Vicious attack on Ziggy, pearl cockatiel

Mike17

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I was at work and wife in another room today when my wife heard an altercation in the bird room, rushed in to find Jade our plumhead, who managed to get out of its cage (we keep clamps on the doors, it's a Houdini), open an (unclamped) door to Ziggy's cage, and viciously attack her. There was much blood and pieces out of Ziggy's feet and legs. Awful!

I haven't been in here much lately, very busy with university essays (big study load this semester). This was another distraction, my wife phoned me at work to come home and help her put cornflower/aloe vera on Ziggy's wounds. She's now back in her cage, preening and hopefully eating, after spending a couple of hours on wife's (caped) shoulder.
 

RavensGryf

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Oh no! I'm terribly sorry to hear about poor Ziggy!

I wonder what prompted Jade to do that in the first place? I wouldn't imagine a Plumhead being a Houdini, then to actively seek out and attack? Is Jade a male or female?

Ziggy's wounds sound awful Mike. Poor little thing. Thank goodness your wife was there to stop the fight and Ziggy didn't end up missing a foot! Please keep us posted. I hope she keeps acting well and heals fast.
 
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Mike17

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We don't know if Jade's M or F yet, it takes 2+ years to be able to tell with plumheads, but we suspect it's a female. Ziggy has been "clucky" of late and had laid an egg in her cage. They were hand-raised together, but Jade seems insanely jealous of Ziggy now, always jumping on her during "fly time". We went away for two weeks and Jade was very bitey when it finally was allowed out (neighbour looked after them- no flight time) and after 2 weeks was just starting to settle down and not bite us too much. Now it won't be allowed out for a while as Ziggy's too weak to fight it off. No doubt it'll go crazy and circle its cage endlessly (It also hates seeing Ziggy out when it's not).

If we were in our own home I'd find a male mate for Jade at put it (her) into an aviary, but not possible at the moment. She (it) may be hormonal, but we've no idea if it'd settle down with one of its own kind, it's quite small even is a female, but very feisty.
 

RavensGryf

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Wow that sounds like a monstrous amount of jealousy there :52:. What if Jade goes into a different room where Ziggy is out of sight? Is that possible? Sounds like she drives Jade crazy!

I had a Plumhead once but was not handled enough after weaning and he never tamed down. He went to live in a breeder's aviary. "It" was sold as a "he" but who knows.
One day IF ever I am able to have an aviary, I want Plumheads. I'd be pretty impatient waiting for the males gorgeous color to come in. I also had a male Hooded Parakeet who died. I long for one of those again too, but only if I had an aviary.

Maybe it is hormones like you say. Sure sounds more crazy than "normal" behavior. Hope it passes soon. Best wishes again for Ziggy.
 

MikeyTN

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You may think about purchasing some small padlocks to lock her doors!!!! I had to with a few of mine due to the vicious behavior. Hopefully Ziggy will recover fully.....
 
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Mike17

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Alex- Eclectus, Ariel- whiteface, Junior- pied, Custard-lutino, Ziggy- pearl cockatiels, Kermit- Princess parrot, Jade- Plumhead parrot, George- budgie, Coco- Rainbow lorikeet, Corey-Little Corella.
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Thanks, guys. Ziggy is somewhat better, sleeping now, she had an early night. Jade was let out but separately to Ziggy, in fact she was covered early, and Jade insisted on getting under the cover! Made it easy to catch Jade, for a change, he/she gets elusive when it's time to go back into cage after "flying time". Jade's cage now has two clamps per door (6 in total). I wonder if he/she'd be happier in a larger cage? Makes me wonder about our mixed flock, but you just don't expect such "assassin-like" activity from birds.
 

SilverSage

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I am so sorry to hear that! I had a budgie exhibit this kind of behavior, but thankfully she was not a houdini, and it seemed to be seasonal. It was usually in Spring if she wasn't allowed to go to nest.
 

ruffledfeathers

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Wow, that is really upsetting when something so violent happens. So glad Ziggy seems to be getting better.
 

strudel

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Poor ziggy! I'm glad it was stopped quick-smart, it could have escalated. I hope none of mine turn on each other.
 

Betrisher

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Coming in late on this thread, but I'm so sorry, Mike. How upsetting to see damage done by one pet to another. I hope things resolve quickly for you and that Ziggy recovers in health and spirit very quickly as well. :(
 
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Mike17

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To cap off a bad week for 'tiels, our whiteface boy, Ariel, who is really attached to Alex the Eccy, was attacked on the verandah by our new(ish) female eccy, Ayu. One of his claws was nearly bitten off, so he's lost the claw and top joint on a front foot. It was still attached but we cut the remains off and then had an anxious time stopping the bleeding.

