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My cockatiel who is typically very friendly and only very minorly aggressive is becoming a butt for the past few days. We have a budgie who likes to hang around the cockatiel, normally the cockatiel only tolerates the budgie until the little guy goes to far and he chases him off. Right now however the cockatiel is actively chasing the budgie the second he sees him to lunge at him. I've seperated them whenever I see this for the last few days. The cockatiel has also been rubbing his vent on things far more frequently than normal and being aggressive toward hands. I'm assuming he's just getting hormonal right now for whatever reason. Whats the best way to deal with a bird when they get like this and how long does it typically last? For the record the bird is like 16 years old now so it's not puberty.
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Nov 8, 2012 17:10
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wtftastic posted:If birds are anything like dogs, now you've taught him that if he bitches and moans he'll get his way, especially with the hut. EDIT: Longer periods of darkness cause hormonal changes that cause the bird's body to think it's winter, i.e. a bad time to mate, lay eggs, and try to raise chicks. It's what I've heard as one of the best ways to cut down on horny behavior. DarkHorse fucked around with this message at 18:35 on Nov 8, 2012 |
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Nov 8, 2012 17:13
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Agent355 posted:My cockatiel who is typically very friendly and only very minorly aggressive is becoming a butt for the past few days. We have a budgie who likes to hang around the cockatiel, normally the cockatiel only tolerates the budgie until the little guy goes to far and he chases him off. Right now however the cockatiel is actively chasing the budgie the second he sees him to lunge at him. I've seperated them whenever I see this for the last few days. Lots more sleep usually sorts it out - is he getting twelve full hours of total darkness? If not, start there.
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Nov 8, 2012 18:26
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wtftastic posted:If birds are anything like dogs, now you've taught him that if he bitches and moans he'll get his way, especially with the hut. DarkHorse posted:Yup, be prepared for an even longer and more agonizing time if you commit to the idea of removing the happy hut. He can bitch all he likes, he's definitely not getting it during the day and he only got it last night because of working/talking in the same room he and his cage is in until past 4am. I don't think he was complaining so much about the hut, as that we were there and talking when it should have been bedtime. We felt bad for him and gave him the hut so he could get some sleep. He doesn't actually seem to care it isn't there during the day and we don't care if he bitches about it at night, so if he complains more it isn't a problem.  But we were wondering if it makes a difference if he only gets it at night, rather than not at all, since it would be nice for him to have a warm place during the cold winter here.
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Nov 8, 2012 20:22
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Some smelly goon told me I should post my African Grey, so here goes; This is Karel (Carl), he likes baths, sunflower seeds, whistling the theme to the Phantom of the Opera, and randomly biting people.  Four years old now, loves to mumble to himself, and is up for conversation at times. Also an unusual love for pop music.
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Nov 8, 2012 20:23
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I think the Cockatiel Caucus has meetings to determine when to molt because all four of the tiels started molting last week at the exact same time and now I have enough feathers to make like two backup tiels.
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Nov 8, 2012 21:37
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Battle Pigeon posted:He can bitch all he likes, he's definitely not getting it during the day and he only got it last night because of working/talking in the same room he and his cage is in until past 4am. I don't think he was complaining so much about the hut, as that we were there and talking when it should have been bedtime. We felt bad for him and gave him the hut so he could get some sleep. He doesn't actually seem to care it isn't there during the day and we don't care if he bitches about it at night, so if he complains more it isn't a problem. I'd say putting the hut in there right before you put him to bed would be a good idea since it give extra protection against drafts, he is already used to sleeping in it, and you are controlling when he gets it. He may be so used to sleeping in it that it might take a long time for him to learn how to sleep without it. He'll get used to the routine of taking it in and putting it back soon enough.
