In-Cage Food Bowl Agression

Over the past week or so I have noticed Bella's aggression towards me has increased when I'm trying to change her food bowls in the morning.
She lunges and growls at me when I'm putting her food or water in.
I haven't been doing it any differently to normal...
any hunches as to what may have provoked this new behaviour? I've been having to bait her to the other side of the cage so I can put the bowls in quickly before she has a chance to strike.
Saying that, both her and Dexter have always 'defended' their treat-bowl when out on the playstand. So i've just always waited until they've finished thier treat before asking them to step up

My guess is hormones, protecting her den. Is it just the food bowl?

chris-md said:

My guess is hormones, protecting her den. Is it just the food bowl?

Click to expand...

Seems to be. Though I do have to wheel her cage slightly before I change the bowls as hers and Dexters cages are against eachother in order to stop him opening the bowl hatch and escaping. But it's been like that since he arrived (about 3 months after Bella arrived - so it's been that way for over a year.)
I'm moving Gerry into the parrots room this week so his cage will probably be where Bellas cage is, and hers will be moved away from the boys slightly. So I will see if this makes any difference.

Since the Rb became a rooster at 3-4 years, he has been extremely aggressive around food... bowls, water, treats, chiles...

I use distraction, or wait until he's outside the cage, to deal with cage-food. Outside, he is equally fierce about treats, toys and chiles. I watch videos of wild Rickeybirds. Pairs nest in cliff burrows a few feet from each other, and the roosters scrap and fight ALL DAY LONG, it seems, and sometimes the hens join in.

I'm careful and protective of other people and animals, too, because I know what he's capable of.

I pick my battles on Planet Rickeybird!

Another thought. He's less aggressive generally if I manage his light. I don't recall if you do this or not. Ever since the Rickeybird hit sexual maturity at about 3-4 years of age, I've had to manage his hormones! If kept on too steady a long day, and too much light, he stayed "in the mood" (aggressive, even louder than usual, pleasuring himself on my neck ) year round. If I keep him on a natural light schedule... up with dawn, down with dusk, year around... THEN he's only a little monster rooster from July to September). He has his own room, so I can do that easily.

Since Gerry has been moved into the bird room, Bellas cage has now been moved to a different position. Previously it was next to Dexters cage (right against it - to stop Dexter opening his food hatches and escaping) which meant I had to move Bellas cage every time I changed their bowls. So since I haven't had to move her cage every mealtime, her food bowl aggression has stopped. So it was the moving her cage that was 'grinding her gears' and making her mad!