Ok, I am having a bit of a dilema here.
I record Poppy from time to time when I leave to see what he does all day. He talks, screeches, and plays... some. Mostly, he sits there.
I put him in his cage Monday before leaving for work and he said "be right back", which made me cry.
I know I am his whole entire world. I read an earlier post about yes, they want to be out there flying free and now I am really struggling with this.
I feel so bad leaving him. He gets about 4-5 hours with me a day, and that is only if I don't do anything after work, and I find myself not doing things because of my guilt.
I am to the point that I think it is so unfair for him. Even though I leave the tv or radio on, he lives for me to walk in that door. I am feeling so selfish... it is so different from a cat or dog.
I have heard the experts say don't get another bird for your bird, yet I am considering it. Wouldn't it be just a little better for him if he at least had someone to talk through the bars to?
I have to find a way to feel better about this. I know he is happy when I am home, but I also know that 19-20 hours a day he is all alone.
Can anyone offer any advice? And if I do decide on another, any suggestions on what kind of bird to get?
Help please!

I understand where you're coming from. While I'm not an advocate of getting another bird to keep the first bird company, the idea has some merit.

Birds are social flock animals. They do thrive when there are other flock members around, be it you or another bird.

I know with our guys they have their moments when I'm home but they are in the bird room that several will all start chattering to each other. In fact they can get downright noisy. So I know they are interacting with each other to some extent.

The downside is thet you will have twice as much work, food, cleaning, noise and mess to deal with.

If you feel you can devote all the extra time required then adding an additional bird will help enrich your birds life. The kick is it won't free you up to leave them alone more, just the opposite, you will now have two birds that need your love and attention.

Another bird is no substitue for an involved parront.

I have to agree with Uncle Zippy...you may get a bird to help ease the loneliness of the 1st bird, but now you have 2 birds that need you one-on-one attention...If you don't have time for 1 bird, I wouldn't get another one..If he's adjusted to your work schedule, try not to worry about it..just be sure he has plenty to keep him busy while you are gone...

Rebecca

Thanks for the input so far; I value the opinions.
I do feel I have time for one bird, I mean I feel I spend as much time with him as any single working person possibly could! And fortunately, I have a job where I can work from home about a third of the time (not every day, but a lot)
I take him with me wherever I can. For instance, I was supposed to meet my biker friends for dinner last night. I justified it as chilly enough to not ride myself, so I took him to the bar with me. Of course, everyone loved him much more than he loved them, but my vet said take him everywhere possible, and I do.
Still, I do have to work a minimum of 8 hours,which doesn't leave too much time with him before he needs to go to bed. So, no matter what, if he is awake 12 hours, I am at work for 8 of those.
I just feel so bad for him. I spend a fortune on new toys, which I do see he is finally beginning to play with.
Maybe it is just me and my guilt. I know as of right now, my life revolves around him and every decision I make comes from considering him first. It is just knowing he is a flock animal and his flock has to work!

If by "bar" you mean the local watering hole, I don't know if that's really the best place for your bird. Being around all that noise and chaos? I wouldn't do it.

No, it wasn't like that. There were about 10 people total in there...
probably not anything like you might have pictured. I probably should have said restaurant. We only stayed about 20 minutes anyway... but it was 1/2 hour drive each way. It is a big open room, and it was real early.

Well, there is no real way to know if your guy and a new parrot will get along. But- you could get a bitty birdie- eh? One that doesn't need one-on-one, like a couple canaries, or finches, or even some budgies. I remember someone whose QP loved to watch their guinea pig, for example. Or fish- fish are good. It's like a pet for your bird, rather than a companion. That way your bird has something to amuse him, and you don't have (potentially) double the guilt/problem you have now.

It sounds like you are doing a ton for your baby, already- don't feel guilty!

Lets put this in perspective. I work 8 hours a day also, so does Mrs. We get the fids out for a couple of hours in the morning, , but we are so busy getting them and us ready for the day that they don't really get much one on one time. In the evening they are out for a good three hours, but the one on one time is split between five birds. So they are not really getting the one on one time I wish I could give them, but in my estimation they are all happy well adjusted birds.

