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 Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2011 12:23 pm
We got our current cockatiel, Mike, from my boyfriend's parents. He's a complete sweetheart aside from his severe aggression over his reflection.
We brought home Exaybachay yesterday. We also got him from my boyfriend's parents (who get their birds from freecycle). Discovered that Mike apparently has aggression issues over seeing other cockatiels in general. He's SUPER loving toward Exaybachay, but... my poor finger got bit. It's amazing what a strong painful pinch that beak is.
Meanwhile Exaybachay just misses his other cagemates, and doesn't seem to notice Mike's affections toward him. But he has no aggression, he doesn't bite at all, at least that I've noticed. For it being only the first day being here, amazing progress has been made IMO. I got him to step up on my finger! biggrin And... got my finger bit by Mike trying to get him to do the same. xd
And before any of you freak out over us getting a pet for the holidays, it was planned. Mike's been lonely and we were going to buy him a friend but boyfriend's parents offered to give us Exaybachay, so we took their offer.
Right now they're both out of their cages, sitting on top of the finch cage, having a nap.
But omfg, wtf do I do about Mike's aggression? I figure just patience, lots of patience... And hoping that it'll go away soon enough. Good thing I have lots of bandaids and a set of lungs that can take many deep breaths. Any suggestions though, during this time of lots of patience?
Update:
Okay... Yesterday I decided to put Xay in with Mike, to see how they react to the idea of being roommates. Xay seems indifferent, Mike loves it. Boyfriend put a mirror in there too, to see how he reacts.. and he's not being aggressive over that anymore. We haven't let them out today, but Mike's being a sweet bird again and bowing.. no aggressive motions at all. smile
But sweet pickles does Xay have a set of lungs. And I think I have a sinus infection now (and an amazing sinus headache), which.. Why won't he just shut up!?
He's shut up right now, thankfully. I'm hoping he'll quiet down soon. But geeze he's screaming over anything. I mean, you walk in the room and he screams. You walk out and he screams. You play music on your computer in a different room, he screams. OH my head. crying
Tomorrow I think I'll clip Xay's wings a little and let them out... see if Mike's aggression is actually gone or if it's just while he's in his cage.
And the clipping is because last time Xay was out, he discovered the plastic on the window is springy... and I don't want to risk him running into one of the windows that isn't covered and much more solid.
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 12:37 pm
omg, does this guild have a bird expert? We have a go to person for like every other creature lol. I'm not too knowledgable about birds but I do know this, when they are in their cage, or high up, they will react aggressively a lot more then if they are out of their cage on a perch at eye level or lower. If you could maybe leave the cage open and wait for him to come out, it might be easier to work with him.
A school once I walked in on my teachers all standing on chairs staring down the bird, is was a little wtf but they explained to me that since he was ontop the cage he decided to give one of them attitude, so she pulled out a chair to get higher than him and remind him that she is bigger than him lol, and all the teachers joined in I guess. He would also try to bite if he was in his cage and you reach in for him. I would grab his beak in my fingers and tell him no.
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Gabrielle_AnimalLuver Crew
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 3:07 pm
Gabrielle_AnimalLuver omg, does this guild have a bird expert? We have a go to person for like every other creature lol. I'm not too knowledgable about birds but I do know this, when they are in their cage, or high up, they will react aggressively a lot more then if they are out of their cage on a perch at eye level or lower. If you could maybe leave the cage open and wait for him to come out, it might be easier to work with him. A school once I walked in on my teachers all standing on chairs staring down the bird, is was a little wtf but they explained to me that since he was ontop the cage he decided to give one of them attitude, so she pulled out a chair to get higher than him and remind him that she is bigger than him lol, and all the teachers joined in I guess. He would also try to bite if he was in his cage and you reach in for him. I would grab his beak in my fingers and tell him no. His wings have a soft clip for his own safety.. so he can flutter but not fly. So.. when he bit me, he was on the floor and I was offering him a lift up. I've tried the whole "being larger" thing, but it doesn't seem to do much for him. I suppose I don't have much to lose in trying to grab his beak. Not like I'm not going to get bit either way, and I'm sick of being afraid of his beak. So I'll try that..
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 4:45 pm
I had a cockatiel myself when I was younger (his name was Spike) and whenever he bit or did something bad, which was rare for him, I sprayed him with a gentle jet of water from a spray bottle. Never hard enough to hurt him, and always at room temperature. It was just a way to tell him that I didn't like what he was doing.
Also, birds tend to be very territorial over their owners. Spike hated when I was on the phone, so he'd fly over onto my shoulder and screech until I Hung up. My mom had a parrot who would bite her ear anytime she was on the phone, so it could be that Mike is jealous of the new bird spending time with you lately. I hope this helps ^_^
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 8:33 pm
Ria_The_Wolf12 I had a cockatiel myself when I was younger (his name was Spike) and whenever he bit or did something bad, which was rare for him, I sprayed him with a gentle jet of water from a spray bottle. Never hard enough to hurt him, and always at room temperature. It was just a way to tell him that I didn't like what he was doing. Also, birds tend to be very territorial over their owners. Spike hated when I was on the phone, so he'd fly over onto my shoulder and screech until I Hung up. My mom had a parrot who would bite her ear anytime she was on the phone, so it could be that Mike is jealous of the new bird spending time with you lately. I hope this helps ^_^ It seems like it's just the opposite.. he used to be completely obsessed over his reflection and actually ran over just to bite the s**t out of me once (my poor ear ended up super bloody). And now he's fawning over Xay, and wants to run over to attack me any time I go over to say hi. But I haven't actually spent any time with the new bird yet. I've been letting them spend time together and get to know each other and become friends. I stay nearby just in case I need to break up any fights or anything (which they haven't at all), and to make sure they're aware I'm still nearby in case they need anything... but I haven't had any one on one time with him yet. I want to get over Mike's aggression first.. he was here first, I feel it's only fair to put him first, so he doesn't feel like he's being replaced or anything.
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