• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

TOTAL PANIC!!!

Atomiklan

Jogging around the block
Joined
4/24/17
Messages
850
Location
Raleigh
Real Name
Andrew
So the strangest thing just happened. I was sitting on the couch downstairs working. The birbs were hanging out in the cage in the kitchen. Blinds were closed with curtains drawn so nothing to see outside. No shadows. No loud noises. Absolutely nothing happened that would trigger them. I have heard them freak out before too due to one of these external stimuli. Usually they get a little excited for 5 seconds, make their high pitched alarm call and eventually freeze silent on a perch somewhere or migrate back to the nest and hide. Whatever just happened a few minutes ago was something completely different. This was like 10 minutes of pure terror!!! I think Charlie started it which got Emma out of the nest. They both were flying about recklessly and not making their usual alarm call, but instead, the highest loudest and most frequent sound their little bodies could muster. To the point of them losing their little voices. I ran over to the cage to see what was going on. Emma eventually stopped and perched on a branch, but Charlie just didn't let up for a few more minutes. I finally managed to calm him down and get them both out of the cage so they could chill and munch on some millet. All is back to normal now (Emma returned to the nest and Charlie is hanging out on the playstand), but WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED??? It's like he saw a ghost lol.
 

finchly

Cruising the avenue
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
5/16/14
Messages
12,708
Location
SW Florida
Real Name
Finchly
I would say saw a snake but then you'd freak out. :jawdrop1:

Yes he saw something scary. This happens fairly often. Sometimes I wonder if they PRETEND to see something in order to get everybirdy's attention.
 

Atomiklan

Jogging around the block
Joined
4/24/17
Messages
850
Location
Raleigh
Real Name
Andrew
Maybe... I just have never heard them react so violently and for so long. Usually if they get frightened, like I said, its usually a few seconds of the alert chirp, "escape" to the other side of the cage or nest or freeze on a branch and pretend like you're invisible haha. This was several minutes of uninterrupted PANIC screaming at the top of their lungs. Whatever it was, it scared the hell out of them. Maybe a fly flew into the cage and was chasing them around inside?
 

kitsunebandit

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Joined
2/6/11
Messages
1,201
That is peculiar!
 

sunnysmom

Ripping up the road
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
9/16/13
Messages
28,803
Location
Pennsylvania
Real Name
Michelle
They can be a mystery. Elvis through a complete fit Monday morning. No idea why.... Could they have heard an outside bird? Once my tiel heard an eagle on TV, flew upstairs, and then put himself back in his cage for the rest of the afternoon.
 

Laurul Feather Cat

Cruising the avenue
Avenue Veteran
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
12/12/10
Messages
11,162
Location
Steelton, PA, USA
Real Name
Lois
Emily CAG started the most loud and long terror reaction in the birdroom about a year ago. It occurred three times before I found out it was a mouse getting into her cage which was causing the problem. Birds are terrified by mice and rats because they are one of the top predators of birds in the wild. They climb trees without a problem and attack the birds while they are asleep and raid the nests for eggs and chicks. Most people do not understand mice and rats eat meat whenever they can get it.
 

Sweet Louise

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Joined
9/29/15
Messages
1,661
Real Name
Pat
"Birds are terrified by mice and rats because they are one of the top predators of birds in the wild."

A little off topic... I found mouse droppings in Louise's cage. i was horrified because of the germs. I hadn't thought of a mouse as a physical/attack threat. This winter, I will be even more vigilant.

Thank you for posting that info.
 

Atomiklan

Jogging around the block
Joined
4/24/17
Messages
850
Location
Raleigh
Real Name
Andrew
So could they be fighting? It has happened twice more today. No where near as serious sounding as yesterday and the panic subsides a lot faster too. Every time this has happened so far, they have both been out of the nest (I think). At least that is the end result. I have not been close enough yet or been able to catch it on camera at the moment that the panic sounds set in. Is it possible that one of them is bullying the other causing the hysteria? Also, we're starting to get close to what I would imagine is the end of them incubating the fake eggs. How will I know for sure when they have given up on the nest? They have been spending a little more time both out of the nest together, but so far it has been because of these episodes, so I can't tell if they are both out because of panic, or for other reasons. Could the end of this first cycle coming to a close have something to do with this behavior? I need to try really hard to capture it on video so I can see exactly what is going on. So far it seems to only happen when I am away from them. Its doesn't seem to be a call for attention though. There is a LOT of less than graceful flapping going on when I hear it starting.

