GCC aggression towards cage mate

[Aiab132]

hello and thanks for reading. Any help or advice would be appreciated greatly.

I have two Green cheek conures. One called pepper who is very good natured towards anyone and even my dogs, steps up everytime and will quite happily sit on your shoulder all day if he could.

I have another Yellow sided green cheek called Perri. Perri and Pepper have been cage mates for roughly two and a half years. Perris nature is almost opposite to pepper. Perri will not step up except onto your wrist, she attacks items she doesnt like and has attacked me and my wife on several occassions.

A few days ago while on my shoulder Perri attacked Pepper. The attack lasted about a minute because i couldn't seperate them immediately. The attack was brutal, extremely violent with Perri hunting pepper while pepper was trying to escape. I have never witnessed anything like it in my life. It was beyond playing. I feel if i had not seperated them then pepper may have been badly injured at least.

A couple hours after the attack i reintroduced Pepper to perri because i didnt want to mentally harm either bird. The attack hasnt happend since but i also have been very reluctant to bring the birds out of the cage. "Once bitten twice shy" on my part. My chief concern is the well being of the birds. Today i have taken the step to separate them into two different cages after two and a half years of being together with just little squabbles here and there.

The attack has left me unable to relax when i am out of the house due to the uncertainty of "what if there is an attack when i am at work?"

I am also maybe considering putting perri up for adoption because i am not by any means an experienced keeper but i love my birds and they have a good life but i dont feel i have the ability to tame perri's fiery nautre. I dont even want to handle her anymore truth me told, simply because of how shocked and how traumatic the attack from her was.

Thats my situation at the moment guys. Any light on it from experienced minds would help me greatly.

Ps i use the terms "he" and "she" however the sex of my birds are unknown. Thanks guys.

 

[itzjbean]

I'm a little confused, you say you put them into separate cages, but you worry when you go to work that they will attack while you're at work?

If they are truly in separate cages this will prevent them attacking or getting to each other -- or are they still together?

Either way, they should be kept in separate cages and in the cages while you are at work. You can take turns taking each bird out one at a time until you feel confident the fighting is over.

 

[Laurasea]

I had two green cheek conure females , extremely bonded , groomed. Each other feed each other..
But from time to time would fight like hell!!! They had to have separate cages , still great when out together, but each had to have their own space.

The green cheek yiu are having issues with, might feel constant stress in sharing s cage, causing her to lash out.... she is very likely the smarter and more sensitive of the two. Get her own cage. Work with her one on one away from the other. Start over with her like you just brought her home and earn her trust again. But I think having her own cage will really turn things around fir yiu. And yiu will still be able to have them out at the same time. Just set up so they can also choose to perch , eat and play about two feet apart when out if they choose to.