CC & Moj

[Deanna]

Holy Cow! Mama’s very shaken!!! I got Moj on the right side of the play stand and brought Cecil out of her cage and gently placed her (not unannounced, but announced) on the left side of the play stand! **Deanna passes out** … They did fabulously!!! Cec was very protective … Moj just kept gorging his beak like he had been, unaffected. I left them this way (with my hand between them, ABSOLUTELY) for about five minutes. After such, I couldn’t take it any longer and put CC back into her cage. *Kerplunk* LOL

(I'm too old for this!!!! LOL)

 

[Peta]

Thats great news,

Way to go you two, (well that should be 3 really)

 

[Deanna]

Whoa! Tonight was a bit of a different story! Cecil and Mojo got into a bit of a dueling match with their beaks! (Do I need to interject here that *I* nearly had a heart attack ... but NOT before my hand intervened)!!

Golly, boy almighty ... we are back to baby steps. Cec and Moj have their cages together and I'll let them out on top of their own cages simultaneously (of course, supervised) ... but, until we make some marked progress with that scenario, I won't be putting them atop the playtop together again. (I've counted 57 new grey hairs since about 1/2 hour ago! LOL).

They had been doing quite well, but with this bit of regression, we need to slow the pace down and go very slowly.

 

[TexDot33]

Sounds like a "Beak Wrestle" to me and this is 100% normal behavior ... Macaws to budgies do it, it's an important part of flock dynamics and it establishes dominance ... don't prevent them from doing it, but use common sence when allowing it ... I let Mac and Hamlet beak wreslte daily, but there is a point when they get too wound up and I have to seperate them (this is usually when they are grasped talon in talons and Hamlet is perched on top of Mac while Mac is lying on his back)

 

[Deanna]

Sounds like a "Beak Wrestle" to me and this is 100% normal behavior ... Macaws to budgies do it, it's an important part of flock dynamics and it establishes dominance ... don't prevent them from doing it, but use common sence when allowing it ... I let Mac and Hamlet beak wreslte daily, but there is a point when they get too wound up and I have to seperate them (this is usually when they are grasped talon in talons and Hamlet is perched on top of Mac while Mac is lying on his back)

Tex...much grateful for your experience. I will reign in my own fear and let them "do their thing" (within reason). I've no experience with this, so I am at a loss--of course. My hand is ever-ready to prevent injury...I just need to learn to be judicious in my actions. I really didn't look like anything of malice...but, with my inexperience, I erred on the side of caution.

I pet sat for a lady (6 parrots) who had a Pionus who'd had his beak ripped off by a Too ... it was a sad sight indeed ... and that most probably added to my fears.

But, again, (with a little time for me to settle myself), I don't think there was maliciousness on either's parts ... so, it must have been this "Beak Wrestling" as you say.

Mama's still plucking out the grey hairs!! LOL ... THANKS Tex!!

 

[TexDot33]

Again, common sense will always reign supreme ... would I let Hamlet (a 105g Sunconure) beak wrestle with Bucc or Kito (or any other bird much larger than him)... NO, but with a birdie his own size, hecks yeah I would ... You too can "Beak Wrestle" with your birds AND BITE PRESSURE TRAIN them at the same time ... it's lots of fun ...

Human - Macaw faux beak wrestling is a great way to interact with your macaw AND to teach them the proper way to use that big ol' beak of theirs in an acceptable way ..

 

[Deanna]

Again, common sense will always reign supreme ... would I let Hamlet (a 105g Sunconure) beak wrestle with Bucc or Kito (or any other bird much larger than him)... NO, but with a birdie his own size, hecks yeah I would ... You too can "Beak Wrestle" with your birds AND BITE PRESSURE TRAIN them at the same time ... it's lots of fun ...

Human - Macaw faux beak wrestling is a great way to interact with your macaw AND to teach them the proper way to use that big ol' beak of theirs in an acceptable way ..

I'm sorry to say that I do not know their weights (I will call the vet in the morning and get the latest gram weights), but Mojo is a Maximilliam Pionus and Cecil is a Senegal. Physically, Mojo is bigger than Cecil; personality-wise, Cecil is more "dominant" than Mojo.

Is this a mis-match, in your opinion? (Just speaking of size alone?).

And, yes, common sense rules ... my hand is capable of taking any bite either one of them is willing to dish out (meant for the other) ... that is just being responsible.

