Caiques and dogs!!!

[Pollymaria]

Hi
I have had my wonderful two caiques for about a week now and have kept them in a separate room to our dogs. I have started letting them out of their cage totally separated from the dogs. How can I introduce them to each other without drastic results. I don't want to have to keep them all separate, as this is complicated in our household (5 dogs and 4 kids!)
Will I ever be able to have my caiques out of their cage and in the same room as the dogs .... And if so what is the best way to get to this stage ....?

Any advice welcome

Many thanks

Pollymaria

 

[JerseyWendy]

Welcome to the forum, Pollymaria.

I personally would never leave the Caique alone around the dogs. Caiques are EXTREMELY curious and playful, and often quite mischieveous as well. An accident can happen in the blink of an eye.

I understand it will make things more difficult, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

BTW, you didn't mention what type of dogs you have. Not that it makes much of a difference, but "some" dogs are more prone to nip or hunt than others.

 

[Pollymaria]

Hi and thanks for reply
I was not thinking of ever leaving them out alone with dogs but wondered more about how to introduce them out of the cage to dogs for the first few times without disaster--- ? The dogs are one irish terrier, 3 springer spaniels and one miniature wire haired Daschund... I would not have all dogs in same room anyway but do you think I could ever get to a stage when caiques and dogs comfortable together when supervised by me.... It would be so nice to be able to cuddle my caiques and have a few dogs in same room ....
Pollymaria

 

[JerseyWendy]

Oh yes, that is absolutely doable. I have an AmBull and an AmBull Pit Mix, and they are couch hounds, so sometimes I have to tell them to move their butts over so that I can fit with a bird in tow for cuddle sessions. My dogs are used to the birds, they take every opportunity to scavenge after them.

Is your Caique flighted? If so, just be careful he doesn't think the dogs are his playmates and lands on them, because that would be a disaster in the making. Most dogs "react" when a bird flutters real close to them for the first few times. It takes some dogs longer than others to get used to the fluttering, so this is something you will have to watch for in your pups.

 

[aliray]

I would be very careful because all the dogs that you listed are by nature hunters. and a pack will act differently than a single dog.might because they kind of get each other excited. Mabey to start just have one dog at a time and see how they react

 

[Pollymaria]

Thanks for your reply and good advice
One more question - do u think I should have wigs partially clipped around dogs or should they remain fully flights?

 

[Thingamagigs]

Definitely fully flighted, they have a chance at escape if you allow them the chance to fly. If you cut their wings you dont limit their ability to flutter into danger, just their ability to fly away from danger.

 

[rockybird]

I would be extremely careful with your dogs and your birds. I know several people who lost their birds to their pet dogs. They told me afterwards that they thought their dogs would never hurt their birds. This included a quaker, blue crown conure and green cheek conure. They were devastated after it happened.

Caiques can be aggressive also, and I would not put it past my caique to go after a dog. In fact, I had a male peacock that wandered into my backyard - much much larger than a caique. Both birds would go after each other through the window. There is always a chance that one might go after a dog, with the dog reacting to harm the bird.

But mostly, I would be concerned that the dogs' hunting instinct will cause serious injury or death to the birds.

 

[Remy]

Very carefully, and probably one dog at a time. I physically restrain all animals at first, to see how they react to each other. And obviously, never alone together (although I leave my dogs in the same room as the birds when the birds are caged). Some dogs and cats are more predatory, and some can even have maternal instincts towards little animals.

Puck was cool with dogs, but would nip their noses if they got too close. Darcy, on the other hand, actually chases after dogs!