Nov 16, 2011 21:26:51 GMT
Ruth
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 16
|
Post by Ruth on Mar 5, 2012 13:41:33 GMT
Hello all Looking for some advice please.
We have had Custard for several months now and still do not know his/her gender for sure! Approx 2 months ago we decided Custard would benefit from a friend so decided on a young male (Apple). Introductions were made and went very very well, Custard seemed thrilled to bits with his/her new companion. I have kept cockatiels in the past so am not surprised at the squabbles but we are getting concerned with Custard's behavior in the past few weeks....... She/he will not let Apple eat a treat in the cage or by hand or play with any toys peacefully...she/he literally bowls him over, lands on his head, intimidates him and more worryingly grabs him around the torso with her talons and throws him....blood has been spilt. Apple understandably is always on the watch for whats coming next!
They "kiss" a lot, almost always instigated by Custard, fly as a pair and sit together on their favorite branch, they get upset if separated. Recently Custard has started to groom Apple's head and face and he LOVES it, he cannot get enough. We have not seen Apple reciprocate any grooming and he very rarely argues back, he simply flies away (and is followed) or screams when Custard has him pinned. Our concern is that the fights and constant barrage of bullying means that Apple's quality of life is not as good as it should be. They have a big cage and lots of toys and stimulation. Custard has understandably swapped her attention from us to Apple now but still loves a cuddle now and again.
We would really appreciate your opinions on their behavior.
Many thanks Ruth
|
|
Feb 29, 2012 21:44:11 GMT
Bird Junky
Normal Green
Posts: 458
|
Post by Bird Junky on Mar 5, 2012 14:31:36 GMT
Hi Ask yourself. Would you like to have a complete stranger move into your home, treat all your possessions as their own. You can't make them leave, you tolerate them until they go too far & it sets you off again. He would move out if he could & should do so or blood will be spilled. I usually don't agree with putting human feelings on to birds but this is one of the few times when this situation applies. Breeders introduce the Hen to the Cock. For this reason. Cocks are tolerant of hens for obvious reasons... Sounds like the resident bird is a hen. Yours B.J.
|
|
Nov 16, 2011 21:26:51 GMT
Ruth
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 16
|
Post by Ruth on Mar 5, 2012 15:14:08 GMT
Thank you for your reply.
We have and will take all you have said on board. When we first got Custard, the consensus from other members was that Custard is a cock, we put several photo's up and chatted with several members before getting another cock and the introduction was very slow with Custard doing all the chasing. Of course, Custard may well be a hen!
We can separate them into their own individual cages in separate rooms but they get very distressed if they cannot get to each other and when Custard is not being aggressive they are inseparable (cuddling as I type).
Ultimately we want what is best for them, their welfare is of course paramount, hopefully a few more members will also share their advice as well!
|
|
Mar 2, 2012 20:28:29 GMT
zo
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 40
|
Post by zo on Mar 5, 2012 16:35:08 GMT
Hi Ruth.
If you post another picture of Custard now, we could probably tell you more accurately what his/her gender is. As birds mature, their ceres change colour. If Custard was quite young last time you checked with members of the forum, it is possible we have got it wrong.
With the fighting, you must put their physical health first, I believe, and separate them if the fighting becomes too intense. Better a broken heart than a broken bird! But I'm by no means experienced in such things, that's just my two pence.
Zo
|
|
Feb 29, 2012 21:44:11 GMT
Bird Junky
Normal Green
Posts: 458
|
Post by Bird Junky on Mar 5, 2012 17:08:42 GMT
Thank you for your reply. We have and will take all you have said on board. When we first got Custard, the consensus from other members was that Custard is a cock, we put several photo's up and chatted with several members before getting another cock and the introduction was very slow with Custard doing all the chasing. Of course, Custard may well be a hen! We can separate them into their own individual cages in separate rooms but they get very distressed if they cannot get to each other and when Custard is not being aggressive they are inseparable (cuddling as I type). Ultimately we want what is best for them, their welfare is of course paramount, hopefully a few more members will also share their advice as well! Hi There's no law that says a cock can't be possessive. just like some people. They don't have to be kept in separate rooms, their cages can be touching so they can interact & share fly time. Now each has their own space. You might find they get on OK. Yours B.J.