Ayu and her mate Lexei are in a big cage on the verandah, Ariel and Alex go out there on cooler days so they can have a fly. Ariel was on top of their cage and Ayu climbed up and grabbed her foot. My wife saw it through the window.

Ziggy is recovering slowly, one of her legs is rather swollen, but she's eating fairly well and even going for a fly around the house when let out.
 

strudel

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Crikey, bad planetary aspects, or what? Is it mating season or something that is causing the "aggro"?
 
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Mike17

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Crikey, bad planetary aspects, or what? Is it mating season or something that is causing the "aggro"?

Funny you should mention that, Strudel. My wife mentioned Ayu (the eccy hen) had been quite aggressive over the past few days. Today, She and Alexei were "at it" for the first time I've seen. She spends a lot of time in the nesting box, it was Ariel's bad luck to have his foot available when Ayu was feeling aggressive. Alex, our tame eccy boy, had to be put back in his cage and didn't have his usual "time out" tonight as Ariel is devoted to him and would get really upset if separated- and we have been trying desperately to keep him quiet and still in the hope the bleeding would stop (we'd tried cornflower, then spray bandage).

As it's a public holiday today, vet's was closed but I did eventually get onto the one still in town, so will take Ariel to see her tomorrow.
 
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RavensGryf

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Oh gosh Mike. Looks like pick on tiels week! I hope they both heal quickly and feel better soon :) good to hear Ziggy is feeling alright.

How DID you stop the bleeding on Ariel? I once cut my mom's Princess parrot's nail too short and nearly bled him out, even holding tight with tons of styptic powder it took a long time. Maybe cornstarch is more effective?
 

strudel

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She and Alexei were "at it" for the first time I've seen.
Those bird hormones sound really scary, I hope my birds don't go hormonal on me....

When my weiro hurt her toe, the main problem was she'd keep moving it all the time and then it would bleed. It wasn't that bad of an injury, but still scary. They don't understand that they should keep perfectly still or they'll open up the clot.

Do birds actually have a "season" or are they always "ready for action"? I must do some reading....
 
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Mike17

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Oh gosh Mike. Looks like pick on tiels week! I hope they both heal quickly and feel better soon :) good to hear Ziggy is feeling alright.

How DID you stop the bleeding on Ariel? I once cut my mom's Princess parrot's nail too short and nearly bled him out, even holding tight with tons of styptic powder it took a long time. Maybe cornstarch is more effective?

I'm not sure that our actions stopped the bleeding. The corn starch worked well earlier this year on Ariel when he was bitten through the wing, but we had a second attempt this time with the spray bandage (the corn starch wasn't drying) and that helped. We didn't have a styptic pen and pharmacy closed for Anzac Day. Basically, quiet and no movement helped- but the cover had blood on it so Ariel did some climbing during the night, bleeding's not completely stopped so I'm taking him to the vets.
 
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Mike17

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Alex- Eclectus, Ariel- whiteface, Junior- pied, Custard-lutino, Ziggy- pearl cockatiels, Kermit- Princess parrot, Jade- Plumhead parrot, George- budgie, Coco- Rainbow lorikeet, Corey-Little Corella.
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Vet sold us some antibiotic powder, would liked to have gassed Arial and put a suture in, but she was worried about the risking of gassing with Ariel's blood loss. I asked about a topical cream, but she said that Ariel would ingest it.
 
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Mike17

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Alex- Eclectus, Ariel- whiteface, Junior- pied, Custard-lutino, Ziggy- pearl cockatiels, Kermit- Princess parrot, Jade- Plumhead parrot, George- budgie, Coco- Rainbow lorikeet, Corey-Little Corella.
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Both birds making good progress. Ariel was let out for his first fly last evening since he lost his claw. He was distressed on previous days when we let Alex the eccy out, but we didn't want to risk having his foot start bleeding. Ziggy is also getting back to normal although still has trouble standing, one leg rather worse than the other. She is let out only with the other three 'tiels (apart from Ariel, who doesn't know he's a 'tiel, so he's part of the "eccy flight shift" :)). The plumhead who attacked Ziggy, now gets out later with the Princess and the budgy, and it (she?) spends much of its time sitting outside Ziggy's cage calling loudly. Needless to say, we make sure all openings to Ziggy's cage are well secured. I do wonder if we need to secure all the small birds' cages since the plumhead could get it into its head to attack any of them
 

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