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Conference 7.286::pet_birds

Title:Captive Breeding for Conservation--and FUN!
Notice:INTROS 6.X / FOR SALE 13.X / Buying a Bird 900.*
Moderator:VIDEO::PULSIFER
Created:Mon Oct 10 1988
Last Modified:Tue Jun 03 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:942
Total number of notes:6016

390.0. "fighting birds" by INET08::KETTENSTOCK () Wed Aug 01 1990 17:41

    Help!  
    
    I had two parakeets (a male and a female) which got along pretty well
    but they had their moments where they'd fight (the female always seemed
    to provoke the "pecking".)  Well, last week the male died and the female
    seemed a bit relieved and happy to be alone, although it did snuggle with
    the male when it was alive. Anyways, we bought a new little bird (another 
    male) which seems to be quite smart and is very lively. I'm happy to have
    found such a fun bird but the female can't STAND her new mate.  I'm
    heartbroken, she's constantly pecking at it (although the new bird
    gives it right back to her.)                
    
    Is there anything I can do to make peace or will they learn to live
    with each other?
    
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
390.1Rearrange the Furniture!CLOSET::COMPTONLinda DTN 232-2441 ACO/E47Wed Aug 01 1990 18:5038
    Hi,
    
    If you put the new bird into the cage with your established resident,
    that would make it more likely she would defend her 'territory' -- one
    thing that was suggested to me and I found worked quite well was to do
    one or both of the following:
    
    	o if you have time and space, put the new bird in a separate cage
    	  near the other bird so they can get used to each other (if you
    	  are following the guidelines about having any new bird
     	  quarantined for 30-45-60 days in a totally separate room before
    	  exposing it to your other bird(s), then this step comes after
    	  the quarantine period)....depending on the interest they show in
    	  each other, 2-4 weeks has worked for me with canaries, parakeets,
    	  conures, and lovebirds -- Amazon parrots took a little longer
    
    	o whenever it is you put the two birds into the same cage, take out
    	  the current resident (assuming they will be co-residing in the 
    	  old cage and are not both moving to a new cage together)...put
    	  the current resident in a temporary holding place, such as a 
    	  small pet carrier or cardboard box with holes for air, while you
    	  take the most important step=========>REARRANGE the cage layout
    	  so the perches are different in appearance or at least in
    	  different places in the cage, move the food and water dishes to
       	  different locations, hang a different type of swing or put the
    	  same swing in a slightly different location, add or delete a toy
    	  or two, at least temporarily, and consider changing the type of
    	  covering on the floor of the cage for awhile (from newspaper to
          blank butcher/packing/computer paper to corncob bedding to layers
    	  of paper towels....).  Then place both birds in the cage at the
    	  same time.  Choose a time when you can observe the birds on and
    	  off for awhile, to make sure there are no serious squabbles.  
    
    If you try any of the above, please write to say if anything worked!!
    
    Linda
    
    
390.2INET08::KETTENSTOCKThu Aug 02 1990 14:505
    Hi Linda,
    
    Thanks, I'll give your suggestions a try!
    
    Wendy