Joined at the hip?

[Buy A Paper Doll]

Milo and Melody are 10 and 6 months old now. They play and hang out together for a couple of hours a day, but I still don't feel comfortable letting them share a cage. It seems that either they are not getting along ... or they are trying to get along a little too well, if you know what I mean.

Overall they are getting along and they have bonded with each other. This is a good thing; that's the whole reason why I bought Milo a pet bird to begin with. But now, I'm having trouble getting either bird to want to spend one-on-one time with me or with my husband. They don't mind spending time with me as long as the other bird is right there. If I try to separate them, even by taking one to another room or to the other side of the house, they make contact calls back and forth and eventually the one I am holding will fly away from me and try to get to the other bird. There is nothing sadder (or funnier, ironically) than watching Milo run screaming down the hall, away from his momma and into the wings of the One He Loves.

Any thoughts, suggestions?

[mangotiki]

any reason why you cannot walk about with two lovies on your shoulder instead of one? lol
maybe once they share a cage one wont mind getting out without the other. oliver and melody are hanging out in the same cage right now and like to be toegether but dont always want to be out at the same time...so we still get one on one time...
traci

[shylevon]

I noticed the same thing with my birdies. They prefer each others company to the company of momma. I remind them not to reject the affections of the person who feeds them, but they listen not.

It is easier to have them on my shoulder two at a time, and that is about the only time I get one-on-one-on-one time with them.

If you really want to spend a little bonding alone time, try doing so at bedtime when they are a little sleepy. Take one out and sit with him or her in a darkened room. They will feel very special and I think they will want to spend that relaxing time with you more than during the hustle of the daytime and playtime. God forbid momma should cut into play time.

[LauraO]

Could all of this be the newness of their "birdy" affections? They are still very young and they don't live together so the only time they can hang out is when they are out of the cage. Most of my flock is mated with another and their relationships with their mates are as individual as their personalities. Like Babiest Bubber and Beeper are inseparable but Won Ton likes to hang out with and without his Babygirl.

Maybe it's time to let the two love birdies to shack up .

[BarbieH]

I think it's the newness of their bonding and the size of their brains. Something new is still at risk of being changed, until the new routine becomes very familiar.

Keep bringing them out together so that you don't lose your bond with either of them. Bringing them out one at a time will become familiar to their little birdie brains, but it will take time and repetition. Those one-on-one times will be very short at first, as you have already discovered.

Best wishes,

[sdgilley]

Barb makes a good point: take little short steps at time with them together or apart. If you do it short but frequent, it'll be easier than one big session. It also reinforces to them that the separation from each other is very temporary.

When I first got Peepo, she'd do anything to stay on me instead of going back in her cage. Dee suggested more frequent short outings. Now I can take her out for play time or just a kiss and she's happy knowing I'll be back around to see to her amusement soon.

[Joanie Noel]

...that's the whole reason why I bought Milo a pet bird to begin with.

Am I the only one who noticed this? LOL. Milo is one lucky bird to get a pet bird to play with.

~ Joanie

[BarbieH]

LOL It's funny. I know exactly what Jennifer means! George isn't my bird, he's Gracie's.

[linda040899]

I have several "pairs" of tame lovies and I always take both out at the same time! Pairs do everything together so I simply take them out together. Granted, it's more fun trying to keep track of both of them (especially when they both climb under clothing) but that seems to relieve the stress and I don't have to listen to the contact calls.

[Buy A Paper Doll]

especially when they both climb under clothing

Yep, it's funny you should mention this because as I was sitting at the computer reading this, I had 2 lovebirds squabbling over real estate inside my shirt!