So, you have enjoyed the company of your male parakeet and feel ready to introduce another? Parakeets are lovely birds and will enjoy spending lots of time with you. However, you might feel like your presence alone is not enough, and maybe another parakeet will be better company. So, can you put two male parakeets in the same cage?
To put it simply, yes. You can put two male parakeets in one cage but after thorough preparation on your part. There are a few things you will need to do to properly acquaint the new bird and your original parakeet.
The first thing you will need to do is think about what the other parakeet might be like. Is he submissive or dominant? Does he free-feed, meaning does he take food from your hand on his own? Or is he a little more hesitant and might need time to adjust? Knowing how your new bird acts and thinks will help you take the necessary steps to introduce the birds properly and give them a good shot at becoming friends.
If he is very hesitant or shy, try letting him out of his cage first while your original parakeet remains inside his. You can let him perch on your shoulder for a while as you sit on the couch or lay in bed reading a book. This will give the new parakeet some time to adjust and hopefully build his confidence up enough that he is able to socialize with your other bird.
If you feel like this isn't quite working out, or if your current bird seems a bit too dominant for your liking, take it slow. Move very slowly when putting the new parakeet back in his cage, and do your best to look relaxed. Just like how you try not to make a big deal out of everything around your original bird, don't make a big deal out of moving the new guy. If he flies out at you or does anything aggressive, simply walk away and allow him to take a breath. If he is trying to get your attention, you can try offering him food and some quiet time with you. However, if he continues to act aggressively or isn't being very friendly, DO NOT give up! You'll just have to take your time with the new guy.
So yes, male parakeets get along just fine, but while you need to give them time to bond with each other before putting them in the same cage, you also have to be ready for more effort when taming or training them.
The Quarantine Period
Another factor you will also need to consider is the quarantine period. Normally when you bring a new bird home, you need to quarantine it for a while before you can introduce it to the other birds.
Also, after this quarantine period is over, you will need to carefully introduce the new bird to the cage, giving them time to bond. You may need to keep the new parakeet in a separate cage but in the same room the first few days or weeks, and only leave them together in one cage when you are fairly confident they will get along.
While you long for your parakeet to get along well, you need to make sure the cage is big enough to accommodate them. Parakeets are very active birds, meaning you will need a wide and tall cage where they can chase each other around during playtime. In addition, when buying or designing the cage, make sure the birds won't be able to escape, and that it will also have enough room for toys and feeding trays.
Can You Have 3 Male Parakeets Together?
Now, it is one thing to introduce two male parakeets to live in the same cage, but what do you do with three? Well, you can also put them in one cage. And, just like when you brought home a new parakeet to live with the original parakeet, you will also need to follow the same process, only now you need two original parakeets to bond with a new one.
Parakeets are very social birds, but when they need to set some boundaries, they may need a lot of taming to accept a new member. When your new bird is quarantined and ready to mingle with other birds, you will need to put more effort when welcoming it to the cage.
The two male parakeets may not be so welcoming, especially if you understand they have already bonded and gotten used to having each other around. They can gang up on the new parakeet if they feel a threat to their relationship.
To avoid this, you will first need to bring the new male parakeet into the same room but in a different cage, but in a different cage. Then, take as much time as you feel comfortable with introducing the birds.
If you can, it would also be best to put the cages close together, and with time, you will notice the parakeets trying to get closer to each other. Usually, they will try to sit closest to each other, often on one side of the cage. You will know you can put them in the same cage when they start mimicking each other's routines.
Even as you transfer all three birds to the same cage, you will need to do so with care; supervise their playtime until you are confident they won't harm each other. In addition, you will need an even bigger cage to house the birds. Consider toys, feeding, and how flexible the three birds will be inside.
When you have three male parakeets living in the same cage, you will also need to make frequent visits, ensuring you play with them together as well as separately with each bird. There is a chance they will grow independent of you, and this can make training and taming a bit more difficult.
FAQs
Conclusion
Introducing two male parakeets in the same cage can be tricky. You need to make sure they are both healthy and that you have a large enough cage for them or else it could lead to fighting, which is not what we want! If your birds are already living together peacefully before introducing new ones, then there’s no problem at all.
However, if you notice any signs of aggression from either bird towards another one over time (i.e., dominance displays), then it would be best if you separate these males so as not to harm each other or themselves by fighting with their claws and bills. The quarantine period should also take place when bringing new males into an existing flock so that they don't spread their illness to other parakeets (in the event that they have an illness, of course)
