How should i introduce my two ringnecks?

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SophieMylene
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon May 12, 2014 10:11 am

How should i introduce my two ringnecks?

Post by SophieMylene »

Hi Everyone! :D

Last time i posted a topic on here it was about how i should go about taming my mature male ringneck George (age unknown). Im not sure if i said in my other post, but i used to have budgies in my bedroom with George, but at the start of summer, i built them an outdoor aviary. George has always been a.. distant.. bird, for example, he was never really that interested in his toys (he would play with them a little bit, but never get too excited or playful). I tried my hardest to stimulate him with toys to try and get him to play- he has numerous foraging toys, but he just isnt interested and cant figure them out! Im pretty positive that its not because hes dippy, as i managed to target train him in just a couple of days! He spends most of his time out of his cage, especially recently as i have been home from school for the summer; and i spend a lot of time talking to him, reading my book aloud etc.. ANYWAY (sorry for going off on a bit of a tangent.. ) since i moved the budgies outside, I noticed a MAJOR difference in George, He was much quieter, had little to no interest in his toys, he wasnt interested in practicing target training AT ALL and didnt really sing anymore.. instead he called.. A LOT.

I had always thought of getting George a friend as i felt i couldnt give him the companionship he needed.. and so i got baby Charlie. he is 6 months old, hand reared and is a white headed pastel blue mutation. WELL. I never thought i would see such a difference in George. He is the happiest i have ever seen him, just because charlie is in the same room as him! George sings all the time, and believe it or not, he is much more interested in me! dare i say it, i think he trusts me much more than he ever did before.. Im not sure if this is because he see's me interacting with charlie and charlie isnt afraid..He even steps up onto a perch in my hand if i ask him! :) Im so pleased in with the change in George, He seems so much happier in himself :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

So i have had Charlie for 2 weeks now. The first week, I had them in separate cages at opposite sides of the room. For the second week i moved their cages next to each other. They both have out of cage time together, but on different play stands. Charlie had his wings clipped before i got him and George was fully flighted, until about 3 weeks ago when i had him clipped. i didnt want to do it as is was wonderful seeing him fly around my room, he loved sitting on the curtain rail and looking out the window. But one day, he was having a hyper moment (as they do :P ) and was flying around my room, when he headed for the curtain rail and crashed into the beam on my ceiling.. I thought he was dead,, he crashed to the floor and luckily was alright. He has chipped the end of his beak, but other than that, he was THANKFULLY unharmed. I think he misjudged where he was flying as my room is painted pale blue.. maybe he confused it with the sky.. i dont know.. anyway i had his wings clipped as im too afraid the he will end up breaking his neck or something if he hits the beam again :(

Ok so back to the topic, George and charlie seem ok together in separate cages, george sings to charlie, does the odd growl and whistle to him but other than that they seem pretty good. They sit on the perches that are closest to eachother to sleep- its pretty cute :)

What would be the next step of introducing them? I was thinking of taking them both into my bathroom (a neutral environment for both of them) and putting them on the floor together? I would love for the meeting to go as smoothly as possible as i am hoping that they can eventually be caged together.. However, if things dont go to plan, i am fully prepared to have them living separately :)

Any advice would help as i dont want anyone to get hurt when they meet!

Thank You! :D
Wessel Gordon
Posts: 408
Joined: Wed Jul 13, 2011 12:02 pm
Location: South Africa
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Re: How should i introduce my two ringnecks?

Post by Wessel Gordon »

Hi Sophie

Since Charlie is still a young bird and obviously comfortable being handled by humans I would introduce Charlie to George and not the other way around. What I would do in your situation is to take Charlie and get him to sit on a perch and take him over to George's cage but I would make sure there's an inch or two distance further than one of them can lunge at the other if they feel like it. Depending on how that goes you can then slowly move them even closer till they are within touching distance. From the sound of it there is already mutual interest in each other so a "bluff" or a lunge seems unlikely but it's a lot better to be safe (and keep everyone's blood where it's supposed to be).

If they do get along I would recommend that you either house them together in a cage neither of them ever used to avoid territorial issues or to put George in Charlie's cage. Using a cage never used by one of them immediately turns it into neutral territory since both of them would be a bit unsettled by the move and it would gradually become "our cage" and not "George's cage" or "Charlie's cage" (if you follow my reasoning). My reasoning behind putting George in with Charlie is that Charlie is still a young bird and might be more adaptable to George moving in with him. George is older and might be slightly more possessive of his personal space and moving him into Charlie's cage would have the effect of unsettling him long enough for him and Charlie to work out their sleeping arrangements etc.

Let us know how it all worked out.

Wessel
MissK
Posts: 3011
Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 3:46 pm
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Re: How should i introduce my two ringnecks?

Post by MissK »

Congratulations! I wish you all three the best!
-MissK
SophieMylene
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon May 12, 2014 10:11 am

Re: How should i introduce my two ringnecks?

Post by SophieMylene »

Hi! Just an update! They are still caged separately.. I introduced the boys as advised on here, and all seemed to go well, they have play time out together pretty much every day. They would have the odd squabble (oddly they were always indtigated by Charlie) but George would put him in his place and that would be that. As time has gone on, Charlie has got more and more bulchy with George, and starts displaying as soon as they are together. Luckily, George is a lover not a fighter and often just moves away to avoid confrontation, but yesterday something strange happened... Both the boys were playing , Charlie was on top of his cage, but George hadn't come out at this point (the cages are next to each other and they often hop between each others cages). Charlie climbed down into George's cage and started playing with one of George's toys. George wasn't too bothered, he just stayed where he was at the other side of his cage. The suddenly Charlie made his way over to George and chased him out of the cage! (DONT WORRY, I only let this continue as there was no contact between them, I wouldn't let either of them be in danger) George repeatedly tried to go back in, but Charlie was guarding the door, until finally George decided enough was enough and had a pop at Charlie and reclaimed his cage.. I'm not sure what this means or how I should go about getting them in the same cage.. George seems to avoid any advances from Charlie for a while, then when he's had enough he puts Charlie I'm his place, and Charlie won't try again until the next day.. Charlie is about 6/7 months now.. Could this be because he is getting more mature? On the up side, GEORGE WILL STEP UP NOW :D he still won't do it in his cage, but out of his cage he is happy to step onto my hand :) so pleased with his improvement! I attached a few pictures of them both on my arm :)

Thanks everyone for the earlier advice! I really appreciate it :)
Attachments
Gorgeous George on my hand :)
Gorgeous George on my hand :)
image.jpg (18.12 KiB) Viewed 2226 times
George (green) and Charlie (pastel blue) on my arm together :)
George (green) and Charlie (pastel blue) on my arm together :)
image.jpg (19.6 KiB) Viewed 2226 times
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