Threesome Good?

[Illumen]

Hello everyone!!!

I haven't posted a question for a while but hopefully someone can help me.

I'm owned by 2 lovebirds, Emma and Roxy, and my parrotlet Mochi. So about 2 weeks ago, I finally got around to having them DNA'd after living with them for 2 years. My dear girls are now my dear boys. I suspected they were males but I suppose I was in denial and hope at least one would turn out to be a girl. My boyfriend made me change their names to Emmy and Rox so they wouldn't continue to have an identity crisis :roll: , even though I don't think that matters.

Here is my question for the experts, I'm going to a bird fair this weekend and wondering what would happen if I added a female to the mix? One is more dominant than the other and sometimes, like many couples, they like their own space. Otherwise, my boys are very much bonded. Would they hurt a female or fight over the female? Both my boys are sexually mature and they both have a "special" toy they spend much time with.

Thank you for your help in advance.

Mena

[mangotiki]

lol. You just don't know what will happen. Do your boys feed each other and try to mate? I had two males that were best buds but were quite happy to bond with the females who arrived a year later. They never fed each other, but Mango loved his sex toy, thats for sure...even fed it...gross. at least he didnt try to feed me.:omg: (which sometimes happens). Now he has a girl, he doesn't need his sextoy anymore:lol

If you bring only one female in, then you may end up with a lonely female, a lonely emma or a lonely roxy. Someone will be left out. And I would guess that whoever is left out might get hurt.

Who likes who cannot be predicted.... You might want two females though, one for each of them! it would be sad if the new bird broke the other two up and left one pining away.

remember...quarantine, and introduce slowly. Do not cage them together until you figure out who is liking who.

Traci

p.s. I dont think I made it clear...dont cage them (the female and whichever male she might happen to get along with) together until you figure out who likes who...but you wont be able to cage all three together ever.

[Mummieeva]

First of all welcome. Three birds is not a good mix at all. If your two are bonded adding a third could cause troubles. Three birds in a cage is not a good idea because of two birds could gang up on the third. Also please remember any new bird you get first needs a 30-90 day quarintine. That means a diffrent room and cage. That is to protect both your birds now and your new bird. After that you could let them get to know each other. But if your males are bonded I would not cage the female with them. Nobody can know for sure how your boys will react. Also adding a female could mean eggs so be prepared for that.


Steph

[Janie]

I have three words......Don't do it! Seriously, you have two males and that is a good mix for a bonding pair. Add a female and you will no longer have that harmony, IMHO. I do have three, all MALES and while two are bonded brothers, they do get along with my single male but I would never bring a female into the mix. The brothers are cage mates and sleep together and my single male has his own cage and all do OK when out together (supervised) but I shudder to think what an added female would add to the raging hormones in my peaceful flock.

[Illumen]

You're right. I was just pondering the idea. I too think quarantine is very important. I kept my parrotlet at my boyfriends for 2 months before I introduced her to my lovebirds.

Emma and Roxy seems very happy together. They feed and preen each other and they always have to be in each other sight. Even when they get on each other nerves, they have to be at least in the same room or they won't stop calling for each other. The sweetest thing is when I clip their wings, both will come to each other's rescue. Besides, they both are very attached to me, I would hate to make them fight for my attention with yet another bird. They already hate my parrotlet, and my parrotlet hates them back due to jealousy.

Thanks again.

Mena

[mangotiki]

things will get noisier, that is for sure. i cannot always let all my birds out at the same time, as some just cannot tolerate each other...janie is rihgt when she says you are risking upsetting a peaceful situation. But I just couldn't stop and I got another, and another...they have worked it out and do not spend too much time bothering to insult each other through the bars...but they are very loud and squawk back and forth. It is NOISY!!

Traci

[Janie]

Oh, I don't mean that you should not add more....:D More is fine but I would not bring ONE female in with two males. You might bring two in but a "threesome" is sometimes not a good mix and especially when one is of the opposite sex. I might add more, someday, but I will only add DNA'd males because I don't want babies (too hard to give up and too hard to place) or eggs.

Come to think of it, where is Suzanne???? She has two males and one female and it's all working out just fine! Suzanne, help us out on this one. :D

[mangotiki]

lol. I wonder if bringing in an established pair would be best. Then you will have two pairs who are already bonded...while this still will change the dynamics, at least there will be no squabbling over partners. Well, at least hopefully. I have had two females decide that they liked each other better than anyone else...took me a while to get Malibu bonded to Rain...she really liked all the females (???) instead.

were you wanting babies? Is that why you want a female?

Traci

[linda040899]

Hi Mena,
While this may not be true all of the time, I've found that once 2 lovebirds have become bonded (regardless of gender), it can be very difficult to get them to accept a different mate, even one of a different gender. If they each have their own toy, would a female actually change what they do? Quite possibly not. I put 2 OF Lutino hens in with 2 Lutino males and the males stay together, as do the females. The only change is the cage..... :rolleyes:

[Illumen]

It was really just a thought. They have each other, "special toy", and me...it's a good life. My main purpose at the bird fair is to get them a bigger cage, it's almost Emma's 2nd birthday and thought it would be a nice gift. Although we may come home with a little friend for Mochi my parrotlet.

