New Green Cheek Wont Let Husband bond with First

[bcmjwsrm]

My wife and I bought a green cheek conure 3 years ago. I am an industrial chemist and, at the time, she was a student and spent 2 of those years at school. Now, we live together in a house (for the last year.) I am still a chemist and she is a state engineer.

The first conure is a female named Spectra (pineapple green cheek conrue.) She was very social from the day we picked her up. She loves to dance and loves to be the center of attention. She has a "special" relationship with me. She seems to copy my voice. She can say many words, and does so in my low baritone voice. She signals to me often.

About a year after getting Spectra, we got a another new green cheek name Nova (yellow sided green cheek.) Nova was much less social than Spectra. Nova tends to go to bed on her own, and was always was much more attached to Spectra than Spectra was to Nova. Nova as come to adore my wife, and will cuddle with her and kiss her. Nova still does not like me. Nova will still puff up every time I come to the cage (the two share.)

But, I feel bad for Spectra. When the two birds are together, Spectra will signal me, and when Nova notices that, Nova will bite her for interacting with me. When Nova goes to bed, Spectra will try to get me to pick her up, but when Nova notices Spectra is gone, she will fly to me and punish Spectra for being with me.

Nova does not do that when my wife is being loving to Spectra.. Only when I am.


Any tips or ideas to help me smooth over my relationship with Nova so Spectra doesn't get hen pecked?

Thanks!

 

[Piasa]

Love triangle.. or rather, Nova is desperately trying not to be the third wheel - but she is.

I would not house the birds together. Spectra has already chosen you as her mate or favored one and she isn't interested in another conure. This can only lead to slow heartbreak for Nova. However, Nova being the newcomer and probably from a situation where she was interacting with other birds, is looking to Spectra to become her mate because that is what she is used to. Living in the same cage, being physically close is giving Nova these cues as well. Nova is protecting her territory when she puffs up at you, she is also warning off a rival. Nova is punishing Spectra for spending time with you, she is saying "No, you are my mate!"

Spend time with Nova away from Spectra, out of sight and if you can, out of hearing. Get her thinking more about people. It's great that she has a good relationship with your wife, it's a good model for her to know that friendships with people are nice.

 

[bcmjwsrm]

Thanks, I didn't think about that. Yeah I think having them sleep together in the same "bird bed" (triangular prism) is making Nova be too kingly. They are both girls (we had them blood tested) but that probably doesn't matter much. The problem is we bought a nice big cage for them and now it will be hard to get them to bunk separately. We will work something out.