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Cage Aggression

Coki

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I know this is an old thread, but i CAN'T agree more with all of this info. Being able to be part of their territory is the key to avoid agressive behaviours.

My budgies reacted the same way as Sharpie's budgies. When i moved them into the aviarie they had NO problem with humans and act much friendly with me than when they were caged. Sometimes i even sleep with them and the next they they fly into my head or hands like something normal. We're friends now :)
 

Lady Jane

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So John are you saying we create cage aggressive birds? When we are the prison guard looking into the cage does it make any difference if the doors are open? I am always interacting with my Linnies looking until the cage. Guess I need to change my ways. Thanks for your wise advice.
 

JLcribber

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So John are you saying we create cage aggressive birds? When we are the prison guard looking into the cage does it make any difference if the doors are open? I am always interacting with my Linnies looking until the cage. Guess I need to change my ways. Thanks for your wise advice.
In a way. The "cage" is the root cause. But guess who puts them in there. :)

Of course "we" create cage aggressive birds. They don't cage fight in the wild :)
 

Lodah

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I have to say that Pilo is a different fid now that he is fully flighted and has the ability to use his wings as a bird should! We do not have any issues in that regard and he will find me no matter which part of the house that we are in! Having a very large cage for him allows me to enter and clean while he is inside as well... you can imagine his delight when he saw that I was as much a part of his domain and he was!

Fortunately... Pilo was never cage aggressive, but he was still a very nippy individual... but that is now all history, which I can happily say was mainly due to the large cage and the fact that he has the opportunity to be what God meant him to be!
 

Titti

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Hi everione, i have two birds, 1 conure pyrrhura and 1 linnie, both males.
They live in 2 cages but their door cage are always open, so they decide if stay in or out.
Sometimes they change cages or go in both in the same. They are free and have no problems with cage, even if my conure is jelouse when i introduce my hands to clean or change water and he wants bite me with blow.
 

Alien J

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Wonderful article. Wonderfully informative and wonderfully written. I have been debating the wing clipping issue for TD. He's been flying for quite some time already.

Because of my living situation... I am a full time RV'er. We are two people, two dogs and now a cocktail living in a 26' motor home.

I must say I was worried about even bringing TD here, but really had no choice. He has been here most of his life now. He takes to traveling like his nomadic wild relatives Down Under.

I've heard so many say that the safest way is to clip their wings, but must add that the thought of it has always gone against my grain.

I've always said I want "my" animals to be as happy as possible being what they're supposed to be. I want the same for TD.

I can't give a room to TD. I can't even shut a door to separate him from the rest of the RV, except for the bathroom.

I give TD as much out of cage time as possible. A minimum of two hours a day, if the weather permits the dogs to be outside.

What advice would you offer?
 

JLcribber

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Wonderful article. Wonderfully informative and wonderfully written. I have been debating the wing clipping issue for TD. He's been flying for quite some time already.

Because of my living situation... I am a full time RV'er. We are two people, two dogs and now a cocktail living in a 26' motor home.

I must say I was worried about even bringing TD here, but really had no choice. He has been here most of his life now. He takes to traveling like his nomadic wild relatives Down Under.

I've heard so many say that the safest way is to clip their wings, but must add that the thought of it has always gone against my grain.

I've always said I want "my" animals to be as happy as possible being what they're supposed to be. I want the same for TD.

I can't give a room to TD. I can't even shut a door to separate him from the rest of the RV, except for the bathroom.

I give TD as much out of cage time as possible. A minimum of two hours a day, if the weather permits the dogs to be outside.

What advice would you offer?

He's really young. Perfect time to start introducing a harness. Being young also helps in your case because he will develop his lifestyle beside yours and grow into it instead of being thrust into it.
 

mandymmr

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What is the aggression considered when you eliminate the cage and your bird is still aggressive?
 

Alien J

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I'd ask on the behavior forum. Or ask JLcribber! I have read some of his posts and they all make such good sense. They are easy to read, easy to understand, and they pull no punches!
 

JLcribber

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What is the aggression considered when you eliminate the cage and your bird is still aggressive?
My guess would be the bird either just doesn't like them or there's some kind of mate situation going on.

