Bird fighting ?

[Sherry]

I'm new to having birds so this question might seem ignorant, but I have to ask. I have a CAG male, a CAG female and a 4 month old B&G macaw. Nema the B&G has been here a month with no problems. Both CAG's go over to Nemas cage and explore and such, no issues. Today however Nema went over to check out the CAG cage and all kinds of hell broke out. It sounded like dinosaurs going at it. I grabbed Nema before they became physical and put her back on her cage. For he rest of the day it's been fine. My question is how and if birds work it out. Do the work it out like cats? Scream a bit, maybe swing a couple of times then get over it? How do others here address having more than one fid?

 

[JerseyWendy]

Nema could very easily kill or severely injure one or both of your CAGs. All it takes is a split second.

Niko wants NOTHING to do with either of my Amazons, and I have to keep a VERY close eye on them when they are all out. The zons have their own Java tree, and have never flown over to Niko's when he's out on it. Niko, on the other hand, decided one day that if he swinged on his rope perch hard enough he'd be able to get a hold of the neighboring Java tree. Sure enough, he reached right over and climbed aboard - BOTH Amazons were on it, and both quickly hauled butt out of there. :54:

I just don't let them interact - out of fear something bad will happen. I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Now please don't get me wrong. I HAVE seen a B&G and Amazon cohabit in the same CAGE. They loved each other...BUT they grew up together from babies on.

 

[WharfRat]

Agreed, I never let the different breeds interact together at all, the GW's are gigantic compared to the others and they are all fast movers (fliers). As it is the Zon's and GW's "squabble" with each other. I already put the GW's in separate cages and we plan on doing the same with the Zon's. Our Hahn's ain't afraid of ANY of them, needless to say she's never loose with any of them. Just not worth the risk.

 

[Sherry]

They are all in the same room but different cages. The B&G is just a baby so she doesn't put up much of a fight with the CAG's. the CAGs are only 7 months old themselves. So what I'm understanding is this is not something that they just "work out". Should they stay in the same room? Should only one be let out at a time? Or can they all be out just watched?

 

[MonicaMc]

I think most of us prefer to take the safer than sorry approach, unless our birds actually do get along.

It was never my intention to allow my first cockatiel and cherry headed conure (got within a little over a month of each other, tiel young, conure older) to become cage-mates, but Casey (tiel) kind of grew on Noel (conure). Noel never meant any harm, but he would lash out at first at Casey. As time went on, Casey became close enough to Noel that Noel accepted preening from Casey, they would sleep cuddled up together on a perch, and Casey could eat food that Noel was holding in his foot.

Charlie, my mitred conure (similar to cherry heads) got along with a lilac crowned amazon in his foster home but tried to bully a blind ruby macaw in the same place. Although he can't cause any damage to me (a result of his attack on the macaw, missing half of his lower beak), he could still hurt one of my smaller birds, so I don't trust him with the little ones. All the small birds (4 cockatiels and a bourke) all live together in one large flight cage.


It sounds like the greys were not happy about Nema being on their cage because it's their area. They may continue getting along away from the cages, just not at the cages. If they don't get along, you may need to train them to station (stay put) and ignore each other.

Do the work it out like cats? Scream a bit, maybe swing a couple of times then get over it?

I'll be honest, and say I wish my cats fought like that! If my two cats see another cat, they'll get into a fight with each other! And it's a full throttle, claws out, fangs showing cat fight. They'll be kicking, hissing and screaming at each other! It's just a full out fight. As long as they don't see another cat, they do occasionally get into fights, but it's more sibling fight than a battle.

Lucky me, my sister and her family, including two cats, moved in with me a week ago! My cats *DO NOT* like my nephew (two in January) nor are they happy about the presence of other cats! So with them, if two cats are out, the other two are locked up in a room, and they take turns coming out! Thankfully, the cats aren't interested in each other enough to instigate a fight, but my cats are not happy about being unable to enter the master bedroom that one of them used to sleep in... because that's the room my sister has been given.



If your birds end up not liking each other, you may have to do the same and only allow them out at separate times.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Sherry, by the sounds of it, your 2 CAGs get along just fine, right? Are they housed together? They are still both VERY young, as is Nema, but I don't think they are young enough to play nice together WITH Nema. The CAGs could easily grab and bite Nema's toes if Nema climbs up on their cage.

I don't know if your CAGs are clipped, or how well they stay put on their playstand.