 

[Peta]

Agree with Tex, its all perfectly normal, I have loads of pics of Bucc and Kito beak wrestling, Bucc is pretty good at keeping it at play, but Kito, Now thats a different story. You will be able to tell when its more than the playful beak wrestle.

would I let Hamlet (a 105g Sunconure) beak wrestle with Bucc or Kito

Tex, you'd be fine with Bucc (480g) he is so gentle even with the linnies (bout half the size of Hamlet) Kito (420g) however thats a different story.

 

[TexDot33]

No, actually Peta I was saying that becuase I was worried about both of your two .... Hamlet could take them both!

 

[TexDot33]

Is this a mis-match, in your opinion? (Just speaking of size alone?).

Again, let common sense rule ... don't let them hurt each other. don't let it get out of controll and they can have loads of fun ...

 

[Peta]

No, actually Peta I was saying that becuase I was worried about both of your two .... Hamlet could take them both!

Right now I'll agree with ya on Bucc, he's a real softy but Kito boy is he evil. :16I'll be posting about it over in Greys) I think Iggy has a rival.

 

[Deanna]

I will most definitely employ common sense ... hope I can restrain from interferring when it is just "all in fun" LOL

(I read dog-pack behavior/mentality fairly well ... it has not been until now that I learn that birdies, too, have dominance behavior and such).

Ok ... called the doctor and have the "stats' on my fiddies ...

Mojo weighs in at 235 grams
Cec-girl tips the scales at 133 grams

and, I cannot not mention monster Timothy who weighed in at 29 GRAMS just last week. Dynomite comes in small packages!! (I'm sure I do not need to mention that Timothy will NEVER be introduced to Moj or Cec -- Timothy and I would have, IN TANDEM, concurrent heart attacks should the idea even come up!) LOL!!!

Thank you so much for the useful information. I will keep you posted on the turn of events as things progress. It makes me highly anxious, but if I can keep my own emotions reeled in, then Moj and Cec can be free to explore each other and more of their environment.

 

[Peta]

It makes me highly anxious, but if I can keep my own emotions reeled in, then Moj and Cec can be free to explore each other and more of their environment.

Thats the hardest part of all trying to keep our emotions reeled in. When Bucc and Kito were first introduced Kito hadn't learned to fly and they got on great, as soon as Kito did learn to fly, they still got on great BUT my emotions were really out there, and I saw everything as Bucc trying to have major battles with Kito, when in fact they were playing and getting on really well and couldn't understand why Mum would keep stopping them playing You do learn quickly, and you will know the difference between play and fighting if it should happen.

I'm sure there are gonna be a few arguments along the way but they will probably just enjoy each others company and be glad they have someone to play with who knows their types of games. Us humans are okay but we don't seem to be able to play their games the way they like them.

 

[Deanna]

OOOOOOOOOOOOh, golly, golly jeepers. Please say good thoughts for us. I'm tring to manage my reaction as they are "beaking" one another ... oh MYYYYYYY heavens this is more than I might be able to take!!

Oh, gosh, they've taken a break ... (thank goodness, *I* needed one!). *KERPLUNK*

 

[Minzer84]

I think Iggy has a rival.

Maybe they should meet and teach each other a lesson then

 

[Peta]

Oh yeah Minzer, I'll send Kito over to ya then should I.

 

[Minzer84]

Hahaha, I really think Iggy would benefit from a trip to the UK actually....

 

[Peta]

Now why did I know you were gonna say that

 

[Deanna]

Oh, thought to continue this thread (was going to start a new one until my OLD memory told me I started a thread on this subject! ROFLMAO!!).

Just (shortly) back from Denver, and wanted to get Mojie and Cec out of their cages ... no out of cage time with papa while mama is gone. ... So, both are out TOGETHER again! Woohoo ... gooooooooo Moj and Cec. They just had a "beak-out" together (a little beak-dominance posturing), but I didn't get freaked out (Woohoo, goooo gurl!). Just snapped my fingers (to let them know I'm watching them) and they started playing nicely (seperately, but nicely).

Golly, it's good to be home! I simply CANNOT wait to get their Get-A -Grip rope grid ... that will be a total blast for EVERYbody!

 

[Deanna]

OK you guys (particularly Tex??) ... need some input ... Moj and Cec duke it out with their beaks (nothing harsh at all, but dueling all the same); Cecil (the Senegal) I've noticed offers her head/neck for scritches to Mojo (the Pionus), but Mojo just douses and duels away ... their jousting has recently ended up in Cecil taking flight ... and this is the very, VERY puzzling thing: Moj has come to ALWAYS making a Victory Call after Cecil flys away!! ....Ack, he JUST did it again!

What is this about?!