Side Kicking?

[PickleMeDickles]

So, all 3 of my conures "side kick" when playing with me (in wrestle mode). 2 of them grab my finger and "kill it" (always very very softly). My 2 Suns side kick each other during play, jealously, and anger. Do all/most conures display this behavior?

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

There is a fine line between play and attack and it's usually pretty obvious. All birds will argue to some extent but if one is harming the other (plucking their feathers or biting nastily) then that behavior should be addressed.

I find that Skittles is VERY playful. He likes to play "battle-finger" where he will wrestle with my fingers, it doesn't hurt - I know he is just playing.

 

[Dinosrawr]

My conure can go from fluffy sweet heart to giant green biting monster in a second flat. Generally never to me unless there's hormones involved, but certainly to my IRN! If he preens her the wrong way, she literally kicks him off my shoulder, fluffs angrily, and then murmurs to herself either congratulations or further complaint about him, haha! Then a second later she's cuddling him and preening or asking to be preened. It can happen multiple times a day, but it's never escalated beyond that so I don't worry.

Most birds have their own tolerances, and I find flighted birds will physically fight less because they have the opportunity to disengage and fly away. Unless of course you end up with aerial combat and they actually seek another out to inflict damage... that's a whooooolllleeeee other can of worms though!

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I do find it funny how different a bird will act around another bird or another person.

Skittles is super sweet and playful with me. But whenever one of my neighbors stops over for a bit, he becomes this feathered monster like out of a Hitchcock film.