Foo the angry conure

[Mimsy01]

Ellie, our new Blue crown is doing wonderfully and slowly learning to step up with ease. (walnut bribery)

For some reason, I must just seem like an awesome bird. (probably to do with a lot of bribery and few rules) Ellie is now flock calling me anytime I leave the room as well and would like to hang out on my shoulder or somewhere close.

Generally wherever I go Foo, our GCC and Zeki the starling follow. Both have flight so we have play gyms set up all over so wherever I am they have a hangout place other than my shoulder or head. Zeki and Foo get along well. Being starling and conure don't really speak the same language they are amicable about each other but there wouldn't be any preening each other or other way personal stuff going on.

Ellie is not a real fighter. She does a whole lot of bluffing at the other birds and especially at my husband if he gives me a kiss or comes too close. If he reaches out she has yet to make any move to actually bite..it's just all bluff. Same with the other birds...all bluff no bite. Even when my husband insists on a step up, she will give in and do it. She will bite holes in my shirt though as if showing him what she could do if so inclined.

Foo has realized this fast and her jealousy has made her a terror of the skies in our house. She has pushed Ellie off the play gyms, she attacks her when she notices Ellie on my shoulder ect. I don't want anyone getting hurt so I step in as fast as I can move. Which Foo has bit me trying to get to Ellie. It's rather ridiculous considering Foo is like maybe a 1/3 Ellies size. I don't think she can hurt Ellie much, but I am afraid Ellie is going to have enough and hurt Foo before I can break it up.

She's accepted Zeki, he keeps going into he cage or sitting on her play top with her. She's learned he's just hanging out and she no longer seems threatened by him.

Since all birds are out all day (unless there is going to be no one home) and I would like to keep that schedule, I'm trying to train Foo to stop being a tyrant.

I'm giving her time outs in her cage everytime she attacks. Just a couple minutes and then she is allowed out when she is good again. Usually only a minute or two for her to get some act right.

Am I doing this right? Should I be keeping separate times out? I really don't want to. If for some reason I'm really busy and can't supervise I will, but otherwise I really want to make this work.

Anyone else have this issue?

 

[Allee]

Foo sounds a lot like my Harry. I guess there's one in every crowd. I used the method you described to train Harry. Very short time outs for bullying. She actually goes inside her cage and slams the door when she misbehaves. My flock stays out together, two budgies, two quakers, a cockatiel and a U2. The rest of the flock can be trusted with minimal supervision now, Harry needs supervision all the time. I'd hate to tell you they'll be fine and see Foo get hurt. They do get more comfortable together as time goes on.

As long as they have plenty of space, food and play areas, human attention is more likely to cause conflict than anything else.

 

[Mimsy01]

LOL Harry does sound like him and Foo have some things in common. When Foo's caught misbehaving she yells at me "be nice", as she proceeds not to be. I'm glad she's my smallest bird, cause she is more than making it up in personality.

Later today she seemed to mostly give up on her attacks. Hopefully they will get less and less. I would really like it if they got along, or at least tolerated each other. Ellie even flock calls to Zeki. She cowers when Foo comes near.

 

[Mimsy01]

Well Foo was getting a little better and then since yesterday she went all the way worse. Shes had so many time outs. Hard to believe such a little cute thing can be such a terror. She doesnt want Ellie on me, on the play gyms, on the computer monitors. The only place she is ok with her is on the floor or on her own cage. Shes biting me too. The jealousy is HUGE.

Look at this sweet face!

 

[Allee]

Oh Foo! You adorable little monster!

Honestly, I don't know how you manage to tell her no, she's so darn cute. She yells at you to "be nice". Harry tells me to "be a good boy" while she misbehaves. Harry has been terrorizing everyone in the house, she's even came after me in a fury a couple of times. Only Poppy has enough patience to deal with Harry, she's been sharing her play stand and balcony with the little green brat for a week now. Angry birds, should we send them to anger management classes?