keeping conures from fighting

[MXG]

Hey guys, so i have another problem. I have a jenday conure and a GCC, the Jenday is maybe 6-8 months old and the GCC is about 2 years old. The GC keeps fighting with the Jenday, he pecks at her and rips feathers out (not alot but still) and has attacked her eye twice but nothing serious.

Every time I witness them fighting and its always noodles (GCC) who starts it sometimes over literally nothing, I squirt him with a squirt bottle. A couple of months ago I had this same problem but noodles seemed to calm down but today I noticed Jendy's eye was hit. Again nothing serious enough to take her to the vet but it's not good.

Last time noodles hit her in her eye I took her to the vet because it was mildly swollen and I was afraid of infection I told them I had separated them and they told me unless it was some serious fighting I shouldn't because it would depress them. But I have to do something! I don't want to give one of them away for obvious reasons.

So what can I do to control their aggressiveness? Can I do anything? What punishment would be best when I see noodles fight her? I feel like I want to turn into a big as* bird and beat the crap out of noodles because Jendy is such a sweet innocent bird and I feel so bad for her. She is scared of noodles, not like stay away scared but when she has a treat or a toy she will drop it if noodles makes sudden movements towards her.

 

[MikeyTN]

No it wouldn't depress them if you place their cages where they can see one another but keep them separated for playing.

 

[Remy]

Sounds to me like they might be happier in separate cages... especially the jenday. You don't know if things might get worse while you are gone some day.

Punishment isn't very effective with birds. Behavior reinforcement (rewarding good behavior) works better, but I still would keep the birds separate.

 

[MonicaMc]

Squirting them isn't probably teaching them anything and may only further anger the GCC...

It's better to allow them to have positive interactions "together" - i.e. keep them separated but give them food to eat near each other... or maybe the same toys to play with. In time, they may learn to enjoy each others company.


Otherwise, I can only recommend keeping them separated. Separate cages next to each other but at least 1-6" apart, and if need be, only take one bird out at a time. Separate playgyms if you take them out together.

 

[MXG]

Yea I will be separating them. And it's weird because even though noodles fights with her, jendy still always keeps coming back because she wants to be in his company.