Question about the dark side...

[Ming-Ming]

Merlie's birds are pair bonded, and one still attacks people.
It's really dependent on the individual birds. I actually know many caique pairs that one is more aggressive and hormonal than the other.

Also I don't think it depends on how they are raised as babies. Douglas had a pretty crap breeder, and he's awesome. While other's said they had great breeders, but their birds are more hormonal.

I don't think it's as easy to equate levels of hormones based on those reasonings.

 

[Cydney]

I didn't mean what I said as a judgement on breeders, heck, Linus came from a flea market. However, he was also exposed to a LOT of people in the situation he was in. I was more musing than anything else, comparing the two birds I'm most familiar with that came from completely different situations. Linus was constantly handed around from person to person (he still is when my parents have guests over), always entertaining, thrived on attention and couldn't get that attention if he was too rough or used too much pressure (time out). Kai on the other hand (I know, different species!), came from an excellent breeder but was always 'my' bird. He lived in my room, had limited contact with other people and whatnot. Kai is much more hormonal, isn't afraid to flight attack people he doesn't like, and will draw blood if he can get a hold of them. Don't try to draw a deep meaning out of what I just said. lol No blanket statements! Just observations.

 

[Ming-Ming]

I didn't mean what I said as a judgement on breeders, heck, Linus came from a flea market. However, he was also exposed to a LOT of people in the situation he was in. I was more musing than anything else, comparing the two birds I'm most familiar with that came from completely different situations. Linus was constantly handed around from person to person (he still is when my parents have guests over), always entertaining, thrived on attention and couldn't get that attention if he was too rough or used too much pressure (time out). Kai on the other hand (I know, different species!), came from an excellent breeder but was always 'my' bird. He lived in my room, had limited contact with other people and whatnot. Kai is much more hormonal, isn't afraid to flight attack people he doesn't like, and will draw blood if he can get a hold of them. Don't try to draw a deep meaning out of what I just said. lol No blanket statements! Just observations.

Haha no no, i didn't mean to sound angry. But i saw it come up a few times that the way they are raised depends on how they are hormonally!

I actually had no idea you had a caique. how do he and your lory get along?? I hear they are similar personality wise.

 

[Cydney]

Hormones are hormones. I just think Linus has always been an attention hog and knows he gets more attention if he doesn't bite. Not directly related to hormonal episodes (he does have those) but may give him another focus. His tantrums are VERY easy to spot though. Poofed, neck extended, shoulders dropped and wings slightly opened, eyes super pinned. If he's really angry, he'll sway in this posture. He won't attack or bite unless you ask him to (don't give an angry bird anything you don't potentially want damaged!) and he's easily moved with a sleeved arm, perch, or towel. Usually calms down in 10 minutes or less.

Linus is technically the 'family' bird and lives at my parent's place in Kentucky but I still claim 1/4th of him as mine. lol When I go visit and bring Kai home, we don't let them interact directly, Kai is 60 grams and I'm pretty sure Linus is in the upper weight class for Caiques. I'd imagine they'd play well if they were closer in size (both are wrestlers, love to roll around, very tactile and rough, though Kai uses his wings a lot more).

 

[Ming-Ming]

Hormones are hormones. I just think Linus has always been an attention hog and knows he gets more attention if he doesn't bite. Not directly related to hormonal episodes (he does have those) but may give him another focus. His tantrums are VERY easy to spot though. Poofed, neck extended, shoulders dropped and wings slightly opened, eyes super pinned. If he's really angry, he'll sway in this posture. He won't attack or bite unless you ask him to (don't give an angry bird anything you don't potentially want damaged!) and he's easily moved with a sleeved arm, perch, or towel. Usually calms down in 10 minutes or less.

Linus is technically the 'family' bird and lives at my parent's place in Kentucky but I still claim 1/4th of him as mine. lol When I go visit and bring Kai home, we don't let them interact directly, Kai is 60 grams and I'm pretty sure Linus is in the upper weight class for Caiques. I'd imagine they'd play well if they were closer in size (both are wrestlers, love to roll around, very tactile and rough, though Kai uses his wings a lot more).

Yes! That describes Douglas perfectly! When he starts to sway, I know to stay away!

 

[penny'smom]

That sway reminds me of a cobra ready to strike

Yes, caiques definitely let you know how they feel! My trouble is that the warning signs came when she was already standing on my bare arms and an attack at that point could not be avoided. Very one-track-minded, these little guys! It seems like distracting her is the way to go, if it's possible - but sometimes there is no taking the focus from what they want.

Having only had 1 caique and 1 amazon over my 3 years with birds (other than the budgies when I was younger), I would hesitate to guess at the exact cause(s) of Penny's aggression.

 

[Sadieladie1994]

nuff said! So far so good at age 7

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Had the same experience as you. Just love your two.

 

[sweetpeaches]

nuff said! So far so good at age 7

would like to "diito" that. except Bailey is 5 years old. Always with the knowledge "he could go to the dark side". Just hasn't yet

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

Ashley, the only thing that can redirect a bird that is that focused on attacking is a higher value intervention. The highest value intervention is to throw the bird into either flight/fight instinct or fear. Hobbs Meyers used to bite me to the bone on my hands and I have many scars from him doing that. One day I was carrying an empty SS bowl and dropped it when he started to bite; it threw him into flight/fight and fear and he immediately stopped what he was doing and flew away. From then on when I was working with Hobbs, I had an empty SS bowl to hand to redirect him if he went to bite. Sally Blanchard pointed to me that the clang of the bowl was a good distraction and negative feedback component to teaching him not to bite. Took me three years to retrain him not to bite but he was a wonderful pet after that.

