Mixing an IR with an Amazon Parrot

[zesty]

Hello all! I am brand new here and have a question.

We have a yellow naped amazon parrot, he can be handled and is a stress free and problem free bird. Very active and vocal.

So, onto the question. I have a friend who has a yellow indian ringneck parrot who is offering to me. They have to get rid of their bird, I'll spare the details. I want to know if this would be an instant "No way" or a "meet n greet" and see how they get along. I understand the need for a QT and that a meet n greet isn't something that can be observed in a weekend.

The IR has been known to pick on smaller birds and is aggressive to one person in the house, but not the other. (this I know can be typical with all birds). However, this is all I know about the bird right now.

Thoughts/concerns?

Thank you,
Matt

[SunniDai]

I know of several people who have many different breeds of birds and are able to house them all. Some can be out of their cages together and not have issues, while others have a schedule for what birds are out at the same time. I also know about a lady who has three separate "bird rooms" and puts the birds that get along in each room.
A lot to consider. I guess it depends on whether your birds are going to be out of their cages all the time, part of the time, etc. I have three IRN's and they are all out all the time, each one having their own night cage to retreat to. The argue, but have a huge cage and a tree stand and a smaller stand that hangs from the other side of the room, so they can all get to their own time out areas when needed. Plus, when we leave, we take the youngest with us so the other two (mated pair) don't gang up on her or vice versa.
Again, it depends on what you envision. World peace in your house with two different breeds? Eh, probably not lol. Then again, mine are all the same breed, and there is not world peace here, either
Hope this helps a tad.
Dana

[zesty]

thanks for the reply. My goal would be to have them in the same room eventually. I am pretty sure they won't ever be in the same cage... That's just my gut feeling here. But if they could handle being in the same room, that would be enough. If they could get along, even if it's partially, that would be awesome.

I will try and keep this thread updated.

thanks!

[MissK]

Would love to hear how this progresses for you!

Best wishes.

[Little Buttercup]

Hi zesty, molussus is absolutely right. Be very, very careful about keeping the two together. My brother kept two Indian Ringnecks with two Amazons in an aviary. One day he came home to find the IRNs dead, murdered in cold blood by the amazons, feet bitten off, lying in their own blood, lifeless. A gruesome cold blooded mass murder. Think again and don't risk the life of that poor IRN.

Ash

[MissK]

Hi Matt,

I think what we're hearing here is "don't leave them together unattended", but I kind of think you were already on board with that. It sounds to me that you're asking "can they live in their own separate cages in the same room after quarantine"? And I think you're asking about it more for information on the IRN side of the equation. Am I on the right page here?

To be completely honest, I'm not the best person to answer here. I don't know anything at all about how Amazons behave and view the world. I can't address how the Amazon might feel, but you probably know him pretty well. I do know that every bird is an individual. My particular individual Ringneck seems to welcome other birds in his home. I got him as a mature individual and kept him in the living room for 6 or 7 months and then brought in a young Budgerigar. Rocky seemed to take to this bird right away, though the feeling was not mutual from the Budgie's perspective. Since then I added 3 more Budgies, and Rocky seems perfectly fine with them. I also keep Canaries, though in a different room. Rocky has visited Canaries and not seemed aggressive at all, just interested. A Caique came to visit one day, and Rocky was fine with him.

Rocky does not demonstrate an undesirable behaviour as a result of Budgies, Canaries, or Caiques in his living room. I recently changed the Budgies' quarters and placed them in a cage several inches from Rocky's. They spend a good bit of time looking at each other and chatting. Rocky displays his romantic gestures for the Budgies, but then again, he does the same for Brussels Sprouts, Seashells, and Bits Of Twine. I think it's safe to say he likes the Budgies just fine and would like to be closer for happy social interactions. He probably never will be; I'm just saying I think his desires are friendly.

As far as your friend's IRN goes, he's an individual too. You say he is aggressive to smaller birds, but the Amazon is quite a bit larger. It is my feeling that parakeets in general tend to be a little bold, so once the initial surprise wears off, the IRN might resume an aggressive approach, or he might not. The size difference might balance the power, so to speak. The entire world, for him, will have changed. Maybe he might not have a need to pick on others anymore. You also say this IRN is aggressive to one person but not the other, in the current home. Could it be that he has a "special" relationship with his favourite and that it might colour his perceptions of and attitudes towards all others? Once he is established in your home, might he pursue a "special" relationship with you (or, heck, even the Amazon, etc)? Would you be able to take steps to keep his affections moderated? These are just thinking questions. I don't know the answers. I *do* know, however, that even an old bird can learn new tricks.

IF it were me, and I were pretty interested in the new bird, and confident in the current bird, I might just give it a try. Your friends must rehome their bird regardless. If you try him and it can't work, he really ends up just in a similar situation a space of time later. I know we all strive to prevent animals being shuffled from home to home, so I would recommend you act from a fairly firm confidence in success. I think you should spend a lot of time with the IRN in the home where he lives now, and decide how you truly feel about him as an individual. I also think you should consider taking your Amazon for a meet & greet there, and bringing the IRN to your house for the same. As I say with regards to living together before marriage, "It's no guarantee, but it should weed out the axe killers." As far as quarantine is concerned, all that visiting goes against quarantine procedure. You have to make your judgement call there.