Stopping Jealous Behavior?

[LoveMyConlan]

I'm my room, where my GCC is at, I also have my 3 pet rats. The rats have all been here since well before Conlan 'moved in'. Conlan isn't bothered by them in the slightest... Until I start paying attention to the rats or talking to them. I can't move him to another room. Nothing has changed.

If I'm sitting in front of the rats cage and talking to and petting them, Conlan starts getting loud, smacking his beak on the bars, bouncing on his feet, aggressive head bobbing, crouching in that corner of his cage watching, and even makes moves like he'd be in flight over if the cage wasn't in the way. Once I walk away from the rats he's normal again.

How do I fix this? He gets ample 'me time', when he's not being a brat, and I haven't changed the way I interact with everyone. The only thing I could see him angry about is the fact I always feed the rats first, but they have ALWAYS been fed first. Any suggestions?

 

[LoveMyConlan]

I normally just ignore him and when I'm done with the rats, just leave the room when he acts up. I used to go right over to him after, to make sure everyone got a scratch at the same time (no favorites). When he's quiet, which isn't often during this, I go to him next, when he's being a jelly bean I leave the room for a whole before it's 'his turn'.

I've even tried giving him the scratching first, he still tosses his tantrum?

 

[Dinosrawr]

Jealousy is a nasty beast when it comes to birds... but your conure does need to learn that he won't benefit from displaying jealous behaviour. I think what you're doing is right on track in regards to waiting until he's calm, and if anything I would continue to do this. It won't fix itself over night, but over time they do adjust and realize you aren't displacing them because you happen to care for something else.

If anything, I think you may have accidentally reinforced his jealous behaviour by rushing over to him and reassuring him, which is why he continues to do it - he knows in the past you've stopped what you were doing to favor him, and he may want to manipulate you into doing it again. Wait until he's calm after you're done your thing, and then reward him with a treat and some love. I'm sure over time he'll adjust, and if not it will just be a bit of a waiting game until he's calm. Everyone needs love, after all!