2 greys

[22bwrx]

Hi all i have had buster now for a year and brought him a new cage last week its massave well now im thinking of getting him a female friend can you guy please tell me the good and bad points this can do 

[jules]

mmm i'm still undecided on this one. quite a few members here have recently had one or two more greys as companions for their 'first' bird. it can work,they can get on but you must always remember to put your first grey first,every time no matter what it is. otherwise he/she could resent this and become jealous to the point of being nasty towards you.if they're not going to get on you'd have to watch for stress in your greys too 

bear in mind also that you may not be able to put them together right away and your greys may stop chatting as much to you as they have each others company.

this is my opinion only,other members may beg to differ 

[carol]

iv had peggy for 2 years and georgie for 3 weeks this weekend believe me peggy hasnt lost enything she still chaters away but she now has georgies screach as well mosty annoying as georgie has now stopped, getting them in the same cage is a problem, georgie is a baby and as babies want to do is play well peggy is scared, i told my vet i was thinking of getting a double cage with a seperator in ,his word was be careful with bars as feet and claws stick through, target for biting toes and claws off,  both my babies are happy at the moment in seperat cages but one day sooon im hoping for them to be in one we will see,

[feika]

2 birds could mean 2 different personalities to take care of. I've introduced Jojo with Captain a few months ago and Captain stopped talking. Now she only talks when I put Jojo away from her in the other room where she can't see her. Their cages are side by side but they waste no chance to bite each other, even though, I think Jojo wants friendship more than Captain.
There are a few positives as well such as your bird will have constant company, they can communicate with each other, and if they are of opposite sex, then I guess their biological needs be fulfilled and they become happier and more content. This does not mean that a single bird may be less happy.
Negatives can be that your birds stop talking to you and will be more interested in each other, they may be adverse enemies to each other, the 1st bird may feel neglected, the 2nd bird may try to become the boss etc.

[kins23]

I don't believe in having two greys as pets. I would suggest a different breed. Greys are always the dominant species. They usually fight! I have a grey, Amazon and sunconure. Sophie rules of course, (my grey!) Amazon, is twice her size!   Nancy M

[ukgrey]

Debbie has three that live together perfectly well, nancy number one has two, carol has two etc all living together perfectly well?

[bodeia]

I'd say it can be both fulfilling and stressful having more than one because you have to balance each of their needs as individual birds and realise they may not and never get on. 

We have 3 greys Peaches 6 years our first and still the boss who doesn't really like other greys (she thinks she's human) but tolerates Vincent our second big boy 3 years who has many issues and Sophie our baby 10 months who we initially thought may be the companion Vincent is looking for but it's far to early to tell if they will ever get on, one thing bringing Sophie into the home has settled Vincent and he seem to become more confident but again that could be because he’s 3 now.

You also need to ask have you room for two cages because initially you'll need to keep them separately and again may never be able to home them in one cage - my three have their own cages and see that as their territory and if any of the other two go near it feathers fly.  We’re lucky as they have their cages in what is called the parrot room and have neutral territory in the main living room where they all come out every evening.  Each comes out through the day for at least 1 hour one to one attention too, but even in the living room each has their own perch area that they are territorial over.

As for different species yes some say it works but usually greys being a one species bird in the wild don't take to kindly to other species I've also got 2 budgies and none of my greys particularly like them, they tend to be spooked because the budgies as very quick and small, generally Peaches and Vincent ignore them but Sophie still being young is a little devil with them and we can’t trust her not to attack them.

Also more importantly ask yourself who is the new bird for, is it for you or do you honestly believe Buster needs a companion.

[alicat]

i go three   parrots, one is a grey, one a goffins cockatoo and the other a ducorps cockkatoo. the toos are both rescue birds.
the toos had shared a cage for a few years, and the big one was henpecked and being bullied.\
i split them up and theyr both happier with seperate cages, and have turnwed out lovely birds now.
the grey i was advised not to let it free in the aviary witgh the toos, as they may fight.
however as they mixed in my presence inb the bird room they all go out together in the aviary during the day now.

so the point of my post is they may get ok when free, but sharing a cage may not work.

[kgamblin]

I can not tell you what to expect but my quacker and my grey do not get along at all every chance Ruby has she tries to go inside Sweetie's cage (my quacker) and lately has been out and out attacking Sweetie.
So now I have to let them out separately. 

[carol]

i got Peggy 3 years and Georgie 6maths Georgie is bigger  than Peggy and bully's Peggy till sunday when Georgie tried to bully Peggy once 2 often  ooh and did Peggy stand her ground and went right back for her ( for the first time) Georgie didn't like it at all, well now Georgie goes in Peggy's cage with Peggy, they both go on both cages in and out they even seem to swoop cages, its so strange., to me it just goes to show that if you stand up to bully's no matter wot species they change, I'm keeping my eye on them both to see what happens