MAle or Female??? Sooo Torn

[carrier]

OK...am seriously considering taking one of the lovies listed on the bulletin board section (Free to a good home) post...there is a male, 2 years old, and a female, 1 year old. They are both adorable, but space only allows me to take one, if any.:cry:

I am so torn as to weather I should bring in a male or a female for Fenway's friend...the girl is a beauty, but are the odds of them getting along worse than if I bring in the male? I really think Fenway is a male...he's toooooo sweet a birdie to be a hen! :lol :lol
Then of course there is the consideration of babies...they would be beautiful if they did mate, but do I really want that responsibility? I know I wuld feel awful boiling eggs...:x

Should I just keep Fenway an only-bird? Will the noise be horrible with two? Will Fenway become less of a sweetie-pie? That would kill me!

Sooooo torn here.

[Janie]

Carrie, no one can make that decision for you...but you. Me? I would only take a male and passed on the first WF Violet that I found because it turned out to be a hen. If I were you, I would go ahead right now and have Fenway sexed. It doesn't take long to get the results back and I think you'll have an easier time (and easier decision) if you are certain what sex he/she is. You will likely have a much easier time introducing another male to an existing male and if you don't want breeding or babies, that is the easiest way to go. No point in saying this since it's been said so many times before but, I'll say it again, there are no guarantees that any two will get along but you do have a better chance with two males.

In my experience, there is more noise with three than with only one but not enough to bother me and the rest of my family has gotten totally used to it, too. As far as Fenway remaining bonded to you, I think he most certainly will and he will continue to be a sweetie pie. You can have TWO sweetie pies! :D

[carrier]

I know the decision is up to me, and I think Fenway would benefit from having a friend.

The main question is the sex of the bird I get. I will have Fenway sexed. Also, does age matter? They are about 2 months (for the girl) to 1 year 2 months (for the male) apart. Is it easier to introduce a friend while lovies are younger? Since Fenway is about 9-10 months now, will he adapt easier to a friend or is age irrelevant?

[Janie]

Carrie, everything depends on the birds. :D When I got Big Boi and Shy, I never in a million years expected that Oliver would like them or them, him. He was about 9 years old at the time. I know from his former owner that he had been around other birds a few times and had even been caged with another species, a ring-neck, I think :omg: , for a short period and got along well. But....adding my two was years later and after he'd become very, very bonded to me and had been an "only" bird for over two years. I watched them closely for 6 months and never left the room for a second when all three were out. Once I was 100% convinced that Oliver was not going to get picked on, they were and are all three given freedom in their bird room when I am home. Never a single toe bite. Unfortunately, both of the younger boys, now 2, like Oliver better than each other and he is constantly getting preened by one or the other (smooth for the first time in years, :D) but at least the younger brothers still like each other well enough to be caged together. If Oliver is out of the room with me, they still play with each other. :)

I have read that it's better to add an older male if you already have a hen but I'm sure that also depends on the birds in question. Some are going to get along from the start, others might take a while and some won't ever get along.