Considering a second conure: Will they get along? Gender & cage needs?

That's a lot of questions! When getting a new bird, it is best to keep them in a separate cage for a few weeks (quarantine) to make sure they do not spread any illness to each other. Once the new bird checks out safe, you can keep them near each other to get used to hearing/seeing each other, and then gradually introduce them, whether on a shared play pen, or in a cage that is large enough to comfortably house both. Make sure you have extra food and water dishes, toys, perches, etc so that they cannot fight over these resources or become territorial. Each bird will have different markings depending on the type of coloration the bird is (there are different varieties of markings) so this will greatly depend on if you purchase a bird with similar markings or not.

Poor Greenie, though bonded birds do often show signs of grief after losing a mate, not all do. While you are not seeing signs of grief in Greenie, it can be extremely difficult to determine whether a bird might be interested in another cage mate. In the wild, birds often do pair up and many of them live in large flocks so it makes sense that many house birds would want a friend, however, in the wild birds (even bonded mating pairs) do not live in such close quarters as they do in cages in our homes. Because of this, I always tell my bird owners that if they are considering adding another bird to their family, prepare for what you might do if the two do not end up getting along (you may need space for two cages, as well as twice the number of cages, bowls, toys, etc.). Even if two birds will ultimately get along I recommend owners introduce their birds on neutral territory (do not stick the new bird immediately into your other bird's cage). Spend a few days with the two birds getting to know each other outside of a cage, try different scenarios (feeding, toys, bathing, etc.) and always be on hand to make sure if they do not get along, you can be available to keep everyone safe. If things go well you can introduce them into a more neutral cage, such as the one the new bird has been in for only a few days, for short periods of supervised time, separating them at night. After a few days, if this goes well you can try them in the cage you want them to be in together long term. The key is slow a introduction, patience, and lots of praise and rewards for good behavior. Good luck, I hope this helps!

If the cage is large enough for two birds and they are introduced gradually, another female cockatiel could be added. Adding a male will likely lead to mating and egg laying. Also, the possibility exists that the birds will bond with one another and interact less with you.

Congratulations on your new bird! Conures are wonderful pets and can be lifelong friends. I'm not sure exactly what kind of advice you're looking for based on your question, but I'll try to give you my general new-bird-owner advice in hopes that it will help. If not, please feel free to post a more specific question. - Be sure that the cage for Felipe is not only secure, but large enough to allow for his complete wingspan and at least a little bit of flight. This is especially true if he will be spending a lot of time in his cage (like while you're at work). - Psychological stimulation is very important to conures - they're like toddlers. Offer several toys in Felipe's cage. Commercial bird toys are usually great, and you can find lots at your local pet store, or a big-box store like Petco. They love to tear things up, so paper to shred and cardboard boxes can be great, cheap toys for them as well. - If you're offering water in a bowl, you'll need to change it at least once daily. Most conures love to bathe, and Felipe will likely make a lovely mess out of his water dish while splashing around. Many conures also like to dip their food in their water, and this can also dirty it up quickly. - Most veterinarians recommend a pelleted diet for parrots. A seed-only or high-seed content diet is extremely high in fat, which can cause liver disease if fed consistently. There are a lot of great pellet diets for birds at pet stores, including brands like Zupreem (which is what I feed my own bird). You should also supplement your bird's diet with fresh veggies and fruits, if possible. Here's a good list of foods to avoid: https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/foods-toxic-pet-birds/ - The biggest concern most new conure owners have is behavior-related. For the first few days, Felipe may appear withdrawn and want to stay in his cage. It's important to let him come out in his own time. Sit by his cage and talk to him, and offer tasty food treats (fruits, vegetables, nuts, etc). He'll eventually come to the conclusion on his own that you're not scary, but if you force him, he may react aggressively. Conures do and will bite if provoked - if this occurs, ignore him. Generally, these birds want to be with their flock members (you!) and will learn quickly that biting does not get them the attention they crave. I hope this helps - as I mentioned earlier, please feel free to post another question if you'd like to know something more specific about conure ownership. Good luck, and I hope that you and Felipe have many great years together (depending on the species, this is at least 20 years!).

Thanks for reaching out about Koko. A female would be preferred. All new birds should be quarantined in a different room for at least 30 days. Diagnostics tests can be performed to ascertain health. Good luck.

This is a tough questions. If you definately don't want babies, a male would be the best choice. Males often get along well, but birds pick their own friends. So just going out and purchasing another male lovebird might still have aggression. Acquiring another bird from a rescue group might allow visit to determine compatibility. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Tweety. Many bird owners have only one budgie, and the vast majority do well as long as there is mental stimulation. These parrots don't like to be along, so either bird or human company. The problem with adding another bird, is not all birds get along and in a cage there is no escaping aggression. If you have a return policy and get the birds as a trial run, that could work. Also, new birds should be quarantined to limit transmission of infectious agents. Good luck.