Pairing Parrotlets

[Lilbird]

Ok here goes. I adopted (3) 1 year old Pacific Parrotlets from a friend. I already had a 2 year old male. After quarrantining all the birds I placed 1 male next to 1 female in separate cages for 1 week so they could get used to each other. After 1 week I placed them both in a 36x24x24 cage. They are getting along fine, no aggression and sleep next to each other, preen each other and I it looks like they are even feeding each other. A happy couple.

My 2 year old male and the other female stayed in separate cages for a total of 2 weeks before I tried introducing them to their own similarly sized breeding cage. The older male is very interested in the female but stays his distance. The female seems to be VERY aggressive and lunges at him and tries to bite his feet. He has plenty of room to escape her hatefulness, but I have now placed them back in separate cages fearing that she may harm him.


Should I wait another week and try again? Is it possible that these two are just not ever going to be compatable?

The two pairs can hear but not see each other. They are all in the sam room, but I have a divider between the two pairs.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

[unpoquito]

I guess you could try again, but I'd be very cautious. Some birds just don't care for other birds. Your p'let might be one.

[Lilbird]

Yea, Im gonna be very cautious. I don't want another vet bill.

Does anyone else have any experience with introducing new pairs?

[abird4u]

As far as the introductions you've done right. And yes sometimes they just dont like each other. One thing I do not do is place one in the other's cage. Either they are both in temp cages and I put them in the HOME cage at the same time. This way it is unfamilar to both and no one has authority over the cage :) (NO one has invaded the others space.)
Another thing I will do ONLY IF THE ONLY 2 IN the room is open their cage doors and let them come out and explore each others cages as they chose..whoever ends up hanging out in the others cage the most..that becomes the HOME cage. I would do this only w/ young birds not quite ready for breeding.

[unpoquito]

abird4u, this sounds like great advice for introducing any new birds. thank you!

[Lilbird]

Thanks. I do have a 3rd cage that is unfamiliar territory to both birds. We are gonna try again this weekend as see how everything goes. I might even move them to a new room and try your open cage method first.

[SweetPeasMom]

Just watch them closely.

[Lilbird]

Good news. My pair has been together for over a week now and are now preening and loving each other. They are even sharing the same food dish which is something I though they would never do.

[abird4u]

glad to hear it worked out. I paired up this weekend..cutest thing is female likes to hang on the side of the cage and sleep, he likes his cuddle swing, so she hangs next to him. I hate when birds sleep like that ..but I guess it's what is comfortable for them.