How Should Your Parrot Be Introduced To A New Bird?

You are not alone if you already own a parrot and are considering adding another bird to your family. Many bird owners eventually decide to adopt multiple feathered friends once they find out how great it is to have one.

Parrots are notorious for being temperamental creatures and adding a new bird to your home can easily put stress on your existing pet. There are a few measures you may take to introduce the two birds in order to reduce any resistance and make the move as seamless as possible. By doing it correctly, you can show your bird that your new pet is a friend rather than a foe.

This is an informative article. Nodisk One is not permitted to make a diagnosis or recommend any form of veterinary care. If your pet is in pain or ill, we recommend that you take him to the vet.

1. Quarantine The New Bird

A rule of thumb with most pet bird owners is that a new bird should be quarantined for a period of time before introducing it to parrots you already own. This achieves two crucial goals: it protects your bird and provides it some time to become used to the new bird's presence.

Quarantine greatly reduces the risk that your new bird can transmit contagious diseases to your existing pet. Keeping the new arrival in a separate area not only protects your parrot from any airborne disease, but it also allows you time to safely observe the bird for any outward signs of illness.

At the same time, your parrot will have the chance to hear the cry of the new bird. He will get used to the bird's voice and presence over time. Direct interaction too soon can be seen as intimidating or a violation of your bird's established territory.

2. Slowly Approach The Birds

Once the quarantine period is over, it's still important to gently introduce your birds to each other. Even parrots from the same species are not always the best of friends. Often one bird will try to assert dominance over the other, which can lead to nasty fights if you're not careful.

To help your birds get to know each other slowly, move your bird's new cage into the room where your old bird's cage is. Give them a few days to watch each other from a distance. As they get used to each other, you'll be able to identify the signs that they feel more comfortable being around each other. other. During this time, be patient and don't push the bird's limits.

3. Make A Peace Offering

Bribing your birds to get along can be helpful on sometimes. One of the simplest methods is to use rewards to encourage one bird to develop a strong bond with the other. The ideal time to start is towards the end of the quarantine phase.

When you're ready for the birds to see each other, just bring your new birdcage into the room. Offer both birds several tasty treats while they are together in the same room. After a few minutes, move the new birdcage to the quarantine area and repeat the process later.

It is important to leave both birds in their cages during this introduction phase. Otherwise, fights and injuries can occur if the cageless bird charges into the territory of the one behind the bars.

4. Practice Bonding Techniques

The later phases of introducing a new bird are a great time to start practicing bonding skills with both birds. Relationships with your two feathery companions can be substantially enhanced by doing simple things like sharing meals, grooming, and playing.

When you think your birds are prepared, let them observe your interactions with one another from their individual cages. Although it is possible for some older birds to exhibit jealous behaviors, this may make others more willing to accept the new bird as a member of the flock.

5. Try Tower Training

Even when your birds are comfortable playing in the same room outside of their cage, it may take a while before they are actually ready to play together. A great way to speed up the process is to try training with your two pets. Your birds will get plenty of positive reinforcement from all the delicious treats they earn during their joint training session. Plus, you'll develop a stronger sense of camaraderie by interacting with each other like a herd.

6. Verification Issues And Behavior

Take a step back if you observe either bird feeling uneasy while the introductions are still going on. Remember that birds can be tricky and one of your birds may not be ready to move as fast as you would like. Move more slowly or skip to the previous step and don't continue until your birds fully accept this part of the process. This will take longer for some birds than for others, so it's important to follow your bird's lead.

A new bird may never be accepted by your parrot. Be prepared to find alternative solutions if necessary. This may mean that you will always have to keep the birds in separate rooms and make sure the door is closed whenever a bird leaves its cage.

Unfortunately, it would be better to think about finding the new bird a new home if you can't find any harmony in your current one. Some birds simply prefer to be the only pet and making this difficult decision may be best for both birds.

Additional Tips for New Bird Introductions

Adding a new bird to an existing bird's environment can be stressful at first, although the birds eventually learn to tolerate each other or, even better, enjoy each other's company. It is essential that the resident bird does not feel like it has been replaced by the new pet; thus, you will want to pay extra attention to the existing bird in the presence of the new bird to show the existing bird that the new one is not a threat.

You will also want to interact with the new bird in the presence of the existing bird while giving it verbal praise, head scratches, and coveted new treats (which are not available at any other time) so that it understands that Being around the other bird brings good things and no harm. Good treats to try, depending on what the bird likes, are nuts (or almond slivers for small birds that shouldn't eat a lot of nuts every day), small pieces of fruit, a small piece of unsalted cracker or a piece of whole grain.

Remember, just as adjusting to a new roommate, neighbor or relative in the house can take time for us, adjusting to a new flock mate can take time for our pet birds. When introduced slowly and correctly, many birds can learn to accept other birds into their homes over time. Bird owners should accept, however, that some birds simply do not wish to share their environment or family members with others and prefer to fly solo.

Bottom Line: Should You Get a Second Bird?

Many bird owners consider buying another one because they are worried that their pets will feel lonely or bored. Some birds, especially smaller species such as finches and parakeets (commonly called parakeets), enjoy the company of other birds.

However, many birds see their human keepers as flockmates and may not necessarily want to interact with other birds, even of the same species, particularly if they have lived alone in the household for a long time.

Certainly, small species should not be mixed with larger species (such as macaws, amazon parrots, cockatoos, eclectus and other large parrots) due to the risk of injury to the small bird. Some bird owners rush to bring in a new bird when an existing animal's cagemate dies; however, not all birds will accept new companions, even if they have successfully lived with a companion in the past.

If a bird seems bored or depressed, as long as there is no underlying medical reason for the behavior, it is often best to try offering more mentally stimulating activities (e.g. toys for birds to chew, television to watch, music to listen to, or more time out of the cage) than to introduce another bird.

If the resident bird still seems unhappy after having had more to do, trying the company of a second bird is not a bad idea; however, acceptance of a new bird by a resident bird is a process that can take weeks to months and is unlikely to be a quick fix for the original bird's problems. The resident pet may come to enjoy the new bird's company, but the introduction must be done properly and patiently.

Only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, are used by Nodisk One to substantiate the information in our articles.