Hi Guys. A couple of weeks ago I posted about my 3 conures preening one another but now I have a very serious issue. My Sun and Green cheek have started fighting with one another. I am so sad for this because it has caused quite the heartache to have to leave one or the other in the cage. Please if you have any suggestions on what happened and where do I go from here. I thought at first that they were fighting over the Jenday but it appears that they might be fighting over me. Not sure... They were all hanging out in the cage together during the day and getting along better than fine... now it's just sad.
bird fighting
- Thread starter djdancer
- Start date
Birdman666
Well-known member
- Sep 18, 2013
- 9,904
- 264
- Parrots
- Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
Are they fighting or beak wrestling?
Is there intent to drive one off? Or are they just playing?
Is there intent to remove feet or draw blood, or are they controlling their bite pressure?
Could they just be sorting out the "pecking order" of the flock? In which case, it should sort itself out.
Sometimes, as they grow, one bird decides to try and be the dominant bird of the flock. And the flock dynamic gets affected.
The birds themselves often sort this one out, usually fairly quickly.
For now, take turns, and structure the interaction so that they each get an equal turn and no one gets left out.
Take turns on who goes first as well. If you are being aggressive, you stay behind, and the other bird goes first...
These things happen.
Then again, sometimes they aren't actually fighting.
I thought my CAG and my amazon were having a heated argument one day. My CAG was chasing my lilac crown all over the bird room. Finally caught up to her on the playtop of her cage... Then immediately grabbed her beak and proceeded to feed her. When it was over, she did her crazed bird happy head bob thing...
So, wait and see.
Is there intent to drive one off? Or are they just playing?
Is there intent to remove feet or draw blood, or are they controlling their bite pressure?
Could they just be sorting out the "pecking order" of the flock? In which case, it should sort itself out.
Sometimes, as they grow, one bird decides to try and be the dominant bird of the flock. And the flock dynamic gets affected.
The birds themselves often sort this one out, usually fairly quickly.
For now, take turns, and structure the interaction so that they each get an equal turn and no one gets left out.
Take turns on who goes first as well. If you are being aggressive, you stay behind, and the other bird goes first...
These things happen.
Then again, sometimes they aren't actually fighting.
I thought my CAG and my amazon were having a heated argument one day. My CAG was chasing my lilac crown all over the bird room. Finally caught up to her on the playtop of her cage... Then immediately grabbed her beak and proceeded to feed her. When it was over, she did her crazed bird happy head bob thing...
So, wait and see.
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- Thread Starter
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They are really fighting. I know this because there are feathers left behind and a couple of times in the last few days I've gotten bit pretty hard trying to break it up.
The Sun was here for almost a year before we got the Green Cheek. All he has to do is see the Green cheek and the Sun is lashing his beak toward him and doing the territorial "dance". Funny because when they are out he runs from the Green Cheek because he knows he's going to get beat up. Like sticking your tongue out at someone and they come after you then you run. lol All the while the Jenday just stays out of it and stays neutral.
The Sun was here for almost a year before we got the Green Cheek. All he has to do is see the Green cheek and the Sun is lashing his beak toward him and doing the territorial "dance". Funny because when they are out he runs from the Green Cheek because he knows he's going to get beat up. Like sticking your tongue out at someone and they come after you then you run. lol All the while the Jenday just stays out of it and stays neutral.
Birdman666
Well-known member
- Sep 18, 2013
- 9,904
- 264
- Parrots
- Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
So the dynamic is the sun conure has become territorial and is trying to drive the GCC out. And the GCC is not only holding his ground, but appears to be the more dominant bird.
In that case, separate cages, handled separately. The aggressor stays behind.
The non-aggressor gets extra attention.
Keep them separated for now.
In that case, separate cages, handled separately. The aggressor stays behind.
The non-aggressor gets extra attention.
Keep them separated for now.
Birdman666
Well-known member
- Sep 18, 2013
- 9,904
- 264
- Parrots
- Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
Well I had a bonded pair, and then a sun who was bonded primarily to people... so it was an entirely different dynamic.
They got along when they were on me, but they had to be caged separately, and would be out on separate playstands, because the bonded pair would bully my sun if I didn't do that...
They got along when playing with toys too. They all shared. They got along when outside in a tree.
Just not on "our" playstand or cage, thank you!
So, that was pretty classic territorialism...
They got along when they were on me, but they had to be caged separately, and would be out on separate playstands, because the bonded pair would bully my sun if I didn't do that...
They got along when playing with toys too. They all shared. They got along when outside in a tree.
Just not on "our" playstand or cage, thank you!
So, that was pretty classic territorialism...
Birdman666
Well-known member
- Sep 18, 2013
- 9,904
- 264
- Parrots
- Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
My birds go outside every nice day.
When I put the conures down in the tree, they all hung out together on the same branch.
When they were outside on the big playstand with my other, larger birds, the conures stayed together as a group.
Inside, they had separate playstands. Outside, they hung out together. That's more a territorial thing. "We claim this spot as ours."
I wish i had my old pictures. I could just show you.
ErichT
New member
My Sun and GCC get along but the GCC is the bully out of the 2 . She is just over 1 and my Sun is 3ish.. Kiwi doesn't like it when Mango gets all of the attention and will try to get in front of her. We hand fed Mango as a baby and she is more bonded to us. Kiwi we got a bit older and doesn't get the close hands on attention because she still is a nippy brat towards everyone except me most of the time. They get along great in the cage until someone talks to one and not at the other Then the evil "J" word comes out.
- Thread Starter
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birdman666 how do you put your birds out and they don't fly away. I think I should look at more of your posts.
ErichT the Sun conure was apparently abused before he came to us. He wouldn't go to anyone even me. It took much clicker and target training to get him to trust me. Now he even lets me touch him. As long as I say the word "touch" first. I tell everyone that he's grown into a fine young man because he is very loveable and has much personality now. The Green cheek is very nippy to everyone and was to me to until I had to show him who's boss with treat bribing. I feel bad because they are both good birds and were all getting along so good. Now the sun is scared yet still snaps at the GC and GC knows he's the boss now so it's worse.
ErichT the Sun conure was apparently abused before he came to us. He wouldn't go to anyone even me. It took much clicker and target training to get him to trust me. Now he even lets me touch him. As long as I say the word "touch" first. I tell everyone that he's grown into a fine young man because he is very loveable and has much personality now. The Green cheek is very nippy to everyone and was to me to until I had to show him who's boss with treat bribing. I feel bad because they are both good birds and were all getting along so good. Now the sun is scared yet still snaps at the GC and GC knows he's the boss now so it's worse.
- Jan 19, 2014
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Ruppell's Parrot /
Bronze Winged Pionus /
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Sometimes you just can't help it 
It's like people, you can't be forced to be friends with your co-worker that you don't care for, etc.
Robin has never liked other birds, and I just have to have him where he's not on a stand with anyone at the same time. Good luck though, it might happen in time.
It's like people, you can't be forced to be friends with your co-worker that you don't care for, etc.
Robin has never liked other birds, and I just have to have him where he's not on a stand with anyone at the same time. Good luck though, it might happen in time.
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