getting acquainted.

[Sweetpeaches]

well, i've had bailey for about 2 mos. now. and other than peaches (1 year) and bailey (6 months) seeing each other from across the room they have not been "really introduced". i've read that both caiques and lovebirds can be aggressive and territorial, i've also read of some fid owners who have caiques and lovebirds that get along. today for the first time i put their cages next to each other. neither bird is really overly excited or lashing out but rather just observing each other through the bars. is this the way i should initiate their introduction? (now they're both eating out of their food dishes...)....
how long should i do this until i try to have them out together at the same time. and how do i first do that? i doing this now because i'm on christmas break from work the next 10 days and will be with them everyday, most of the day. if they do decide they don't want to be friends i'm okay with that too, i just want to give them the opportunity...any info or experiences would be much appreciated! happy holidays:)

[Janie]

Susan, if you do decide to see how they get along together out of their cages, I would stand no more than inches from them so that you can intervene in a heart beat if necessary. From what I've read it is rare that these two breeds will get along. For that matter, I've read that Caiques don't often get along with their own species.

I wish you luck but I wouldn't count on them becoming friends who can be out of their cages at the same time.

[Flapjack]

Hi Susan,
I hope you have good luck with your guys! I've still been too chicken to have mine out together... mainly because they've been trying to bite each other when Jack lands on Chino's cage.
I'm sending some good mojo your way!!! Let us know how it goes.
J

[Sweetpeaches]

yes, i'm taking this real slow....that's why i thot putting their cages next to each other a little while each day to get them used to each other would be good to do. then i'll probably hold one next to the other's cage. (if) i ever do let them out "near" each other i will have my husband and i both there with towels in hand and won't put them down too close to each other. i got really thinking about this and still am not too sure when or if i should allow them to be out together??? it's true that bailey has a "bigger" beak compared to peaches beak as someone mentioned to me. but you know really any bird whether they're the same species or not could "turn" on another bird and injure it. i think to a point we all run that risk when we let our birds out together. i think i would not want to leave any of my birds alone together without supervision?? maybe i'm being too cautious??

[michael]

I don't think your being too cautious at all. Supervision will be necessary 100% of the time regardless if they were to get along or not. You may want to consider though if Peaches already has tendencies for aggressive/territorial behavior, then it might just as well be best not to let them interact outside their cages together at all. If you do though, I think understanding their personalities is the first step. Giving them plenty of time (especially peaches) to observe each other thoroughly while keeping a normal routine will help them realize their not a threat to each other. Then maybe you can eventually introduce them in a neutral setting away from their cages. To be honest here, I've met a few poeple with different species that played outside of their cages. And even though lovebirds are still relatively new to me somehow I get the feeling that Peaches "the lovebird hen that she really is" may not ever be ready to accept a caique into her lifestyle. Maybe I'm wrong....I wish you and them the best of luck!.......:wink:..........Michael and Goofy

[Sweetpeaches]

thanks michael...that's what i'll do. too be honest with you, i really don't know how territorial/aggressive peaches really is yet? she's very sweet with me. and she doesn't seem to be bothered with our little terrier either. but bailey may be another story.

[beckyg]

I just had a thought, wouldn't it be best if and when she does let them out together for them to be in neutral territory such as in a different room away from their cages? If possible maybe even a room that neither of them have ever been in? I may be completely wrong, I am just pulling from what I have read on here. --sorry, didn't answer any questions for you :) Just thought that might be helpful in someway.

[LauraO]

It sounds like you are doing all the things necessary to introduce your birdies. I would introduce them, but I agree with Janie that you should be inches away. I wouldn't over react if they do act a little agressive, but just be there to separate them.

I have had both good and bad experiences with different species. For instance, my two meyer's parrots react opposite with other species. Cookie ignores other birds and our parakeets can nap inches from him and he doesn't do anything, and it's the same with the lovebirds, however he will try and bully bigger birds so he has to stay away from Mijo and Bumpy. Now Koa, is a hunter and will stalk and attack any bird smaller than him so he cannot be out with the birds. In fact, he broke into a lovebird cage last week and attacked one of our lovebirds pretty badly. She is okay, but we were shocked because we didn't even know he could break into the lovebird cages.

Now Mijo, my african grey and our alexandrine Bumpy HATE lovebirds but are pretty indifferent to the meyer's parrots. I think it's because our lovebirds are fully flighted and we all know a fully flighted lovebird is terror in action. Given this we have to be really careful to keep the lovebirds away from them because either one could kill our lovies without any effort. Now, Mijo and Bumpy spend a lot of time together in the same room and have access to each other, but they have pretty much ignored each other over the years so we can leave them in the same room.

The point, you never can tell how things will go. Just be prepared:rolleyes:

[Sweetpeaches]

thanks laura and others for sharing your experiences. i really do appreciate all the info you guys offer. and when i do "introduce" them it will be in a room neither have been in...probably one of the bedrooms.

[Janie]

Susan, I am keeping my fingers crossed for you and hope that they will get along or at the least, tolerate each other. :) I agree that a "new" room would be best for the introduction.

When I got Big Boi and Shy I never expected that Oliver would like them or that he would like them. It was six months of constant supervision (me right there) before I felt totally confident that they would all three get along unsupervised. Never a single toe bite or squabble that I've witnessed. They are allowed out together in their bird room during the day and then caged, Big Boi and Shy in one and Oliver in his own, at night. I got lucky, very lucky, and won't press my luck by adding one more, much as I'd love to have another male.

You just never know how the same or opposite species might like each other. I hope you have a very positive experience with your two. :) It will make life much easier on them and you! :D

[Sweetpeaches]

thanks janie! i had bailey on his stand today a couple of feet away from peaches cage. they both just seemed to mind their own business. i'm not rushing this, but sure appreciate any advice given.

[Flapjack]

I'd say your taking good steps! Mine are in cages next to eachother, but still only out one at a time. When Jack lands on Chino's cage, they try to bite eachother. I'm trying not to overreact, but do any of you think I'll make it worse by shooing Jack away too fast?
BTW Susan... planning on letting us all see pics of your beautiful new caique?
Hmmmmm? :D

[LauraO]

I'd say your taking good steps! Mine are in cages next to eachother, but still only out one at a time. When Jack lands on Chino's cage, they try to bite eachother. I'm trying not to overreact, but do any of you think I'll make it worse by shooing Jack away too fast?
BTW Susan... planning on letting us all see pics of your beautiful new caique?
Hmmmmm? :D

Even birds that get along will tend to protect their cage and area. I would definately separate them if they are trying to toe bite. Since Chino is pretty much the same size as Jack, you may want to start introducing them out of the cage soon. At this point, they only have an antagonistic relationship, which could make it hard to introduce them the more stronger the antagonism gets. Of course, this is just my opinion:rolleyes: .

[Sweetpeaches]

i will get a picture on here as soon as i learn how to do it! of peaches and bailey. maybe santa will bring me a new camara?