Quick Answer
Yes, you can put 2 parrots together. However, some considerations should be made first regarding their gender, age, size, and temperament to ensure they are compatible. Parrots are very social animals and often do better with a companion. But introducing 2 parrots requires proper techniques to prevent aggression and injuries.
Can 2 female parrots live together?
Two female parrots can often live together without major issues. Females are generally less territorial and aggressive than males. Here are some tips for housing 2 female parrots:
– Choose similar sized birds close in age. Large differences in size or age can lead to bullying.
– Introduce them in a neutral space like a play gym, not a cage. Watch their initial interactions for signs of aggression.
– Provide multiple food, water, and perch locations to prevent resource guarding.
– Offer each bird individual play time and affection with you to prevent jealousy.
– Monitor for any fighting or bullying. Separate them if one bird seems stressed or injured.
With patience during introduction and plenty of resources, 2 females can become lifelong friends.
Can 2 male parrots live together?
Two male parrots can live together but they are more prone to competition and territorial aggression. Here are some tips when housing 2 males:
– Choose males of similar size and age. Large size differences increase risk of bullying.
– Males should be introduced at a young age if possible, under 1 year old. This allows them to bond before maturity.
– Introduce them slowly in a neutral area to observe their initial interactions. Watch for signs of aggression like lunging, beak biting, feather plucking.
– Provide multiple resources like food bowls, perches, toys so they don’t fight over them.
– Give each male one-on-one interaction and training time with you. This prevents jealousy.
– If aggression occurs, separate them immediately. Once birds fight, they often must be permanently separated.
With vigilance and training, some male pairs can coexist peacefully. But difficulty often arises as they reach sexual maturity.
Bonding a male and female parrot
Many owners successfully keep bonded male and female parrots. Here are some considerations:
– Only allow breeding if you are prepared for eggs and chicks. Otherwise, provide nest boxes and limit daylight hours to discourage mating.
– Monitor to ensure the larger bird does not bully or injure the smaller bird if there is a size difference.
– Provide duplicate food, water, perching, and toys to avoid resource guarding.
– Give each bird individual attention regularly so they don’t become possessive of you or each other.
– Look for signs of bonding like sitting close, allopreening feathers, vocalizing together. Also watch for aggression like biting, lunging, feather plucking.
– Separate immediately if there are signs of stress or obsession with the other bird.
With preparation and training, a male and female can become a harmonious pair. But reproduction issues or aggression may arise long-term in some cases.
Can different parrot species live together?
It’s generally best to avoid housing different parrot species together long-term. Issues often arise including:
– Different nutritional needs – One may become malnourished.
– Different activity levels – One may get stressed and bullied.
– Size differences – One may become territorial and aggressive.
– Communication issues – Species have different cues, vocalizations.
– Different lifespans – One will be alone when the other dies.
– Breeding issues – Unintended hybrid chicks if they mate.
However, some success has been seen housing similar sized species like budgies and cockatiels. Things to consider:
– Introduce them slowly in a neutral space to gauge initial reactions.
– Provide duplicates of food, water and other resources to prevent guarding behaviors.
– Monitor both birds closely for signs of stress, decreased appetite or energy. Separate them if issues arise.
– Never leave them unsupervised together as injury could occur.
While possible, multi-species housing has risks. Same species pairings are usually safest long-term.
Introducing 2 parrots
Here are some tips for slowly introducing 2 parrots to each other:
– Set up side-by-side cages so they can see and interact safely at first. Get them gradually used to each other’s presence and vocalizations before physical interaction.
– After a few weeks, do supervised out of cage interaction in a neutral room with both birds restrained on a play gym or harness at first. Watch them closely for signs of aggression like lunging, biting, feather plucking. Separate immediately if those occur.
– If initial interactions seem calm, let them interact freely but keep a close eye. Provide items like food puzzles to distract and engage them during sessions.
– After several weeks of peaceful sessions, you can attempt leaving them unsupervised together in a room, but monitor them closely with security cameras.
– If aggression occurs at any stage, go back to the previous stage for more gradual re-introduction.
– Only after several months of harmonious interactions can they begin to share a cage. Still provide duplicate food, water and perches initially.
With extremely slow introductions, patience, and monitoring, many parrots can learn to accept a new companion. But take things back a step if issues arise.
Signs of aggression between parrots
It’s important to separate parrots immediately at the first signs of aggression during introductions. Aggression signs to watch for include:
– Lunging or biting
– Grabbing the other’s leg or wing
– Feather plucking, often starting at the head
– Crouching with flattened body feathers
– Flaring tail and spread wings to appear larger
– Hissing, growling or scolding
– Food bowl aggression or resource guarding
– Chasing the other bird around
– Spending time on the bottom of the cage instead of perching
These behaviors may escalate to dangerous fights so intervene immediately if aggression is observed. Separate the birds and go back to an earlier stage of introduction before trying again.
Preventing fights when housing parrots together
Here are some tips to prevent fights when keeping parrots together long-term:
– Choose compatible species of similar size and age. Avoid housing different sizes like a large macaw and small budgie.
– Introduce young, sub-adult birds if possible rather than mature adults.
– Go extremely slowly during introductions over many weeks.
– Provide duplicate food, water and other resources so they don’t have to share.
– Give each bird individual daily play time and training with you.
– Rearrange cages weekly to prevent territoriality. Rotate toys to keep things interesting.