Do you have more than one playstand? One for the CAGs and one for Nema?

I am VERY fortunate because even though my 2 Amazons don't share the same cage, they are VERY fond of each other, and look forward to spending time together on their Java Tree.

And Niko (for the most part) knows he's "supposed" to stay on his tree - and leave the zon's alone.

There is no doubt in my mind that if one of my Amzons landed on Niko's cage with him in it, they'd lose a toe (or more).

 

[WharfRat]

To clarify, after the wife comes home, the Zon's come in the office and the GW's are loose in the main area (cages/living room/kitchen) they don't mess with Lani in her cage. Later on the Zon's will get put up and Lani comes into the office. I've had Lani on 1 leg and ReaRea on the other a few times, but obviously I am right there.

 

[Sherry]

Rocky is my male CAG. Rue is my daughters female CAG which she brings to work(at my home) every day. Sometimes rue stays the night or weekend depending but she does not have her own cage here. Nema has her own cage. Rocky is a love bug! He loves everything and almost everyone. He even loves the kids. Nema is also very affectionate, at least so far. She is very social and goes to just about everyone and does not seem to mind if rocky comes over and steals her food or plays with her toys. Rue however is not as nice to put it mildly. She can be affectionate when SHE chooses to. She loves rocky and gets along great with him, but she will let him know if she doesn't like something he's doing. Lets just say she's a bit bossy. So far rocky is the only one flying. He doesn't do too much of it but he can and does when he wants. The problem arose when Nema went over to Ricky's cage and rue got all territorial on her.

 

[WharfRat]

When the B&G grows up it will be able to do some serious damage to the others, I cannot state enough that this is a "thin ice" situation. The difference in size and strength between a large Macaw and the others is without denial, I'm just saying better safe than sorry at this point. Also might want to get a cage for the "sleepovers".
JMHO

 

[Sherry]

Oh I agree wharfrat, I'm just not sure what I should do at this point. I do have many options I just don't know which one. 1. I could move either CAG's or B&G to another room. (Really hate this idea because I'm with all of them all day now). 2. I could only let one out at a time. (I still have to be careful that one doesn't get on another's cage and get foot bitten off.) 3. Do some serious station training. Even with this I know it only takes seconds for bad things to happen. So decisions decisions. Oh and yes I do need to ( or my daughter needs to) get Rue a sleepover cage, or just keep her at home. I do really like her coming to work though even if she is a brat.

 

[WharfRat]

Leaving the "night sheet" on the top of the cage is a great preventative but not perfect. It works well here so far. I'm guessing we have more room than you do, I have an office that we use for the birds free time when others are out. I have pics of what the GW's have done to the Zon's cage, it ain't pretty.

 

[Sherry]

So you rotate when your birds are allowed out of their cages. As of right now all my birds are out at the same time for the entire day. I come into my daycare at 6 am and by 6:30 I open up all the doors. They decide when they are coming out and where they are going to hang out,whether it's their cage or playstand. So far rocky is the only one who flys. The others just walk or climb to where their going. This is where we spend our day. At 5ish I go home (inside). I have a stand in my living room and I like to bring them in 1 at a time to hang out. By 8 pm dinner is done, time is spent and I put everyone in for bed.

 

[WharfRat]

Not necessarily "rotate", they're out at the same time in different rooms. If I let the Zon's loose in the main area they don't know to avoid the GW's cage tops. If they land there, the GW's immediately go to the top of their cages and want a "piece" of the Zon's.

This is what the GW's have done to the Zon's cage door, just this week one of them snapped off one of the locks and we had to replace it.

http://i48.tinypic.com/x5d21f.jpg

 

[Sherry]

Holy sh#%! Wow. Are the Zons in their cage when the GW's are pulling it apart? Are they trying to get at them or do they just like tearing the cage apart all in itself?

 

[WharfRat]

ummm I think they're trying to get at them, but I don't let it go on for obvious reasons. This is why they're never loose in the same room, bad things could happen WAY too fast to prevent. Just knowing they can snap a lock like that is reason enough alone. It also makes me appreciate how much they respect me knowing what they could do to me.

We're definitely gonna get 2 new cages as soon as we can, we wanna separate the Zon's as well.

 

[Birdlover11]

Omg wharf, this is why I am nervous around b&gs and other large macaws. Bend the cage bars ? Still in awe about these amazing animals...