[Lyn]

Hello, I'm new and have had lots of birds in the past, parrotlets, amazons, cockatoo, cockatiels, budgies and even a screech owl for one season. I am building a new home in the country and my sweet husband is allowing me and my mom, who will be living with me after it is built, to include a special room for plants and to serve if possible as a free flight aviary. I am very interested in having a breeding pair of parrotlets and hopefully a few other small birds. The room is about 19 feet long and 11 feet wide with triple windows/plate glass at one end and 2 sky lights. It will have a rock waterfall, plants, tile floor and side walls and a drain and faucet for watering plants and cleaning easily. I can place a few cages in there to safeguard if any don't get along and a table and chairs for sitting and enjoying the birds.
**What I want to know is what considerations do I need to make for a mixed aviary including parrotlets. What other birds are most compatible. I am thinking of painted finches and a canary but not sure if the parrotlets will be aggressive toward them. Does anyone else raise mixed birds together. I will want to breed the parrotlets and probably the finches too, but not on a large scale. Since I haven't purchased the birds yet, is there a way I can be reasonably sure I don't get aggressive birds. I'm in Texas so I also need a source for purchasing them.
**Also, what plants will hold up to bird's picking at them on occasion and what plants should I avoid without question. I have crepe myrtles which are knotted and beautiful and wanted to make perches from them, but I don't know if they are safe for birds. Thanks for any help you can offer.

 

[Jinx n Noodle]

Well, here's my thoughts...

Mixed aviary with parrotlets usually aren't a good idea as parrotlets can be aggressive. I have a bird room and my birds are caged unless supervised. My parrotlets have been known to go after my other birds (including the larger parrots like my African Grey)... even if caged and the other bird lands on their cage or vice versa... toes can get bitten.

As for plants, aim for bird safe one and then make sure that you cover the exposed soil with something. I use rocks in my pots as I've caught a couple of birds digging through the soil.

Crape myrtle is safe according to multiple online sources, but myrtle is not safe. Be sure that you have crape myrtle. Make sure you clean and bake it (to kill any insects) before using.

 

[jeannepp]

A friend of mine breeds Finches and canaries and everyone has their own cages in an aviary room that she has. She also has a p'let but all out time is supervised as Jinx said someone could lose a toe or worse. Some of the finches are together like the societies and gouldens.

 

[ozzie3860]

Well between Lyn and Amber I am starting to feel like I am mistreating my birds.

 

[kpenguins48]

Well between Lyn and Amber I am starting to feel like I am mistreating my birds.

Me too Oz.

 

[crazyaboutmyparrotlet]

Hello, I'm new and have had lots of birds in the past, parrotlets, amazons, cockatoo, cockatiels, budgies and even a screech owl for one season. I am building a new home in the country and my sweet husband is allowing me and my mom, who will be living with me after it is built, to include a special room for plants and to serve if possible as a free flight aviary. I am very interested in having a breeding pair of parrotlets and hopefully a few other small birds. The room is about 19 feet long and 11 feet wide with triple windows/plate glass at one end and 2 sky lights. It will have a rock waterfall, plants, tile floor and side walls and a drain and faucet for watering plants and cleaning easily. I can place a few cages in there to safeguard if any don't get along and a table and chairs for sitting and enjoying the birds.
**What I want to know is what considerations do I need to make for a mixed aviary including parrotlets. What other birds are most compatible. I am thinking of painted finches and a canary but not sure if the parrotlets will be aggressive toward them. Does anyone else raise mixed birds together. I will want to breed the parrotlets and probably the finches too, but not on a large scale. Since I haven't purchased the birds yet, is there a way I can be reasonably sure I don't get aggressive birds. I'm in Texas so I also need a source for purchasing them.
**Also, what plants will hold up to bird's picking at them on occasion and what plants should I avoid without question. I have crepe myrtles which are knotted and beautiful and wanted to make perches from them, but I don't know if they are safe for birds. Thanks for any help you can offer.

Wow, I am so jealous! That would be paradise for me. I love to just sit and watch my birds. But I agree with the others, parrotlets and canaries/finches is most likely going to turn out tragic for the canaries/finches. Since it is so large and if you only kept a small amount of birds, maybe you could do something like 2 lovebirds and 2 plets..at least they are both aggressive (so niether is more vulnerable) and similar size and there is plenty of places to escape if there are only a small amount of birds.

Other all canaries and finches woukd be nice. Some speciss of finches aren't compatible tho....they can be aggressive/assertive.

 

[Riley]

I know the man at the pet store (where i got my budgie) said besure and never put him with my parrolet because the parrolet would kill him.. lol i would say that would go for the other birds as well.

sounds great..besure and show pics when you get your place finished..

 

[Lyn]

Thank you all so very much for the great advise. I may need to cage the p'lets except when supervised or cage them all and let the different types out at different times. Great news about the crape myrtles as I have lots and they have such beautiful twisted knots and turns to add interest. I promise I'll share pics when it all happens. Thanks a million.

 

[wdlodge]

I have a P'let and a Senegal, both female - 5 months old. The only thing they tolerate is each others presence in the same room, supervised. Otherwise it would be a blood bath, even at this age.