Will nature ever take its course!

[MCaniks]

Hi Parronts,

I'm needing some expert advice/suggestions on an issue I have with my feather babies Ruby and Rocky.

My issue is Ruby HATES my baby boy Rocky and he's doing it tough at the moment, always trying his hardest to go next to her, flying around to show off and all sorts but she JUST WON'T GIVE IN. She doesn't allow him within a metre radius of her without launching an attack. They've never been caged together because I was too afraid of what she'd do to him but I put both their cages side by side so they maybe build a relationship that way but it didn't work . The funny thing is that when they are separated into different rooms they call to one another!. I have them eat dinner on the kitchen table together so they can eat the meal together but it doesn't change anything.

Both of them have now reached sexual maturity and are displaying breeding behaviors but unfortunately they are showing them towards me!
I have no intention of breeding them but I'd like to have them both in the same cage so they can be companions but nothing seems to be working!!!

I'd very much appreciate any suggestions on how to get these two to at the very least be civil with each other.

Thanks,
Mel

 

[Flboy]

Sorry, no help here, Rocky and I are in the same boat!��

 

[Parrot1]

looks like he's flirting with her and
she's playing hard too get!

 

[skylala]

Wild animals choose their partners, they are not given them and forced. They may never get along. If they were hand-reared as well there is a chance that one or both of them lack proper bird social skills as well, which could make it difficult for them to get along.

 

[obeck]

Have you tried playing with Rocky while Ruby watches in a neutral area? It sounds to me like a territory problem. You've had Ruby longer right?

 

[MCaniks]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

To give you a bit of background ruby was my first baby who I hand reared myself, she was about 1 when my husband (without thinking or discussing it with me) came home with my Boy Rocky, he said he had to bring him home after seeing him sitting in his cage alone and unhappy so I'm not even exactly sure how old he is all I know is that when he came to me he was under weight, on a budgie seeds and was living in a garage with reptiles, he was very lethargic and had dull colors so I put him back on formula and slowly introduced him to an all veg/fruit diet. Well let's just say he's turned into an amazing sensitive new age man... Ruby has just ignored him until recently but because now he's interested she's getting annoyed, the funny thing is though sometimes she will turn her back to him and sit down flat to say 'come on' but HE runs away! and these rare moments don't happen often.

I'm thinking of maybe getting a new cage with lot's of fun stuff to see if they both take interest in it? or even maybe moving them both to separate rooms so they may miss each other. I know that not all pairs bond but I kind of see potential sometimes so I want to encourage it so they both have someone to snuggle with at night...

Like I said any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Anansi]

It's actually quite possible that they'll never be able to share a cage. Not only possible, but probable. Personally, I always lean toward separate cages for ekkies. They often need their own space and can sometimes get a little... cantankerous with their cage mates if they can't get it. This potential is magnified if they've been hand raised and with little exposure to other birds. They come to relate more to the humans around them rather than the avians.

As for them eventually viewing each other as potential mates, as Skylala mentioned ekkies choose their partners. And she might not see him that way. Not saying that it can't happen, just that I wouldn't bet any significant amounts of cash on it.

My ekkies, Maya and Jolly, tend to fuss quite a bit themselves. Maya is sexually mature, though jolly isn't quite there yet. Their fussing used to be a lot worse, but I just worked with them, keeping them out on the same playstand while supervising closely. It's slow going and a work in progress, but they're getting there. Sometimes it's just a matter of them learning each other's little quirks. just take it slow with them.

 

[jess.reco]

Female eccys can be VERY picky! Like everyone else is said there isn't a lot you can do. Obviously she likes him to a point as she calls out for him... Maybe one day it will change. Females have been known to kill males before so I'd be careful about putting them in a cage together.

 

[Brittany741]

Not Ekkie specific, but my two male Caiques act like they want to play and the first year, Paco tried to kill Dan. Now that Dan is out of the baby phase, he tries to kill Paco. They call for each other constantly and communicate back and forth but no Bueno- I doubt there will ever be a day they will be buddies. It sucks because in the past I've had birds who got along great. One set was my 18yo CAG and a Goffin's and the other set was a foster CAG who plucked completely and a black capped caique.

Sometimes birds just choose not to be buddies and there isn't much you can do once they've made their mind up. Definitely supervise or keep them separate as bird fights get ugly fast and it's not worth having an injured baby (or worse.) Fights are very traumatic, even when birds are the same species and size.

 

[itchyfeet]

Sorry, no help here, Rocky and I are in the same boat!��

With the females in your life playing hard to get?

MCaniks are the ekkie's flighted? Do they have the freedom to come in close and get away as they choose?