|
|
|
Post by Rachael Kellett on Mar 5, 2012 18:36:34 GMT
I second Zo's request to see a photo of Custard We will be able to tell you if Custard is a male or female. It sounds to me like you put them together very quickly instead of giving them chance to see each other and get used to each other. Budgies, both cocks and hens, can be very territorial when its comes to their cages, toys, and even favourite perches. I would suggest you separate them but have the cages sat next to each other so they can still see each other. Leave them apart for a few days then let them have out of cage play time together. Take it slowly but when you feel it is right to have them sharing the cage again take the budgie out of whichever cage you plan to use for them both and give it a clean out, and completely rearrange all the toys and perches. Then let Apple go into the cage first, then Custard and take it from there. Let me know how you get on I am saying this from experience as I had a similar problem with one of my hens. After a few days apart she was happy to be back with the others and behaved herself. Well as much as hens do anyway
|
|
|
Post by nat on Mar 5, 2012 21:46:36 GMT
I'm guessing Apple is still a young bird? (Young, being not sexually mature) If one bird is under 12 months old and the other is at the age where they can breed, the older bird can find the addition of a 'teenager' very frustrating! (for obvious reasons! ) It doesn't matter necessarily if the new addition is a cock or hen. They were wanting a partner male or female to settle with and all they got a teenager who doesn't understand their advances:O! I have never found that keeping hens together has been a problem, although I've had 1 rogue hen once which wasn't able to live with anyone even in the aviary until reaching breeding age as the violence was just too much! Although she was good when let out to fly with the flock. On reaching breeding age she became everyones best friend;) Alot of it is about 'space' Personal space. For some reason petshops sell these silly cages of 18-24 inches long 'suitable for 2 budgies' They may be suitable for 2 mature budgies who are not behaving like mentalists! But not necessarily suitable for a teenager and a budgie that wants to do love stuff! Sorry as I have no clue to the size of cage you have so I can only but guess, but over the years of keeping budgies I've come to realise if they have enough cage length space that they can find their own corner in, then squabbling doesn't happen so much. The bigger the cage, the more stuff you can put in it. Rather than one swing, there can be 2:) rather than one feed pot there can be 2 etc. To keep my irritating teenagers out of trouble in the aviary I buy those little canary nests from pets at home and attatch them to the cage bars upside down with cable ties as I don't want any hens thinking about laying eggs in them lol, but the material they are made of keeps the wee blighters occupied for hours pulling them apart. It gives the young'uns something to do rather than harass the other budgies. Shredders are great too as are any natural woven toys they can destroy and use their excess energy up on. The more the better! One for each bird! Of course if the fighting still ensues then you'll have no option other than to temporarily separate them until they mature, or buy a larger cage. Good luck. I'm sure they will work it out in the end:)
|
|
Nov 16, 2011 21:26:51 GMT
Ruth
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 16
|
Post by Ruth on Mar 6, 2012 14:08:34 GMT
Custard is 9 months old and Apple is 6 months old. They have a very big cage with 7 different perches, toys and separate feeding stations. I have attached a couple of photo's taken today....no squabbles today, it's love in the air with lot's of "kissing". I am disabled so spend a lot of time with them, the cage door is opened in the morning, closed at approx 2pm when they siesta and open again until bedtime and they spend 99.9% of the time together wherever it may be in the room (unless Custard is sat on my head....Apple refuses that honour I am glad to say). We think the idea of the little upside down nests is brilliant as Custard is a world record breaking shredder! Typically Apple flies away from Custard who follows immediately and they sit together until Custard can't resist having a dig but Apple gets very distressed if they are separated. Could it be jealousy? Apple is NOT allowed to sit on my hand, he is either bowled off or Custard lands and squares up to him and he gets out of the way. If they are given two of something...Custard wants both and will monopolise, for instance two treats at two different ends of the cage drives Custard to distraction because stopping Apple getting to either of them is hard work! Another thing they both do is take it in turns (neither seems to do it more than the other) and "puff up" whilst sitting very close together and then "head bang" like mad, whichever one is on the receiving end seems to be utterly besotted by this and sits stone still with head to one side. Last night I had to actually open the cage door and get between them before Custard would let go of Apple! imageshack.us/photo/my-images/191/bothk.jpg/imageshack.us/photo/my-images/804/custard.jpg/
|
|
|
Post by nat on Mar 7, 2012 20:04:41 GMT
I think you've hit the nail on the head with the jealousy theory Ruth. Custard has become bonded with you, he has his own cage and fittings which he hasn't had to share in the past and just doesn't want to share his mum or his stuff. Of course, he is happy to have a budgie friend that he can speak the same language to and get a decent kiss and head bang from, but must be having a bit of a hard time working out his feelings about the changes and is desparate to stay the number 1 bird in the house. Rachaels advice on changing the fixtures/furniture around is very good, and I would try it certainly. If it doesn't work then I would keep them separate for a while longer with their cages close together, just letting them out together in the way you are doing. And then just keep trying reintroductions every now and then. But I would try putting Apple in the cage that Custard is terretorial about and Custard in the other cage. It might help Custard overcome his terratorialness about his cage. When you let them out together then leave the big cage door shut so Custard can't regain control of his big cage. I know how worried I was when Randy was hurling budgies off swings by their legs. But time sorted it out in the end as I'm sure it will for your boys:) Good luck and keep us posted on their progress:)
|
|
Nov 16, 2011 21:26:51 GMT
Ruth
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 16
|
Post by Ruth on Mar 7, 2012 20:07:51 GMT
Thank you for all your replies, I will keep everyone posted x
|
|