Now that this panic session is over and they are unfrozen, Charlie has retreated back to the nest and is incubating the eggs again while Emma chows down on some seed. I am really at a loss here as to what is going on. I can promise you I don't have mice or rats in the house lol. So while I am sure that is a cause in other situations, that's not the case this time. There are no bugs today (or yesterday) that are obvious flying around. No shadows, or cars, or anything else out of the ordinary. Now that this has occurred multiple times, I think its safe to say it is being caused by some other internal stimuli. Any more thoughts anyone please?
 
Last edited:

Atomiklan

Jogging around the block
Joined
4/24/17
Messages
850
Location
Raleigh
Real Name
Andrew
Well, maybe not the end of incubation. I just looked back at my "Parents" post. It has been 22 days since Emma laid her first egg, so we're not quite there yet. Also, I guess this is not a hard and fast rule, especially since they are now fake eggs. They will probably sit on them for far longer than regular eggs before giving up I imagine. I don't want to focus too much on this though unless you think it has something to do with the behavior above. Eager for any comments/thoughts/suggestions.

By the way, I don't see any feathers in the cage or any other signs of a scuffle.
 
Last edited:

Featheredfuffs

Sprinting down the street
Avenue Veteran
Joined
4/30/17
Messages
373
Real Name
Pearl
Emily CAG started the most loud and long terror reaction in the birdroom about a year ago. It occurred three times before I found out it was a mouse getting into her cage which was causing the problem. Birds are terrified by mice and rats because they are one of the top predators of birds in the wild. They climb trees without a problem and attack the birds while they are asleep and raid the nests for eggs and chicks. Most people do not understand mice and rats eat meat whenever they can get it.
Ah yeah no kidding... chipmunks are the worst of them all. They'll eat other chipmunks on the side of the road :depressed::wtf:
 

Atomiklan

Jogging around the block
Joined
4/24/17
Messages
850
Location
Raleigh
Real Name
Andrew
Ok, I am hoping that by the end of tomorrow I will have video footage of exactly what is happening instead of just speculation. I setup a separate HD camera on a tripod that has a long recording capability and I set up a small acrylic viewing window to capture down the length of the cage. I should be able to record for about 5 hours. It seems that most of the action is occurring in the mid morning to around lunch time. I will start the capture tomorrow morning when I get the fids up and will try not to disturb them all morning to see if it happens again. Hopefully by this time tomorrow I will have a short video uploaded of exactly what is going on. I am really curious to see who starts the panic, if there is a scuffle between them, their behavior during, what kicks it off, etc. Should be really interesting. I hope once I have video of it too, everyone here can give a more precise opinion on what they think is happening.

IMG_20170916_205301.jpg
 

Atomiklan

Jogging around the block
Joined
4/24/17
Messages
850
Location
Raleigh
Real Name
Andrew
Ok, I am pretty sure I have captured what has been going on. It occurred once today apparently, but only briefly and off camera, but the pieces are fairly easy to put together. I am repositioning the camera tonight and will try to capture one more incident before potentially taking action. I could really use some immediate opinions on this PLEASE. It seems I was partially right. There is a fight going on, but it appears one sided. Charlie appears to be attacking Emma!!! See the video below and please stay tuned to this post as I will be updating again tomorrow with another video if it happens again. I really hope I don't have to separate them already. Please give me some advice here. Why is he doing this and then immediately turning around and being buddy buddy again. I Googled Society Finch male aggression and found nothing...

 

zoo mom

Ripping up the road
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
3/9/11
Messages
57,697
Location
Indiana
Real Name
Elaine
Not sure but is he trying to get her to mate again and she is not willing due to still having eggs in the nest?
 

Atomiklan

Jogging around the block
Joined
4/24/17
Messages
850
Location
Raleigh
Real Name
Andrew
Hmm interesting. So no singing or anything, just waiting for the right moment and going for it. Its just strange. Put the YouTube video in slow motion and watch his body language just before he exits the nest. It looks like he assumes a very aggressive stance, then lunges out of the nest to charge her. Very interesting. Considering they buddy up in the nest and at other parts of the day, if this is what he is doing, I wonder why he doesn't try when she is right there next to him in the nest. Why the aggressive pounce and resulting chase? Here they are in the nest right now. PS. Did not capture any scuffles today.

IMG_20170918_155701.jpg IMG_20170918_155710.jpg IMG_20170918_155712.jpg
 
Top