Should I seperate them?

purlito

New member
Aug 11, 2017
5
0
Hi Everyone,
I have adopted 2 blue and gold macaws. The male (Ryker) is approx. 40 years old and I was told that he may be wild caught (from the last owners research, who also adopted them from someone else). She said she worked a lot so she wanted to get him a friend and adopted a female (age unknown). She said once she adopted the female, all the work that she did with Ryker, pretty much went out the window and as they became bonded, their aggression got worse. I have just recently adopted them and started working with them and I have realize that Ryker makes an attempt to step up and receive treats for doing well, as does the female BUT when I work with Ryker, she gets VERY upset and bites him...and me. At first, it looked like she was trying to protect him but now I'm wondering if she is getting jealous...?

Do you think I should separate them into 2 cages that are next to each other or will that stress them out? If I have one on the "step up" perch and they think I am going to separate them, they both start screaming and flipping out. The last thing I want to do is stress them out and make things worse.

Thank you for any suggestions, in advance!
:blue1::blue1:
 

SilverSage

New member
Sep 14, 2013
5,937
94
Columbus, GA
Parrots
Eclectus, CAG, BH Pionus, Maximilian’s Pionus, Quakers, Indian Ringnecks, Green Cheeked Conures, Black Capped Conures, Cockatiels, Lovebirds, Budgies, Canaries, Diamond Doves, Zebra Finches, Society F
I had this issue with a bonded pair of Pionus (smaller beaks thankfully). My PERSONAL belief, and many will differ with me here, is that when you adopt a BONDED PAIR it isn't fair to get upset with them for normal pair bond behavior nor to rip them away from each other.

I personally would not have added the second bird if I were the previous owner but what's done is done. I would focus on working with them TOGETHER, rewarding BOTH, and making it so both are eager for their joint training sessions. A bonded pair of parrots is completely different than two parrots bonded to you.

I'm not suggesting you run out and dump them because things got tricky, but I highly suggest you take a long hard look at your life and what you want out of the relationship, and decide if a bonded pair really is the right fit for your flock and family. If it isn't, you aren't doing yourself or the birds any favors by keeping them. If it is, then congrats on your new flock members!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
OP
P

purlito

New member
Aug 11, 2017
5
0
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #3
I had this issue with a bonded pair of Pionus (smaller beaks thankfully). My PERSONAL belief, and many will differ with me here, is that when you adopt a BONDED PAIR it isn't fair to get upset with them for normal pair bond behavior nor to rip them away from each other.

I personally would not have added the second bird if I were the previous owner but what's done is done. I would focus on working with them TOGETHER, rewarding BOTH, and making it so both are eager for their joint training sessions. A bonded pair of parrots is completely different than two parrots bonded to you.

I'm not suggesting you run out and dump them because things got tricky, but I highly suggest you take a long hard look at your life and what you want out of the relationship, and decide if a bonded pair really is the right fit for your flock and family. If it isn't, you aren't doing yourself or the birds any favors by keeping them. If it is, then congrats on your new flock members!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm not upset at them at all and don't want to tear them away from one another. I'm just afraid that they may hurt each other when they get jealous. I have been working with both of them together and trying to reward them so they see that they are both doing good but once they get that jealous streak, the will bite each other REALLY hard and then they are hesitant to do anything else because they don't want to get bite again...which I can completely understand lol
I was doing really well with the step up, with both of them, and at first I just had them step up and step down. Then, I would move just a little bit when they were up and then move back and have them step down. Then I moved on to taking them right outside the cage and then returning them right away to try to help them understand that I wasn't taking them anywhere away from one another. Seemed to be going ok. Today is a whole new story!!!!! They are spreading their wings and bobbing their heads up and down and challenging me. Both are attacking at any chance given.

Mainly, the question about the separate cages was just an idea that maybe if they were side by side in separate cages, they might be more willing to try to work with me. In my opinion, they act like someone hurt them at some point in their lives...mainly Georgie (the female). They act like they want to experience human contact but maybe are just too scared. They also pluck. Georgie plucks A LOT. She is missing all of her breast and leg feathers and I'm not sure if shes doing it out of boredom or if its for another reason. She has been to the vet and is in great health.

:blue1::blue1:
 

LordTriggs

New member
May 11, 2017
3,427
24
Surrey, UK
Parrots
Rio (Yellow sided conure) sadly no longer with us
unfortunately they may never want to work with you. That's just the nature of a bonded pair, especially if they were abused like you said. All you can do is try to show them that you're not to be feared and hope one day they decide you're trustworthy.

