Do you allow "territory" outside their cage?

Taprock

Member
Oct 22, 2015
279
2
Northern l.p. Michigan
Parrots
Buzz - CAG,
Ziggy - Nanday/Sun Conure,
Jasper - Goffin
Loki - Starling
Gloria - Foster CAG
We know a birds cage is his and you are likely to get a bite if you put your fingers in. So we have been respectful of "his" cage.

The new thing is Buzz has taken to hiding under a chair and has claimed it as his. If the dogs walk past he jumps out and bites at them. Actually he yells "come here" to them and then lunges. He has done the same with the dust buster and tried with my husband and I. My thought was if he doesn't want to be nice he needs to get toweled and put back in his cage. I understand some animals don't get along but this was the dogs minding their manners just walking past.
 
I have to admit that not a single one of my fids show the slightest signs of 'cage aggression'. Not ever.

My guys (and gal) have 2 enormous combined Java trees on which they hang out (I alternate the big macs with the Amazons), and there's no 'claim on territory' there either.

Occasionally my YN Amazon wonders off and tries and find a nook where she 'thinks' she can nest. She will complain loudly when I remove her. (I just pick her up like the big chicken that she is and put her back on the Java trees.)
 
Sydney is perfectly fine with me reaching in his cage to move things or spot clean, only when he's in a bad mood will he come my way.

Gonzo on the other hand, is super protective of the inside of his cage, if he's in a mood he'll fluff up and threaten, and sometimes bite if you're inside the cage, or bring anything in the cage. He hates the scoop I use to fill his bowl, so when I bring it into his cage, I let him eat from it first before I dump it in his bowl, so he's slowly getting better with that.

All my other birds generally stay away from my hands when I'm in the cage, so I'm perfectly fine with that! No one else really has a "spot" besides Gonzo.
 
Kiwi has his own 'area' including his cage a big swing and a big play tree. He knows not to venture outside his are unless a human picks him up. Nippiness is not tolerated, though he does occasionally get a bug up his butt when I get in his cage to clean. I would absolutely not allow him to 'take over' any area of the house and certainly not get aggressive about it. This is a situation where no good will come of it and it could be dangerous. I would nip this behavior in the bud for everyones well being.
 
My JoJo is not at all cage protective/aggressive, but if you want her up earlier than she wants---go figure!
 
You said he's going under a chair and running out at passer bus? Could that be a nesting mentality? I have seen this with my Ekkie Venus, in fact Friday night she had it in for my bulldog Canelo. She found a dark spot under the sofa, and she kept trying to protect it. I had to force her into her cage and stay for a time out to calm down. We gave Canelo lots of love, but that is and could be a fatal situation for Venus, 350 gm bird versus a 70 lb dog. Venus has a large play area on top of her cage and occasionally ventures off of it, we discourage that. I keep lots if toys and puzzles in that area for her, keeping her curiosity peaked, this works 99% of the time, lol. Also if I touch it, she has to touch it. Use that "I must touch too" mentality in your favor! Keep us posted and I hope all goes well.
 

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