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Nov 9, 2012 00:35
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Opera Bitch posted:I'd say putting the hut in there right before you put him to bed would be a good idea since it give extra protection against drafts, he is already used to sleeping in it, and you are controlling when he gets it. He may be so used to sleeping in it that it might take a long time for him to learn how to sleep without it. He'll get used to the routine of taking it in and putting it back soon enough. If they're covering the cage drafts should be a non-issue
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Nov 9, 2012 00:45
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mjs6643 posted:I think the Cockatiel Caucus has meetings to determine when to molt because all four of the tiels started molting last week at the exact same time and now I have enough feathers to make like two backup tiels. Oh hell yes. Yes they did. All of mine are also shedding feathers, and Eliot is in her usual mid-molt haystack-mode.  I keep having to remind myself that she's molting and not dying. She's lost most of her tail and every single flight on one side, that's a hell of a lot of potential bloodfeathers for Miss Bloodfeather. Even Piper the eldertiel has stared shedding feathers. I am also beginning to believe that Eliot's Magical Cockatiel Cage has gender-reversal powers. Eliot herself is the undisputed King of All Birds and spends a good portion of her non-napping time displaying her dominance. Scotty spends his time shredding stuff and being really nesty for a boytiel. This morning I also found Piper snuggled in the basket at the bottom of the cage, lovingly incubating Eliot's most recent egg. I guess he didn't notice that she'd already cracked it open and gobbled down the delicious contents.
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Nov 9, 2012 03:14
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Chiyo has become absolutely obsessed with coming with me into the bathroom. If I have the gall to leave to use the toilet without taking her, she'll actas if this were a betrayal so heinous that she doesn't even know how to adequately express her rage beyond screaming her head off until I come back. The hell, bird.
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Nov 9, 2012 06:03
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Official Bizness posted:Chiyo has become absolutely obsessed with coming with me into the bathroom. If I have the gall to leave to use the toilet without taking her, she'll actas if this were a betrayal so heinous that she doesn't even know how to adequately express her rage beyond screaming her head off until I come back. Thought I was in a cat thread, for a moment.
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Nov 9, 2012 09:42
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Hi there, my name is Bubbles, and though this a shredding toy, I will use it however the hell I please, thank you very much.
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Nov 9, 2012 19:18
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Opera Bitch posted:I'd say putting the hut in there right before you put him to bed would be a good idea since it give extra protection against drafts, he is already used to sleeping in it, and you are controlling when he gets it. He may be so used to sleeping in it that it might take a long time for him to learn how to sleep without it. He'll get used to the routine of taking it in and putting it back soon enough. Kenshin posted:If they're covering the cage drafts should be a non-issue They're both covered at night, but it can get cold in the apartment in winter. We're just taking out during the day for now and seeing if there's any difference. He came and sat on my shoulder for a while today which is unusual so who knows yet.
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Nov 9, 2012 20:15
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Hey everyone I wrote a guide! "How to tell if your lady-tato-tiel is going to lay an egg." 1.) Do you think she is going to lay an egg for any reason? See 2. 2.) She is going to lay an egg. This will trigger some behavior that will make you want to see 1.
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Nov 9, 2012 23:32
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ze6AXtxe4Zk Found this video about a baby macaw growing up and learning to fly outside. I realize there is all sorts of things that can go wrong with letting birds fly outside but drat if this bird isn't super adorable.
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Nov 10, 2012 03:42
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Hey there bird crazies. I am crazy about my budgie buddies and I have some questions. First of all, my budgies have lived together for almost a year now in (supposed) marital bliss. But in the past month or so, Birdy (my white female) has really started to bully Marcel (my blue, supposed male). She has never been anything but sweet to him in their past time together, but now she treats him really badly. She chases him around the cage from perch to perch, and if he tries to approach her or stand his ground she will attack him furiously if she's in the mood. When I say "attack" I mean she will peck at his face rapidly and squawk. If he defends himself she will basically beat him into submission by using wings and feet to batter him, usually she knocks him off the perch. I have seen her fight him from the top perch right down to the very last one. She is very possessive of all toys, treats, and access to "her" mirror and cuttle-bone. When he comes back into the cage after being out she will duck her head threateningly at him and chatter. This is not to say they never get along. They always have to be able to see each other or they will call back and forth until they do. If one comes out, the other usually follows. They almost always sit together even if it takes several rounds of fighting to wear them out. Marcel is usually the one who grooms Birdy but lately she has been willing to groom his head, sometimes he will just put his head upside down and wait forever for her to groom him. They used to feed each other all the time but now not so much. Birdy is a couple years old, Marcel maybe 6 months younger? It has been slightly better in the past couple of days because Marcel seems to be getting a little more self-confidence, he has won the last few fights with her I have seen and she seems to