There is always a reason. You just have to figure out what it is.
 

hellen

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i was looking at cages on the internet recently, and one image was taken at one end of an open cage door looking in, it was like being inside the cage and it made me shudder. there maybe reasons not to let a bird out of its cage, although i havn't owned birds long enough to know what those reasons could be. mine are out when i am in, which is a lot, that is my priority. i make sure that wherever they are, they are mostly supervised and dangers eliminated. its like having toddlers. they go back in when i need to go out and at bedtime, this is to keep them safe and hopefully make them feel secure. it is our duty to give them their freedom as much as possible, this is my commitment to them.
 

Crazy4parrots

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Good on ya, John.

I think your contrast between Toos and Caws is accurate, but one must realize that Caws are also manipulative, but not emotionally manipulative. Caws generally have an excess of self confidence and are more like a cat than a dog (if that makes sense). With that said each and every bird is it's own individual.
ML
What kind of manipulation?
 

Christy Cat

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For someone that is thinking about getting a parrot for the first time in her adult life this thread is really informative. I really like the out of cage no clipped wings philosophy. Giving them their own room for when I'm away is a great idea. Hmmm I liked the idea of the birds cage being in my main room I suppose a stand in my main room would serve the same purpose.
 

mandymmr

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but one must realize that Caws are also manipulative, but not emotionally manipulative. Caws generally have an excess of self confidence and are more like a cat than a dog (if that makes sense).
O.M.G this PERFECT! They ARE perfect manipulators, con-artists, too big for their britches attitude!
 

Linearis

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My bird's cage aggression is basically... Non-existent lol. And she's a parrotlet. She's a bit nippy in general but actually less when I'm just moving stuff in her cage or changing her food, installing toys etc. She's never been cage aggressive so idk if it's just her or if it's how I go about it but this is how I interact with her cage-wise: in early days of having her I always gave her treats inside her cage. I almost always leave door open to her cage when I'm around so she can go in and out as she pleases (with some exceptions). I also almost never take her out of her cage unless she wants to. I love playing with her but if she seems to be having fun I don't focibly take her out. She comes out on her own or asks to be let out by flapping close to the entrance until I open.
 

EkkieLu

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Hi John...This one's for you! My Sergei is a happy camper. No probs what so ever. Lucy, in the same environment is a major biter! My ekkies have their own bedroom, approx 14x10 with a split 6' cage, live trees, tons of stuff to climb on, and a ton of balls and toys on the floor. I only close their cage doors at night when I shut the blackout drapes and close the bedroom door. That said, they spend most of their days out of the cage roaming around.
Every time I enter the room she attacks my feet. When I sit on the carpet and play with her (rolling a ball etc) she's happy for a minute but then lunges and bites - hard! She draws blood! She'll put her foot up - signal she wants to Hop Up so I put my arm down she climbs up all happy, then takes a chunk out of my arm. I sit on their floor quite often each day singing, teaching them new phrases or just playing. I try to ignore her bites but as soon as there's blood i get up and leave. Plus, she does this same behavior with Sergei! She says "come here" so he walks over to her and she attacks! It's almost as if she lures you in being all nice and sweet. Does she know what she's doing? Is she doing this behavior on purpose? How can I change this? Having to put on snow boots to enter their room is terrible (mainly cuz sometimes I forget). What should I do? I won't give up on her cuz I'd miss her calling Mama every morning! Lol
 

EkkieLu

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Just so you know I'm not exaggerating IMG_20181002_213954.jpg ...
 

JLcribber

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Ekkies are a quite a different species from other parrots. I don't have personal experience with them but from what I do know about their wild nature is that females spend most of their time in a tree hollow being courted, wooed and fed by a number of male suitors None really more special than the others. The female cycle is also a long one and has been known to last up to 9 months (We can make that better or worse the way we handle them). They can be just as nasty as a male cockatoo.

I don't know what it is about feet but lots of species seem to have a fetish about them. I wear boots. :)

The bird room is their claimed territory obviously. You're the intruder. She appears to be quite hormonal. A bird that bites is a hot potato. Handle accordingly.

If you have not read this, please do.

Site Name - Articles - Behavioral - Sex And The Psittacine

 
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