Many people feel it is not fair to scare a bird "that badly" to just avoid a bite, but with Hobbs, it was either find something that worked with retraining or have the little bloke euthanized. I was already his third home in six years and I loved him very much. I spent big bucks consulting Sally Blanchard several times for ways to tame him and her suggestions worked. I will say, Pedro YNA is NOT kept from attacking me with a dropped or thrown SS bowl... But at least it worked for Hobbs and it beat towelling him and prying his beak off my finger so I could put him in his cage for a time out.

 

[Sunnyside]

I know my Rio is a doll with me but with my husband And he isn't kidding! I took a bite for DH and it really hurt! That little bird would like to see my DH dead and that is no lie! Two days ago Rick came out of his office, he is working from home and yes my life is really stinky right now, and when he went around the corner Rio jumped on his neck He wouldn't let go and Rick had blood coming down his neck and I couldn't pry Rio's little beak off! It was terrible! So I guess I see both sides of the fence because Rio is an absolute sweetheart with me but if you bring Rick around, watch out[FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]. And, it is only Rick! He has not done this to anyone else [/FONT][FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif].[/FONT]

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

Jealousy is such an ugly emotion. Your bird wants your husband to go away and leave the two of you (you and the bird) alone.

 

[Sunnyside]

Jealousy is such an ugly emotion. Your bird wants your husband to go away and leave the two of you (you and the bird) alone.

Hmmm, that might not be a bad idea JUST KIDDING!

I thought that as well, Lois[FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]. I am not sure how we will fix this issue but for now I keep the 2 of them separated[/FONT][FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]. Rick doesn't like Rio either [/FONT], he takes it personal and Rio is nice to everyone but him and Rick gets his feelings all hurt[FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif].[/FONT]

 

[twokidzmom]

Everything I've read is that females are sweet and males are the devils in disguise. I would be interested to know. Many of you say he or she but do you know if it is a he or she or just call them that. So please post if you know the sex of your bird and if it is sweet or not! I'm handfeeding two WBC right now. They are both dna females. I'm planning to keep one and sell one so I'm very interested in this topic.

 

[Cydney]

Supposedly Linus was feather tested as a baby to be a boy, but I have a sneaking suspicion he might actually be a she. However, that's unrelated to aggression or lack thereof.

 

[wonderb]

Supposedly Linus was feather tested as a baby to be a boy, but I have a sneaking suspicion he might actually be a she. However, that's unrelated to aggression or lack thereof.

I have to disagree with this. In many species the males are known to be far more aggressive than females (Amazons and Cockatoos come to mind!) I would also be interested in hearing if there is a similar trend in aggression with caiques.

 

[Yoan]

Ohh i was planing on getting a caique next year but after reading this...i am a little bit scared.I heared that they are agressive towards other birds also...Are there really "killers"?

 

[Ming-Ming]

Douglas is DNA'd a boy and is awesome
He can get roudy, but definitely not demonic

 

[Cydney]

I have to disagree with this. In many species the males are known to be far more aggressive than females (Amazons and Cockatoos come to mind!) I would also be interested in hearing if there is a similar trend in aggression with caiques.

What are you disagreeing with? I didn't think I had proclaimed anything, perhaps you misread what I meant? My suspicion about his gender is completely unrelated to aggression or the fact that Linus isn't aggressive.

Perhaps I should have elaborated, but Linus does exhibit other behaviors that I would tend to categorize as more female behaviors. He's never humped anything and hasn't laid an egg, so there hasn't been a give away either way there, but lately he's been showing almost nesty behavior such as shredding a paper towel to bits, looking for dark spaces, some of the vocalizations that are out of the norm for him, though still without aggression. It's harder to explain when someone isn't familiar with his normal behaviors of course, but these are more recent occurrences.

 

[Merlie]

Everything I've read is that females are sweet and males are the devils in disguise. I would be interested to know. Many of you say he or she but do you know if it is a he or she or just call them that. So please post if you know the sex of your bird and if it is sweet or not! I'm handfeeding two WBC right now. They are both dna females. I'm planning to keep one and sell one so I'm very interested in this topic.

My male, Ayeko is the problem child. Enki has her moods, but has never completely lost her mind like Ayeko has. I've heard that males are much more aggressive than females, although I know a few people have evil girls.

Ohh i was planing on getting a caique next year but after reading this...i am a little bit scared.I heared that they are agressive towards other birds also...Are there really "killers"?

Yes, they can be very aggressive towards other birds, it's not funny. I have no doubt in my mind that Ayeko would attempt to kill another one of my birds who was smaller or even equal to/slightly larger than himself. He's has no common sense, he's even taken a few dive bomb attacks at my big Macs. Caiques have even been known to kill their own cage mate. I watch Ayeko and Enki like hawks for any signs of aggression toward each other.

 

[sweetpeaches]

Bailey is a DNA male and a wonderful companion. Has never once in 5 years attacked anyone. (so far ). Personally, I am one that believes gender or species in caiques (white bellied vs black headed) does not constitute on how hormonal, aggressive or territorial they may become.