have stopped bullying him as much. There was one day when he just started playing her role and followed her everywhere, being a nuisance and basically bullying her and things seem a little calmer. They are currently sitting on a perch together on one foot. As for their personalities, they are completely different. They each know the commands "give kiss" and "up, up, up", will kiss fingers or any limb vigorously when asked and will almost always go up when asked. Birdy can not really be handled, she will not allow herself to be "held" for any length of time without biting hard enough to cause a lot of pain and draw blood. She just does not like it or want it. If I put my hand in the cage to get a kiss when she is frustrated by Marcel she will just bite me instead. She is very nervous and if something unusual is happening she will become stressed out and start panting. She comes out of the cage often during the day but I respect her distaste for being held for the most part. We have had to clip her wings because she is not a smart flyer at all, she cannot land without crashing into walls, will fly into windows, get stuck in bad spots, etc. Marcel is very easy to get along with. He does not love being handled but he tolerates it, he bites but it's not like Birdy at all, it never hurts, he never draws blood and is very tolerant. He will allow himself to be picked up and handled, I can gently spread one of his wings and look at his feathers, kiss his belly (sometimes I just put my nose on his belly and smell his feathers for a while  ), he will lie on his back with just a couple fingers resting on his sides. He is a very good flyer and we have not clipped his wings recently because he really likes to fly and doesn't hurt himself, he doesn't crash into anything, he can dip and dive and do all kinds of fancy things that Birdy doesn't seem to be able to do. It also gives him a bit of an advantage when Birdy shoves him off the perch, because he can avoid falling to the bottom of the cage or can stand up to her better.I bought a nesting box for Birdy the other day because I have read that females can become territorial and thought maybe if I give her this it will be something more confined to be defensive about, instead of the whole cage. She seemed to be mostly afraid of it first but my boyfriend draped some cloth over it and she went into it for a little while. Basically, what can I do to ensure the continued happiness of my peepers? I want them to love each other FOR EVER.
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Nov 10, 2012 04:04
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Well for one thing nest boxes will INCREASE territoriality and hormonally driven behavior, not decrease it. Take it away ASAP. The "fighting" you describe (face pecking) doesn't actually sound like fighting. It sounds like normal "YOU ARE MY MATE PLEASE FEED ME" behavior. As long as nobody is losing feathers because of it, this should be fine.
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Nov 10, 2012 15:43
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Yeah, as long as they aren't fighting 24/7 it is pretty normal, I think. Even the bestest of bestest friends lovebirds will fight once in a while. If there're aren't any major size differences between both of them it should be fine. And yeah, seconding taking out the nest box, it'll make her into a angry little butt.  Adorable picture of the day:  A friend's sun conure and parrotlet, they're the bestest friends and do this when it's almost time for bed every night. Sometimes the parrotlet sits on the conure's tail and rides around, shall ask him to take a video if it happens again one day!
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Nov 10, 2012 16:36
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Over in TFR we are having a conversation about how disgusting people are that "varmint" i.e. hunt small animals with no intention of anything but shooting them for fun. Crows came up, and I found this video. Is it just me, or is this raven training to be a NPC in the next Fallout game? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZyBNWVD70w
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Nov 10, 2012 18:36
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alucinor posted:Well for one thing nest boxes will INCREASE territoriality and hormonally driven behavior, not decrease it. Take it away ASAP. Ah, I didn't realize that about the nest box. No, it's not "feed me" pecking, I actually know what that looks like, it's definitely angry and mean pecking but it has lessened and if you guys don't think it's a huge issue I guess they should be ok for now. e: I hesitate to remove the nest box because...well...she loves it. She is in it right now and I don't want to take away something she loves. 
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Nov 10, 2012 19:31
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The Doctor posted:e: I hesitate to remove the nest box because...well...she loves it. She is in it right now and I don't want to take away something she loves.
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Nov 10, 2012 20:07
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Kenshin posted:It really is for the best. I will get rid of it if it is really going to trash her behaviour. It's not in the cage itself though, it just sits on the top. She is already defensive about it when she's in it but she doesn't stay in it long and goes back in the cage. Is there really no way to give her a little hidey spot like this even outside the cage? Back when they had a smaller cage she would always burrow under the newspapers and tear them up to make a nest, she was defensive about that too but would behave on her perch, she just hated to be approached underneath the newspapers.
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Nov 10, 2012 20:58
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The Doctor posted:I will get rid of it if it is really going to trash her behaviour. It's not in the cage itself though, it just sits on the top. She is already defensive about it when she's in it but she doesn't stay in it long and goes back in the cage. Is there really no way to give her a little hidey spot like this even outside the cage? Back when they had a smaller cage she would always burrow under the newspapers and tear them up to make a nest, she was defensive about that too but would behave on her perch, she just hated to be approached underneath the newspapers.
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Nov 10, 2012 21:02
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Kenshin posted:Nope. It's basically a nest, it increases her hormonal behavior, and even if it isn't in her cage, it almost certainly is the cause of some (if not the majority) of her aggression. Well, no, I only bought the box a couple of days ago and she has been very aggressive for over a month. I bought it because I thought it would help, but if it is going to be a contributing factor instead then I will get rid of it.
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Nov 10, 2012 21:15
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The Doctor posted:Well, no, I only bought the box a couple of days ago and she has been very aggressive for over a month. I bought it because I thought it would help, but if it is going to be a contributing factor instead then I will get rid of it. Ah, ok. Yeah, it's certainly a contributing factor, unfortunately.
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Nov 10, 2012 21:20
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Deadly Chlorine posted:Adorable picture of the day: See, if these two can get along, why can't a Blue-throated conure and a cockatiel? To be fair, the aggression from Ohtori has changed from violent attacking and chasing to merely sexual harassment now... mostly.
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Nov 10, 2012 21:36
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Hi there, got some questions for you bird crazies regarding a recent addition. We adopted a six year old male lutino Indian ringneck this week, and are starting to notice some significant behavior problems that need to be addressed. The most pressing is a biting habit - anytime he is sitting on your arms or shoulders, he has an almost neurotic tendency to chew his nails and then immediately bite the surface he's sitting on (in this case, skin. ouch.) He also chews clothes to the point that they form holes... When he was adopted, he had very overgrown nails which have since been clipped, and we thought the chewing habit might have been a side-effect of that, but even after having his nails trimmed, the problem continues. What would be the best way to address the issue? We'd like to recondition him so that he's not constantly nipping and chewing on our skin and clothes, but haven't had much luck so far. For a little background, we are not first time bird owners (there's eight birds between us, ranging from finches to cockatiels), but this is our first ringneck. Thanks in advance!
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Nov 11, 2012 05:25
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BeepBoopBatman posted:Hi there, got some questions for you bird crazies regarding a recent addition. #1: Clicker training #2: Chewing toys Get some clicker training going. Once he's learned it a bit, do some clicker work with chewing toys. Get him to chew on the toys as much as possible using clicker training as positive reinforcement, hopefully it will divert him from chewing on his nails. That said, this may be a pretty tough habit to break, so I'm sure there's somebody with better expertise to help you.
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Nov 11, 2012 05:53
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The Doctor posted:Well, no, I only bought the box a couple of days ago and she has been very aggressive for over a month. I bought it because I thought it would help, but if it is going to be a contributing factor instead then I will get rid of it. Bird behavior is kind of funny. Some problem behaviors you can think of as the bird "asking" for something. For instance, a bored bird will "ask" for stimulation by destroying things and screaming constantly. A socially deprived bird will scream for attention. A hungry bird will bite the poo poo out of you for your apple. However, animal behaviors (including a great deal of human behavior) are manifestations of basic urges. We're used to our urges being satisfied through these manifestations, so when the bird presents a problem behavior, our impulse is to indulge it so that their urge is satisfied - give the bored bird toys, pay attention to the lonely bird, and feed the hungry bird. Problem is, some urges get more intense the more you indulge them, and the nesting/mating urge in birds is one of those urges. You have to find a way to lessen Birdy's urges, and giving her things that stimulate that behavior (nesting objects and materials) is not going to work. Instead, you can change her light schedule and put her on a strict 12 hour light, 12 hour dark regimen. You can also rearrange the cage and remove the things that she hides in/behind.
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Nov 11, 2012 08:38
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Hi, it was time for my weekly/biweekly bird outing again! Today's turnout wasn't that good because there was a Responsible Pet Ownership expo by AVA which a lot of other people went to instead, I didn't go because there were dogs and cats there and all my birds are tiny. Select pictures:    Yes, that is the parrotlet riding on the conure's tail. Wasn't able to get a video though. (Linking straight from my Flickr isn't hotlinking, I hope! If it is just tell me and I'll rehost them on imgur. )And here's the rest of the album!
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Nov 11, 2012 15:19
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Deadly Chlorine posted:Hi, it was time for my weekly/biweekly bird outing again! Today's turnout wasn't that good because there was a Responsible Pet Ownership expo by AVA which a lot of other people went to instead, I didn't go because there were dogs and cats there and all my birds are tiny.