The attacking each other isn't striking me as jealousy, it's a behavior wild birds do to get their mate to run from a perceived threat. Essentially screaming at the to run whilst they deal with the threat. Once again just be patient and be prepared for them never to be friendly with you
 

SilverSage

New member
Sep 14, 2013
5,937
94
Columbus, GA
Parrots
Eclectus, CAG, BH Pionus, Maximilian’s Pionus, Quakers, Indian Ringnecks, Green Cheeked Conures, Black Capped Conures, Cockatiels, Lovebirds, Budgies, Canaries, Diamond Doves, Zebra Finches, Society F
Can I ask what you are doing to address the plucking?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
OP
P

purlito

New member
Aug 11, 2017
5
0
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #6
The attacking each other isn't striking me as jealousy, it's a behavior wild birds do to get their mate to run from a perceived threat. Essentially screaming at the to run whilst they deal with the threat. Once again just be patient and be prepared for them never to be friendly with you

Oh ok, I didn't know that. I suspected that in the beginning but then wasn't sure. I'm going to start all over and take it even slower. I hope one day I can gain their trust and they see that I wont ever hurt them

:blue1::blue1:
 

LordTriggs

New member
May 11, 2017
3,427
24
Surrey, UK
Parrots
Rio (Yellow sided conure) sadly no longer with us
The attacking each other isn't striking me as jealousy, it's a behavior wild birds do to get their mate to run from a perceived threat. Essentially screaming at the to run whilst they deal with the threat. Once again just be patient and be prepared for them never to be friendly with you

Oh ok, I didn't know that. I suspected that in the beginning but then wasn't sure. I'm going to start all over and take it even slower. I hope one day I can gain their trust and they see that I wont ever hurt them

:blue1::blue1:

yes it's something I didn't know of until I began reading about their psychology, very interesting behavior indeed!

You seem like someone who really wants to make it work so all I can say is don't feel bad, keep trying and always hope they decide to like you. It's not impossible as long as they don't associate bad experiences with you which naturally you wont do consciously. Just focus on their happiness and if it's meant to be then it'll be
 
OP
P

purlito

New member
Aug 11, 2017
5
0
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #8
Can I ask what you are doing to address the plucking

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have made sure that they have a good healthy diet... ZuPreem fruit pellets, as well as, a variety of different seed foods that I buy in bulk. Fresh fruit and veggies, too.
I have also added some new toys for them to play with, although, they don't really seem interested in ANY toys that I have gotten them yet.
Also, the woman that I got them from had brought both of them to the vet right before they came to live with me to make sure it wasn't some type of underlying medical issue that was causing the plucking. He gave them both a clean bill of health.

If you have any suggestion, please let me know and I will definitely try them out.
T.I.A.

:blue1::blue1:
 

LordTriggs

New member
May 11, 2017
3,427
24
Surrey, UK
Parrots
Rio (Yellow sided conure) sadly no longer with us
Can I ask what you are doing to address the plucking

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have made sure that they have a good healthy diet... ZuPreem fruit pellets, as well as, a variety of different seed foods that I buy in bulk. Fresh fruit and veggies, too.
I have also added some new toys for them to play with, although, they don't really seem interested in ANY toys that I have gotten them yet.
Also, the woman that I got them from had brought both of them to the vet right before they came to live with me to make sure it wasn't some type of underlying medical issue that was causing the plucking. He gave them both a clean bill of health.

If you have any suggestion, please let me know and I will definitely try them out.
T.I.A.

:blue1::blue1:

My gut says stress to the plucking. It's been a rough time for them, diet could also be a thing for them if they've been on a bad one. The change to pellets is good. I've heard Zupreem weren't the best but my guy went nuts over the fruit-blend. Could also be a bit of irritation, try a gentle spray over them. Spray above the cage so the water gently falls on them. Lots of birds love getting a spray like that and it helps soother any irritation. You want to break that before it becomes a habit.

As for the toys try sticking treats/food in them. I found rubbing a bit of raisin on toys would interest my conure due to the sweet smell and he would begin playing very quickly
 
OP
P

purlito

New member
Aug 11, 2017
5
0
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #10
Can I ask what you are doing to address the plucking

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have made sure that they have a good healthy diet... ZuPreem fruit pellets, as well as, a variety of different seed foods that I buy in bulk. Fresh fruit and veggies, too.
I have also added some new toys for them to play with, although, they don't really seem interested in ANY toys that I have gotten them yet.
Also, the woman that I got them from had brought both of them to the vet right before they came to live with me to make sure it wasn't some type of underlying medical issue that was causing the plucking. He gave them both a clean bill of health.

If you have any suggestion, please let me know and I will definitely try them out.
T.I.A.

:blue1::blue1:

My gut says stress to the plucking. It's been a rough time for them, diet could also be a thing for them if they've been on a bad one. The change to pellets is good. I've heard Zupreem weren't the best but my guy went nuts over the fruit-blend. Could also be a bit of irritation, try a gentle spray over them. Spray above the cage so the water gently falls on them. Lots of birds love getting a spray like that and it helps soother any irritation. You want to break that before it becomes a habit.

As for the toys try sticking treats/food in them. I found rubbing a bit of raisin on toys would interest my conure due to the sweet smell and he would begin playing very quickly


I will absolutely try all of that...GREAT suggestions, thank you! As for the plucking...I think it became a habit long before I got them but you never know...they may be able to overcome it! *fingers crossed*
:blue1::blue1:
 

Most Reactions

Latest posts

Top