– Monitor body language and behavior daily for subtle signs of tension. Separate them if issues arise.
– Allow each bird private time in its cage if needed.
– Discourage breeding behaviors if possible.
– Keep multiple perch types and heights so a dominant bird can’t control them all.
Ongoing vigilance prevents tension from escalating to dangerous fights. Separate them at the first hint of trouble.
Bonding 2 parrots together
To promote positive bonding between 2 parrots:
– House side-by-side initially so they become accustomed to each other
– Provide joint play time under supervision with toys and treats
– Offer shower perches so they can bathe together
– Feed them treats simultaneously to encourage friendliness
– Pet and praise them as a pair during play time
– Train them together to do simple tricks for rewards
– Allow allopreening during interactions so they can groom each other
– Set up perches allowing them to sit near each other
– Provide mirrors so they become used to socializing with other birds
– Introduce new toys and foraging activities simultaneously to both
– Rearrange cage locations periodically so space feels shared
With time, patience and monitoring, many parrots will form strong social bonds with each other. But some may simply tolerate each other and not become true companions.
Choosing the best companion parrot
To choose the best companion parrot:
– Select same species for compatibility. Hybrid parrot species often suffer health problems.
– Choose similar size and age birds if possible. Large disparities increase bullying risk.
– Males and females often co-exist well. Two males have higher territorialism risk.
– Pick a confident, socialized bird that seems interested in you and other birds. Avoid fearful or aggressive birds.
– Examine plumage and feet for illness. Ensure the parrot has a clean bill of health.
– Look for energetic activity, bright eyes and smooth feathers. Make sure appetite is good.
– Get birds from different households if possible. Siblings may become territorial.
– Check for signs of self mutilation like plucked feathers that could indicate psychological issues.
– Opt for hand-raised baby birds when possible. They are already socialized to humans.
– Ask about noisy vocalizations that could irritate you or neighbors long-term.
Selecting the right personalities and temperaments gives a pairing the best chance of success. Consider species tendencies but individual preferences matter too.
Signs of a good bond between parrots
Signs that parrots have bonded positively include:
– Sitting side-by-side or allopreening often
– Vocalizing and responding to each other
– Playing together peacefully with toys
– Taking naps near each other
– Sharing food amicably
– Taking turns nicely at favored spots like food dishes
– Preening each other’s head and neck region gently
– Lack of resource guarding or territorial behavior
– Flocking and flying together around the home
– Cuddling together in or on the same cage
– Defending each other from potential threats
– Appearing relaxed and happy in each other’s presence
Observe your parrots closely to get a sense of their relationship. Look for caring behaviors versus signs of dislike, anxiety or aggression.
Helping parrots get along
To promote parrots getting along:
– Go extremely slowly when introducing new birds
– Provide multiple sources of food, water, toys and perches
– Give each bird daily individual play time and training
– Pet and praise them together when they are calm near each other
– Distract them with foraging toys if minor squabbles occur
– Separate them immediately if they become aggressive
– Monitor their interactions extremely closely long-term
– Rearrange cage locations and rotate toys to prevent territorial issues
– Discourage nesting and breeding behaviors if they aren’t meant to breed
– Keep their wings trimmed during initial introductions to prevent chasing
– Allow each bird some alone time in the cage if they seem stressed
– Try clicker training them simultaneously for treats to encourage bonding
With close supervision and patience, many parrots can learn to live peacefully together. But it takes time, effort and vigilance.
Talking parrots together
Housing talking parrots together can have some benefits but also drawbacks:
Pros:
– They may teach each other new words and sounds
– Their talking can provide each other mental stimulation
– They may mimic pleasant chatter together
Potential Cons:
– One may mimic annoying noises the other learned
– Their “flock talk” may become loud and chaotic
– They could learn obscene words from each other
– Their human-like babbling may become eerie or bizarre
Tips:
– Monitor what noises each parrot is learning from the other
– Discourage loud endless flock calls by briefly separating them
– Teach them positive phrases together like “good bird”
– Ignore bad words they learn from each other
– Record their talking sessions to gauge if they are pleasant or bothersome
Talking parrots can provide mutual mental engagement. But monitor closely what vocal behaviors they are reinforcing in each other.
Separating fighting parrots
If parrots become aggressive, separate them immediately:
– Wear thick gloves to avoid bites or scratches when splitting them up
– Create a physical barrier between them like a piece of cardboard until you can isolate them
– Put each bird in its own cage in separate rooms with a blanket draped over it to feel secure
– Check for any puncture wounds, bleeding or feather loss and consult a vet if injuries occurred
– Allow a few days or weeks of individual housing before attempting to reintroduce them
– When re-introducing, go back to the first steps of side-by-side cages and extremely slow re-acclimation
– Consider permanently separating them if aggression resumes or if one bird seems stressed or fearful
– Acquire new potential companion birds for each individual if permanent separation occurs
Separating fighting birds quickly prevents severe injury. But introduce new birds with additional caution after an aggressive relationship.
Conclusion
Housing parrots in pairs can provide many benefits including companionship, mental stimulation and social development. But take care to choose suitable species, ages, sizes and temperaments. Introduce new birds extremely slowly and monitor them for any signs of aggression. Provide duplicate resources to avoid conflict. While bonded parrots can become lifelong friends, not all birds co-habitate well. Separate any parrots immediately if there are signs of stress or hostility. With careful preparation, patience and vigilance, many parrots can live happily together in pairs.