I don't really want any babies, still too young to be a grandma :) .

Mena

[mangotiki]

We all have "just a thought". trouble is...those birdies are so darn cute that we end up acting on those thoughts!!

[Mummieeva]

I wanted to add that I have 3 birds. A mother and child who are peachfaced and a blue masked. It took me a while to feel I was ready to try a third. My mom and child are bonded to each other and me. Your very smart for thinking things through and not rushing. Good luck at the bird fair. I love going to them..Much to my husbands dismay...lol. Just becareful lovebirds can be addicting..lol.


Steph
p.s how does your parrotlet act compared to your lovebirds? I always see them and they are so cute and remind me of mini lovebirds.

[Illumen]

Don't get me started Steph...well ok I'll start. Let me just say I love my lovebirds to death....but my parrotlet is the cutest sweetest thing in the whole world.

Mochi is very cuddly and playful. She probably eats more than both my lovebirds combined but she burns through all that energy. As soon as the alarm clock goes off in the morning, she starts calling for us. We usually take her out and lay in bed with her for half hour each morning and all she does is cuddle or give us kisses. She absolutely loves preening by boyfriend's beard. We just recently took her to Texas for a wedding (I'm in CA), she was so well behaved at the ceremony and friendly to everyone. She know's step up, no bite, kiss kiss, and come to mama. I'm currently trying to teach her to do "high fives". She has the cleanest feet I've ever seen, she can spend half the day cleaning her feet sometimes. We are very lucky with her, Mochi came from breeder that socialized with her birds all the time.

In comparison to my lovebirds, she's much more devoted to being with us human mates. But my Emma and Roxy have each other so I understand why they are not as cuddly to me as Mochi is. In personality, she's a fiesty little girl. She'll go head to head with my lovebirds, and even scare them away. I try very hard to keep them separated. I can see the similarities in her to her cousins the Amazon. She can pick things up with one feet and hang upside down in her cage with one feet, she's very intelligent. We try to let her figure things out on her own, and she does it...where there's a will, there is a way with her. She's not nearly has destructive as my lovies though. She's curious and can be mischiveous but still does not do as much damage. I figured out her favorite toys are paperclips any cotton shirts she can punch holes into with her beak. I can go on forever...sorry. Hopefully I gave you an idea on parrotlets.

Mena

[Janie]

Gee Mena....thanks a lot! :lol Needless to say, your description about your parrotlet sure does make me want one! :D

[sdgilley]

Awwww, Mochi sounds adorable! I'm with Janie, now you have me thinking.....
***no more birds*** ~breathe

I have three lovies. Two are males and live together. My third is a hen. She's my baby, and has her own cage. She'd love to mate with one, Luka, but dislikes Peter. Both Peter & Luka feed her through the cage bars. My intention was not to try & cage them together - which was really good when she turned all female on me and began laying eggs. I have noticed this: If Peepo (my hen) is mean to Peter, then Luka (Peters beloved cage mate) will start running Peter off as well. They're different species, so I have no intention of allowing them to produce offspring. BUT, as much as Luka loves Peter I believe he'd shack up with Peepo given half a second!

Do you have pictures? :D

[Mummieeva]

They sound so cute. But I know they are not for me. Atleast not for about 10 years..lol. I have 3 human kids and my sons would be much to rough for as small as they are. Plus right now 3 birds is my limit.lol.



Steph

[Illumen]

I know what you mean. I got Mochi at a bird fair also back in Oct. I went there to get a bigger cage for my lovebirds and couldn't resist getting Mochi, she literally chose us. We were looking at some toys and Mochi hopped from the breeder to our shoulders. So the bigger cage I got ended up to be hers, and now back to shopping for another cage.

Hopefully this time i will have greater will power. The only bird I will get, if I get one, will be a friend for Mochi. She gets so sad when my boyfriend and I aren't around. I definitely have my hands full with 3 birds also.

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2107605615

Mena

[butterfly1061]

Ok, here's my :2cents:

I bought Molly at 4 weeks old and we bonded instantly - well, cause I handfed him :rolleyes: So a few months later I figured he needed a buddy to hang out with while I was at work and that's when I bought Daisy. She was 5 weeks old and Molly was about 8-9 months old. Welllllll, Molly wanted NOTHING to do with her. As time went by Daisy would chase Molly everywhere and Molly would run to me for cover (poor baby) so I bought Piper who was about 2-3 months old. Daisy took up with Piper and babied him. She even stopped chasing Molly. So, back in December I was at my breeders house picking up bird food and I played with the young ones, one in particular - a WF Cinnamon Violet. She was sooooo sweet and played on me the whole time I was there (a few hours). My brother was with me and as we were leaving he said the magic words "Do you want her?" Well, duh!!!! "Yes" as I smiled sweetly and he bought her for me for christmas :D So off I go with another lovie which brings me to 4 :eek: Well, Daisy decided the new lovie was HERS!! She dropped Piper like a hot potatoe and "Olivia" became her baby. She dotes all over Olivia - it's sickening :p Well, my VERY bonded Molly decided back in February that he did need a friend and now he and Piper are buds, but I'm still his favorite :D So at my house it's the boys bonded to the boys and the girls bonded to the girls - go figure :rolleyes: That's my story!:whistle: