheAir, do you think I can make any assumptions about Rocky's past based on his size? On of the things I really want to know is if he was parent or human raised, and I'm jut not going to be able to ask a human for that information. I'd have to call the vet to see how he (literally) weighs in, but you know how I'm always interested in every little aspect of my bird.
-MissK
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
I already rearranged everything. It was pretty warm out yesterday so he got to go outside for a while. I took the time to change things around. It hasn't phased him a bit. He doesn't seem to care that things got moved around. I have a little tree that I cut down and it was back in a corner. I moved it and put his cage in that spot. Put the tree in a new spot. He seemed pretty excited to explore the tree again as though it were new. So, he's fine.
Not sure how I will handle the first day. I'm sure I will be leaving the new guy in his cage for a few days before getting him out, but I don't know yet. I might be interested in handling him so he stays used to being touched and hopefully he'll let me pet him since mr bell doesn't. I'll play it by ear.
As far as how Mr Bell got his name, well when I got him I didn't know if he was male or female so I came up with a list of names that were neutral. So I named him Bell, and when his ring came in I started calling him Mr Bell and it kinda stuck.
Already looking for names for the new bird. I like oddball (or kinda dumb) names. For instance my cat's name is Maynard. The list I have so far for the new bird is:
Borus
Bundy
Dexter
Louie
Leroy
Niko / Neko (I kinda like that one so far)
Rhodi
Roscoe
Not sure how I will handle the first day. I'm sure I will be leaving the new guy in his cage for a few days before getting him out, but I don't know yet. I might be interested in handling him so he stays used to being touched and hopefully he'll let me pet him since mr bell doesn't. I'll play it by ear.
As far as how Mr Bell got his name, well when I got him I didn't know if he was male or female so I came up with a list of names that were neutral. So I named him Bell, and when his ring came in I started calling him Mr Bell and it kinda stuck.
Already looking for names for the new bird. I like oddball (or kinda dumb) names. For instance my cat's name is Maynard. The list I have so far for the new bird is:
Borus
Bundy
Dexter
Louie
Leroy
Niko / Neko (I kinda like that one so far)
Rhodi
Roscoe
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
Cool. I opened up the windows yesterday - it got up to 60 here in Baltimore! Today will be warm, too, then back to the 30s.
Rocky's cage is being redone now, too. I put him in a different cage for a few days and now he's in his redesigned home, showing new interest in old things, too. I'm trying to help him realize there's still more to life than that Budgie he cannot have. I've redone the Budgie cage as well. I spent a good two hours last night just keeping the birds up, drinking a beer, and admiring them. They are so great!
Rocky's cage is being redone now, too. I put him in a different cage for a few days and now he's in his redesigned home, showing new interest in old things, too. I'm trying to help him realize there's still more to life than that Budgie he cannot have. I've redone the Budgie cage as well. I spent a good two hours last night just keeping the birds up, drinking a beer, and admiring them. They are so great!
-MissK
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
Mr Bell likes to drink beer with me on the weekends. The bottles condensate so he'll lick up all the water.. thinking he's sharing
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
Missk, I'm really not too sure about it. Age that they are taken for hand rearing would probably make a difference too, what number they are in the clutch, how big the clutch is.
Sapphires foster parents only raised 2 to maturity, the others were sold to a hand rearer really young.
Sapphire is tall and her beak is significantly larger than the 3 hand raised birds we can compare her to.
Sapphires foster parents only raised 2 to maturity, the others were sold to a hand rearer really young.
Sapphire is tall and her beak is significantly larger than the 3 hand raised birds we can compare her to.
Re: Companion for an established bird, possible
Marmaduke Jinks was my favourite horse in Totopoly and Dorigen a close second, lf l remember the names of any more l will let you know, if you were into Trad Jazz there is Clarinet Marmalade, Jellyroll (Morton).
Necro-mancer although that might be poetic for the new bird!
One of my neighbours had chickens in a shed and then she bought a propper house for the chickens put them in it and set light to the old shed and then as the flames died down let the chickens out they went and sat in the embers where their old house used to be, l am just thinking Mr Bell might kick out the new bird and take over the new birds cage?
Mincemeat,
Jelly Bean
Beethoven
Bullseye (Bill Sykes dog)
Actually MissK it is claws
Necro-mancer although that might be poetic for the new bird!
One of my neighbours had chickens in a shed and then she bought a propper house for the chickens put them in it and set light to the old shed and then as the flames died down let the chickens out they went and sat in the embers where their old house used to be, l am just thinking Mr Bell might kick out the new bird and take over the new birds cage?
Mincemeat,
Jelly Bean
Beethoven
Bullseye (Bill Sykes dog)
Actually MissK it is claws