Sudden aggression in new cage!

[Falconbiscuit]

We recently bought a new cage for Ruby. We tried to include her favourite perches, her bed and her favourite toys. When I put her in, she didn't seem to mind it, until my dad came home. She was aggressive towards him. She was lunging at him and trying to bite him - hard. She's done this before, but we've tried to control it. Today, as I came home from school, she was acting strange. If I was to touch the cage, she would screech as loud as possible. Ruby wasn't trying to bite, but she was sending the message ' don't touch my cage'. I'm quite worried. She's not coming out of her bed, and making a 'rrrrr' sound. Any help would be appreciated!

 

[SilverLining]

Maybe Ruby is becoming aggressive because she is confused with the change of cage. Whenever I get a new cage, I try to set it up in front of the bird so it gives them a chance to be comfortable with it and know that it is safe.

Maybe you can try putting her in her old cage for a few days and have the new cage nearby where she can hang out on top of it. As she gets acclimated with her new cage, you can slowly phase the old one out. Hopefully, stopping the aggressive behavior.

Give her some time and let her adjust, good luck.

 

[plumsmum2005]

Hi yes probably reacting to the change in homes. Go back to the original set up in the old cage for a day or two and then have them both together and slowly move over one item at a time and let her see what is going on even climb all over it. If she chooses to go in that is good. Take your cue from her and slowly.

 

[rosembers]

Could also be hormonal behavior if she has a happy hut type of bed. If so, I would recommend replacing it with a Kaytee Chewbular (I get mine on doctors foster and smith) because they arent fluffy to resemble a nest and contribute to hormonal behavior/aggression. Conures tend to be cage territorial but that seems a little excessive.

 

[Falconbiscuit]

Thank you all for the advice! She's calmed down now, but still being quite aggressive towards my dad. She loves her new cage - but not may dad. She does have a happy hut type of bed. Ruby's due for a new one, so maybe I'll get her the Kaytee Chewbular! Regarding the hormonal behavior, I do think it's related. She's coming on nine years, and reached the age were she does start to become hormonal ( I think she's already started!). I've heard really bad things about happy huts, does anyone have any clarification? Any other suggestions other than one? Thanks very much

 

[rosembers]

Sorry long post but I promise it's worth the reading -

I forgot to mention the Kaytee Chewbular comes with pet bedding (like for guinea pigs) and it's dangerous for birds so that part must be thrown out of it. And I confirmed with Drs F&S that the cardboard binding agent is lead and zinc free and parrot safe

If using a happy hut, it's best to not use the super fluffy kind and get the ones that are more tight-woven material. But all of them are still dangerous for ingesting and snagging nails. There are woven seagrass huts too but I have never trusted them and I actually heard about a bird that broke a leg from getting stuck on one of those.

We almost lost our GCC (who is my BABY) likely due to her happy hut. The vet found fibers from it in her vomit and got upset with me for having one. I didn't know! I thought she was a bitter old lady with no feelings for even suggesting not to have one! Well I did a lot of research online and there are countless stories of birds dying from them. Even birds that had one for years and never chewed them and one day they did and it killed them. In the garbage it went! My girl slept on a perch for a couple months and I felt SO awful but finally got comfortable with her chew tunnel and now she LOVES it! And dual purpose she can chew the edges and it's fun for her! I drill holes in mine and hang with vegetable tanned leather from the top of the cage.

BTW, I never ever saw my girl chewing hers, ever! It floors me that they are even legal to manufacture and sell knowing what I know now. I'm so thankful I found out about this. Here's a quick sum of what I've researched and/or experienced personally:

Happy huts:
-choking hazard
-crop impaction hazard (which, if it doesn't kill a bird right away it cannot be operated on smaller birds per my avian vet, and it could build up over years in tiny ingested amounts and one day cause illness or internal infection)
-toe snagging hazard (which can cause birds to die from exhaustion trying to get free, or chew off their toe or leg, or break wings trying to get free, or fall upside down and the blood rushes to their head and that kills them).
-contribute to hormonal behavior (biting, excessive cage territorialism, egg-laying which can be fatal and should not be encouraged).

Chewbular tunnels:
-provide a hideaway and sleeping area
-safe to chew (zinc and lead free)
-very durable
-entertaining for birds
-very affordable and easy to replace when needed
-no danger of feet or beaks getting stuck
-no choking or strangulation danger
-isn't fluffy and therefore doesn't resemble a nest as much (to contribute to hormonal behaviors mentioned)
-resembles more of a natural hideaway that birds would sleep in in the wild (tree trunk holes)

Trust me, it feels REALLY BAD to get rid of them, but your birds will get used to a new tunnel. You can have it out around the house for a while to get them used to it and gradually put it in their cage right where the hut was and put treats in it for positive association at first. Give it time and they will learn to LOVE it!!! I honestly found it hard to believe that a toenail could get stuck and kill a bird, until I saw a picture of a little GCC hanging upside down just from ONE toenail snagging her hut, and she had passed away from it (either exhaustion or blood rushing to her head). When birds catch their toe on something, even a shirt or hair, they FREAK and panic immediately, hence broken legs and wings when it happens with "happy" huts. That was what pushed me over the edge.

 

[Falconbiscuit]

Wowie! I was going to order her the fabric ( less fluffy kind) as she's due for a new one. My local pet store sells little ferret tunnels, and they're much, MUCH cheaper than a happy hut. She's the chewer kind, I provide countless toys and she always chooses to chew on her hut. Me being paranoid, I replace it almost every two weeks! She's lived with a happy hut for eight years, but it's about time I replace them with something safer ( I couldn't bear if something happened to her)! Her nails are quite long ( I'm too scared to trim them myself ;- and she recently got one caught on her bed. I took it out, but then really really bad as I thought she would have no where to sleep. Thank you very much for this information! I also do think that she'll like the chewbular better, as she can chew on it all she likes without being told 'no'! Also, when getting the Kaytee Chewbular, what size did you get? I'm thinking of medium, but still not sure. Thanks again! <3

 

[rosembers]

I get size Large on the Kaytee Chewbular. If you have a Sun Conure I'd definitely get large more room to turn around and more to chew lol! They are very sturdy too. I drill holes and attach with vegetable tanned leather on mine (and drill holes close together so heads can't get stuck in leather). And I also put a wood perch just below the tunnel for extra support and also one of my birds chews the life out of hers so she can still stand on the perch and chew the sides after she demolishes the bottom of it.