lorikeets confusing behavior towards me

[mimi88]

Hi everyone. I have an almost 1 year old male scaly lorikeet and an unsexed green cheek. They live in seperate cages but are always kept side by side and have the occasional play time together. They never fight. If I touch either one of their cages while they are out together the lorikeet lunges and tries to bite me, which is unlike his usual cuddly self. Same thing if I try to get him to step up during their play time, I get the same nasty bite lol. Any ideas as to why he is so different when he interacts with the green cheek? He does not direct any aggression to the conure at all. He pins his eyes and starts opening his wings and sways side to side while mumbling to himself. I'm assuming this is either dominance or a mating dance.. but what's with the sudden attacking of me (or my fingers I should say lol)?

He is totally untouchable or unapproachable when they have their play time together.

 

[MikeyTN]

It is a male mating thing....It is best if you can remove the conure first and put him up....Lory attacks can be pretty nasty cause they can be very feisty. It might be wise for you to not let him interact with your conure and interact with you alone. They do not hesitate to fly to you to start attacking if they see you as a threat to their mate. Do not let him hump you period, stop it in the process cause it can get worse.

 

[mimi88]

So I should stop their occasional playtime? Yes he does get very fiesty to the point where I get paranoid that he will jump onto me and attack. Will this disappear after spring? Or will it be an on going issue? At first the lorikeet would do his mating dance/rituals to me so im not sure if he is seeing me as his mate or the green cheek.

 

[mimi88]

So I should stop their occasional playtime? Yes he does get very fiesty to the point where I get paranoid that he will jump onto me and attack. Will this disappear after spring? Or will it be an on going issue? At first the lorikeet would do his mating dance/rituals to me so im not sure if he is seeing me as his mate or the green cheek.

 

[MonicaMc]

Do try separate play times and see if that helps at all.

 

[MikeyTN]

Sorry I just saw your reply....I would really think about keeping them separated! Mine was acting crazy towards me last night. I swear he knows how to read my thoughts and know what I'm about to do to him. I was luring him so I can grab him with a towel to clip his nails last night. He will not come to me what so ever. He's usually hanging off my necklace like part of the decoration piece/pendant. But he was feisty last night. I managed to coax him on my shoulder then grab him with a towel. To my surprise he was still and quiet in the towel. Perhaps due to me putting him in my shirt all the time. He goes to sleep in my shirt. I've been scared to do his cause if he gets mad he'll fly to attack. So everything went well. Play with your birds separately as it should improve!