Getting a companion for my lovebird?

[LoveBug12]

I have a peachfaced green lovebird (Junior) who is handfed. I give him much attention and interact with him as much as I can. Sometimes I feel he gets lonely though. I was thinking of getting him a friend so he won't be lonely when I'm not around to play with him. If I do get another lovebird, does it have to be handfed? I am aware that he may loose some companionship with me, but I want him to be happy. (I have no plans on giving away junior because I do pay attention to him and he is a very sweet bird.)

[lemonypickett]

I got Jimmy about a year or so after I got Eddie (my super tame little cuddlebug). Jimmy was a little over 6 months I think, and was not handfed. He lived in a cage with 15 other birds and was a scared little guy when I bought him. He didn't bite me that day when we caught him though.

I brought him home, quarantined, and then let the two play outside of the cages together. Jimmy followed Eddie everywhere, but Eddie didn't care about Jimmy. Now... they are buddies when I am not around, but when I am Eddie prefers to be out with me. I do see Eddie feeding and preening Jimmy.

I knew Eddie was a DNA'd male, so the sex of the second bird didn't matter much to me. If you want to avoid the hassle of a hen.... get a male if you are SURE that Junior is male. Two boys get along best.

I don't regret my desicion at all.... I feel better Eddie has a friend when I am at work. I do sometimes worry that they may get into a fight and hurt each other while I am away, but so far (knock on wood) no problems and I have had Jimmy with Eddie since the end of last year. Jimmy is now actually pretty tame.... he steps up on command and is easy to get out of the cage and easy to get to go back (wings are clipped). Although he will not ever let me rub him like Eddie does, I think he is special in his own way. They are all different.

Just go slow on the introductions, it is important to house them seperately until you know for sure they enjoy each other.

[linda040899]

Hi Katelyn,
If you are looking for a companion for Junior, that companion does not necessarily have to be hand fed. That choice would be up to you. If the second lovie is not tame, you can always tame him/her. It may take a bit of effort but it's not mission impossible.

More important is what gender you get and how old the new bird is. If Junior is a male and you don't want babies, I would definitely look around for another male. If you can find one closer to Junior's age, it would be a plus, although older males tend to be more accepting of younger birds than older females.

Don't forget about minimum of 30 days quarantine and side by side introductions.

[LovelySydney]

I struggled with this decision as well. My Gus and I get along but it became increasingly more aparent to me that he might do better with a friend when I am not around. We got Oslo two weeks ago and it was the best decision I ever made. They have become so close but still depend on me. I still interact with them daily, both together and separately, and am very happy with my decision to get Gus a friend. Gus is only 5 months old, parent raised so not hand fed, I've had to start from scratch with him. Oslo is 2 years old and a rescue so I don't know whether he was hand fed or not. That being said, I don't think it matters if you get a bird that is hand fed or not because that doesn't mean that the bird has been properly socialized. It's all about the time you put into the birds IMO.

Good luck finding a new friend for your little one, I really do recommend it - I think birds get something from each other that they really can't get from a human only.

[LoveBug12]

I got Jimmy about a year or so after I got Eddie (my super tame little cuddlebug). Jimmy was a little over 6 months I think, and was not handfed. He lived in a cage with 15 other birds and was a scared little guy when I bought him. He didn't bite me that day when we caught him though.

I brought him home, quarantined, and then let the two play outside of the cages together. Jimmy followed Eddie everywhere, but Eddie didn't care about Jimmy. Now... they are buddies when I am not around, but when I am Eddie prefers to be out with me. I do see Eddie feeding and preening Jimmy.

I knew Eddie was a DNA'd male, so the sex of the second bird didn't matter much to me. If you want to avoid the hassle of a hen.... get a male if you are SURE that Junior is male. Two boys get along best.

I don't regret my desicion at all.... I feel better Eddie has a friend when I am at work. I do sometimes worry that they may get into a fight and hurt each other while I am away, but so far (knock on wood) no problems and I have had Jimmy with Eddie since the end of last year. Jimmy is now actually pretty tame.... he steps up on command and is easy to get out of the cage and easy to get to go back (wings are clipped). Although he will not ever let me rub him like Eddie does, I think he is special in his own way. They are all different.

Just go slow on the introductions, it is important to house them seperately until you know for sure they enjoy each other.



Thank you for responding! Some petstores have told me getting another bird for my handtamed would be a bad idea because he wouldn't interact with me at all.....I didn't trust that information though. Sounds like your birds get along great and still play with you :). now, I'm not afraid to give the birdy friendship a try :)

[linda040899]

Thank you for responding! Some petstores have told me getting another bird for my handtamed would be a bad idea because he wouldn't interact with me at all.....I didn't trust that information though. Sounds like your birds get along great and still play with you :). now, I'm not afraid to give the birdy friendship a try :)
While Junior will probably enjoy a birdie companion, he will remain friendly with you as long as you continue to pay attention to him. In fact, a new bird may see Junior interacting with you and become interested, as well.....

[LoveBug12]

While Junior will probably enjoy a birdie companion, he will remain friendly with you as long as you continue to pay attention to him. In fact, a new bird may see Junior interacting with you and become interested, as well.....
That's great! I'm very much looking forward to getting another bird soon :).

[Enko_chan]

My Freyja is handfed and Odinn was parent raised and they are an excellent pair. The situation is different because they were hatched only 4 days apart and were raised together. Odinn was not at all tame when he arrived, and after about six weeks he has come around a lot! It is easier to work with him because Freyja is tame and fearless.

However, I must admit that I do not share the same level of closeness with them as I have with single lovebirds, despite the fact that I spend a LOT of time with them and they receive a lot of attention from me. They would prefer to be together most of the time. Because I spend a lot of time with them both, and have some one on one time with each, they are still very close with my partner Chris and I, but not the same way the single birds I have had in the past have been.

I have had other pairs with similar dynamics before, and single birds that were very close in the past and what I want to add here is that while the birds aren't quite as close with me as the single ones have been or as they are with each other, I don't feel that anything is really lost in my relationship with them. I enjoy spending time with the two of them and seeing how happy they are together makes up for the lost snuggle time. I wouldn't have them any other way!

[bookworm0550]

Yeah, i ended buying a 2nd bird for joey because i think he was lonely with me gone 5 days a week for 7-9 hours. he was so clingly and had horrible separation anxiety. it was just me and him. so i got him a friend, his sister actually, and things have been great for him. he has company and bird friends and games to play with...things that i just couldn't give him since i'm human. there's just something that a bird can give another bird. i have not lost my bond w/ him or his sister. and i am working on my third bird. i interact with them everyday.

i think that if you continue to spend time w/ both birds, they'll be fine with you still. best of luck.