Whether you have 1 bird or 500 birds, regardless of if you're adding 1 new member or 30, there are some precautions you MUST take when adding a new bird to your flock!
The first step, and the most important, is the quarantine period. Keep the bird in a different room from the rest of your birds for at least 30 days, with 45 days being ideal. Even if you take the bird to the vet and he/she gives it a clean bill of health, there are just some things that will not manifest for weeks, and that are not detectable without extensive testing. During this time monitor the bird's droppings, check to see if it's eating and drinking enough, weigh it every other day to make sure it is not gaining or losing a significant (more than 10g) of weight, and just observe its general behavior.
Moving is extremely stressful to birds, even babies. They need to get used to new surroundings, new people, and possibly new pets. It is best to give your new bird 1 week to settle in and adjust. After this period, it is advisable to start to handle, train, and bond with the bird. Start by sitting near the cage and talking or singing to it, then open the cage and allow the bird to come out on its own. You may want to start "step-up" training (I'll explain how to in my next post!), or if it is already trained, practice. It is important to gain the bird's trust. Do not make any sudden movements or sounds, move slowly and carefully when holding a bird. It may take months before it will accept being pet, but in the end it will be worth it!
Introducing your bird to its new cage-mate and the rest of your flock can be potentially dangerous. Make sure to NEVER leave birds out unsupervised, even for a bathroom break! Introduce future cage-mates slowly. Start by placing both cages in viewing distance of each other, but not touching. This allows the birds to see and hear each other. After a week or so, if the birds seem interested and comfortable with each other, place the cages next to each other, touching. Make sure to keep a very close eye on the birds at this point! Watch for any hissing or aggressive behavior. If the birds seem to get along, take them both out of the cage to see how they interact with each other. They will most likely not go straight to grooming and sleeping next to each other, but they should be at least mildly interested. After repeating this without issues several times, you may put them in the same cage. Watch for signs of stress or aggression.
Be warned, however, if a bird lives with another bird(s), they will start to bond with the other bird(s) and may become more weary of people. If the bird is a baby it is advisable to keep it in its own cage until you have establish trust and formed a strong bond with it.
If all goes well, congratulations! You have successfully safely introduced a new member to your flock! Bet you can't wait to do it again! LOL
The first step, and the most important, is the quarantine period. Keep the bird in a different room from the rest of your birds for at least 30 days, with 45 days being ideal. Even if you take the bird to the vet and he/she gives it a clean bill of health, there are just some things that will not manifest for weeks, and that are not detectable without extensive testing. During this time monitor the bird's droppings, check to see if it's eating and drinking enough, weigh it every other day to make sure it is not gaining or losing a significant (more than 10g) of weight, and just observe its general behavior.
Moving is extremely stressful to birds, even babies. They need to get used to new surroundings, new people, and possibly new pets. It is best to give your new bird 1 week to settle in and adjust. After this period, it is advisable to start to handle, train, and bond with the bird. Start by sitting near the cage and talking or singing to it, then open the cage and allow the bird to come out on its own. You may want to start "step-up" training (I'll explain how to in my next post!), or if it is already trained, practice. It is important to gain the bird's trust. Do not make any sudden movements or sounds, move slowly and carefully when holding a bird. It may take months before it will accept being pet, but in the end it will be worth it!
Introducing your bird to its new cage-mate and the rest of your flock can be potentially dangerous. Make sure to NEVER leave birds out unsupervised, even for a bathroom break! Introduce future cage-mates slowly. Start by placing both cages in viewing distance of each other, but not touching. This allows the birds to see and hear each other. After a week or so, if the birds seem interested and comfortable with each other, place the cages next to each other, touching. Make sure to keep a very close eye on the birds at this point! Watch for any hissing or aggressive behavior. If the birds seem to get along, take them both out of the cage to see how they interact with each other. They will most likely not go straight to grooming and sleeping next to each other, but they should be at least mildly interested. After repeating this without issues several times, you may put them in the same cage. Watch for signs of stress or aggression.
Be warned, however, if a bird lives with another bird(s), they will start to bond with the other bird(s) and may become more weary of people. If the bird is a baby it is advisable to keep it in its own cage until you have establish trust and formed a strong bond with it.
If all goes well, congratulations! You have successfully safely introduced a new member to your flock! Bet you can't wait to do it again! LOL