It could be said that it's partly due to the fact that they have each other during the day to keep them company, but it could also be that they are happy enough with the quality of attention they are getting from us.

Our guys are also very independant when it comes to playing with their toys. Each night when I come home I have to spend a good 10 minutes picking up the toys they have strewn all over their cages, and in fact the whole bird room. I think that is a big part of it, the solo play time. A bird will be way happier and more tolerant of being left alone if they are proficient at entertaining themselves.

If Poppy doesn't like toys then that is definately something you can work on. Offer lots of different types of toys, from shredding, to puzzle, to foraging, each will add it's own enrichment to your birds alone time. Same with food. Be creative and keep em guessing by offering lots of variety.

A single parrot doesn't equal a bored parrot. Same as a quiet parrot doesn't mean he's bored. Ours take lots of breaks from play time to preen and nap, so just because Poppy isn't active doesn't nesessarily mean he's bored.

However, only you can be the judge, and sometimes adding another bird will enrich not only your first birds life but yours as well.

Oh heck, I'd say go for it!!!. If you cage them separetely you shouldn't have a problem with losing your baby as pet quality. I cage my two quakers together and they both still want to be on mom. Yes, they love each other more probably, but I"m not selfish enough to let that bother me.
I guess I feel like you do in that they must prefer to have company during the day. That's not an option for everyone, but I can see you're really thinking about it and if it's possible, go ahead and give some love to another fid!!!!
tikileahsmom

Well, as you can see from my signature I have more than one bird

I didn't get them for company for the other birds, I got them because I wanted them...And they needed rescued. My guys are pretty well adjusted I think as they aren't real screamers or anything like that...And I only have one real plucker who came to me that way and he's the screamer of the group. Fortunately, (??) for the last year I've been able to be home 24/7 if I so choose to be so they get a lot of my attention, Not necessarily one on one but I talk to them all through out the day and I touch each one of them numerous times through out the day, Some times they get to be out of their cages most of the day, some times not, depends on what I'm doing.

I can tell you from personal experience 2 birds are more work than 1 but if you have the time so be it.

The thing you need to realize though is Poppy may be perfectly content with the situation as it is now. And adding another bird to the picture may tip the apple cart. At least for a while. Poppy could become jealous of the other bird if you spend time with it before you spend it with her. It really depends on the personality of both birds. Some birds can be very intimidated by other birds whether they are allowed to come in contact with one another or not. Or it could be that Poppy could be the intimidater and bully the other bird.

Just more things to think about. But as has been said...Get the bird ONLY if you want another bird.

Oh I've been getting some great ideas from this thread. This makes me want to go buy another frog! When I first got my bird I had a pet frog as well and Dobby loved him. Dobby was still new to my home and he broke out of his cage while I was at work...where did he immediately go?...to visit the frog!
I know how you feel about your bird, though. We should start a single parronts thread. It is hard when they see you as their only source of entertainment. Sometimes I feel like a slave keeper.
Please let us know what you decide and how it is going. I'm in the same boat.

I have to agree with 'Alusdra', just get something that doesn't need one-on-one, like a couple canaries, or finches, or even some budgies.

A lot to digest here.
As Connie said (and unknowingly hit the nail on the head), Poppy would be jealous, no doubt about that. At least for awhile.
Then again, I was thinking along the lines of Alusdra, in getting something with a less dominant behavior; one that didn't require a lot of handling.
I also appreciated UZ "a single parrot doesn't equal a bored parrot". I realize that this idea is mostly due to my own guilt. I have been working to make Poppy more independent as ordered by my vet, and have done quite well. I handle him much less and he is plays on top of his cage, yet he still screams when I leave the room.
I also can see from the videos that he is not flock calling when I leave for extended periods, so clearly he is adjusting.
I think at this point, I will just let things work out on their own. If I should run across a budgie or something similar who needs rehomed, then perhaps that would be an option.
Probably the most sensible thing for me would be some creative thinking on some foraging ideas for the Popster.
Thanks for all the great food for thought... my thinking has for the moment been swayed bak the other way, and my guilt has lessened a bit!