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Nov 11, 2012 17:58
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Steve is apparently hellbent on eating (dried) poop lately. He's got a mixture of vegetables at all times that he picks at, his seeds, his cuttlefish and lime block, and gets bits of human food throughout the day so I don't think it's due to missing something in his diet. Just a derp being a derp?Deadly Chlorine posted:Hi, it was time for my weekly/biweekly bird outing again! Today's turnout wasn't that good because there was a Responsible Pet Ownership expo by AVA which a lot of other people went to instead, I didn't go because there were dogs and cats there and all my birds are tiny. Adorable. That GCC looks so small compared to Ohtori. And the parrotlet...
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Nov 11, 2012 20:52
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Rytlock has a secret secondary profession.
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Nov 11, 2012 21:38
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Battle Pigeon posted:Steve is apparently hellbent on eating (dried) poop lately. He's got a mixture of vegetables at all times that he picks at, his seeds, his cuttlefish and lime block, and gets bits of human food throughout the day so I don't think it's due to missing something in his diet. Just a derp being a derp? derp being derp I'd say. Finn likes to pick up poop and chew it a little then drop it. I think it's just a 'OH LOOK A THING ON THE GROUND NEAR ME I WONDER IF IT'S FOOD.' symptom because as soon as he picks it up and breaks it in half he drops it and gives up. Other news! Finally bought a clicker and I'm going to start trying to train the birds to do... something. Marceline is responding to the whole 'BE AN EAGLE' thing really well, she doesn't mind having fingers poked under her wings. Finn hates it though so I need a good trick for him. I was thinking of teaching him to roll over since he's a huge potato? Ideas for a helpless potato trick?
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Nov 12, 2012 01:22
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I vote on fake shooting him and watching him fall over dead ..yes...
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Nov 12, 2012 04:14
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Amaya posted:I was thinking of teaching him to roll over since he's a huge potato? Ideas for a helpless potato trick? I was training my potato bird to run through a tube for a while. Despite initially hating it, he got the hang of it fairly quick. Come to think of it, that's not a particularly impressive trick. 
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Nov 12, 2012 12:17
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Grisly Grotto posted:I was training my potato bird to run through a tube for a while. Despite initially hating it, he got the hang of it fairly quick. Ha ha, not really! Try STOPPING Peep from running through the nearest cardboard tube.
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Nov 12, 2012 13:56
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Since we destroyed the last treat clip, I went to a local Petsmart to pick up more and see the birds. They had a totally doofy cute GCC in a little box who was super interactive with me as well as the budgies next door. In the big parrot enclosure, they had two Jenday conures who were adorably preening each other as I walked by. After I got what I needed and walked back, I came around the corner to find them loving in their food bowl. They saw me laughing and just stopped and stared at me like so  . I wanted to buy them and name them Circe and Jaime.Anyway, as soon as I got home and set up one of the clips on top of the cage, Novolo promptly started humping it. We've been lazy with her light cycle and it's showing.
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Nov 12, 2012 18:53
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I think I am finally making progress with my drat potato. Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva is the cockaderp that will not stop laying eggs and acting nesty. She was fine for a while, but I live in a tiny one bedroom apartment. The lights outside, even at night, always get in a bit. I try to go to bed on time, but if I walk to the kitchen I hear the bird hiss/chirp/wark. A few months ago, I had some neighbors move in. They are noisy as gently caress and like to hang out on the walkway infront of my windows smoking and yelling. While I have complained a lot, it's a slow process in apartments. Could these noisy fucks be keeping my birds up? It isn't ideal because it isn't as dark as I wish it was, even with blinds closed, lights off, and cage covered. Before they moved in, Wandy was just a normal derp. The two evil parakeets, that COULD gently caress and make babies, are absolutely fine...of course... This is what an evil momma derp looks like when she is floofed out over two eggs. If it was just my and, she would be kneeling her head down for scritches. Anything else like my camera in this picture, gets a HISSSSSS : jump wark jump : HISSSSS! 
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Nov 12, 2012 21:15
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Captain Log posted:I think I am finally making progress with my drat potato. Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva is the cockaderp that will not stop laying eggs and acting nesty. She was fine for a while, but I live in a tiny one bedroom apartment. The lights outside, even at night, always get in a bit. Are you covering her cage at night?
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Nov 12, 2012 21:35
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