Female cockatiels are fighting, help!

[Birdilove]

I had my oldest karly since she was 4 months old, she’s now 1 and a half. I didn’t know birds could get over bonded with humans so I did everything with her. I was with her everyday most of the day and she loved it. I decided to get another cockatiel so she would be less bonded, the new cockatiel is around a 6 month younger. I didn’t put them in the same cage at first, after a week they seems to really like each other and they would play so well together, so we decided to put them together it’s been 4 months and they were doing ok together. They would fight sometimes But nothing big. Recently my oldest karly has been wanting to mate with my husband and I and it has been so frustrating getting her to stop. She doesn’t want anything to with the other cockatiel she just want us. She has started being mean to the other cockatiel, they don’t fight all the time but she does attack the other cockatiel now, and I think it’s because of her hormones. She used to be so friendly. I’m getting so angry at her. I don’t know what to do. I’m thinking of keeping them in separate cages but if one of them is not in the cage the other one will scream for hours. Either that or I’m thinking about not letting them out of the cage for as long as I used to so she wouldn’t be able to find herself nests between the pillows on my couch. What should I do?? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Cynthia & Percy]

Separate them immediately let them have given out times so that they don’t scream put their cages next to each other so they are close but can’t fight

 

[Birdilove]

Separate them immediately let them have given out times so that they don’t scream put their cages next to each other so they are close but can’t fight

They used to be so good together, they still are sometimes, they eat together, and play together sometimes. Uhhh I hate this.

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

You don't have to separate them to different cages unless they are physically pulling out feather and making wounds on one another. In reality, they are actually being regular and happy cockatiel hens. In my humble opinion, of course! My hens often fight one another very often. They also fight with the cocks. They fight with me when I keep them from doing what they want, as well. This is being a flock bonded bird and what flock birds do.

Your older hen is just expressing her hormonal needs with you and your husband. Over bonded? I bet if you put a cock bird around her, she would ignore both you and your husband and try out her hormones normally. Since there are no males, you just need to lure her into trying to mate with a surrogate stuffed toy or whatever you pick to place between her cloaca and what ever part of you she is trying to masturbate onto. The purpose of a female bird is to mate and produce young to perpetuate the species. She is just trying to fulfill her purpose.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

How big is their cage? If it’s too small they will quarrel more. If my cockatiels try to mate with me I just put them down somewhere else for a bit or distract them with something. Maybe move the pillows when you let your birds out, take away any perceived nests, and supervise them more when they are out together. I wouldn’t let them out less, and I would think that they argue more while in their cage together than when they are out together. Hopefully in a few weeks your little bird will be less hormonal. Have you looked into things like limiting daylight, rearranging the cage, petting only her head, etc?

 

[Hawk12237]

Who's winning?? Just kidding. I would separate them for a bit, not permanently, because they could go right back at it once out. A settle down period really, but close by so they can observe one another.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

I guess I didn’t mention it above, but I think that many birds are happiest when they have their own cage, so separate cages might be a good idea. My tiel Sunset is like that. She likes having her own space, in and outside of her cage. If the are caged together, a big cage is a must.

 

[Lady Jane]

Good advice from members. Karly is now mature and has hormones surging and the younger bird is in her way. At least that may be how she is thinking.

 

[Birdilove]

Thank you so much for the help, I will keep a closer eye on both of them and separate them if needed. Their cage isn’t too big but they both are able to have their own space.

 

[Monica]

Casey, my 18 1/2 year old female cockatiel, generally gets along great with other birds as long as they leave her be. She's been hormonal and uses perches and dishes to pleasure herself. Thankfully hasn't tried mating with a human! She's been around male cockatiels as well, including one that *was* interested in her! Was a sad site to see when she's be busy doing her own thing, then the male was all excited and would saunter on over with his best heart wings and singing his heart out! Casey would just stop and walk or fly off! Yeah... she never understood the "birds and the bees"! That's okay though! I don't need "little Casey's" anyway!

Just wanted to say this as getting a male is no guarantee that she would prefer mating with her own species over her preferred *current* method.

Separate cages next to each other may help and it wouldn't hurt to discourage the behavior by not allowing her into any place she may view as a nest.

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

Eliminating areas where she pleasures herself or tries to set up a nest is somewhat cruel in my opinion. She is trying to deal with her hormones the best she can; let her do what she wants to satisfy her urges. As I said, if she is masturbating on you, you can change her focus by substituting something soft between you and her bottom. Eventually my Meyers parrot would only masturbate on his little teddy bear and left my hands alone. It can be managed.

Most cockatiels are stoutly flock birds. Mine live in a free flight birdroom and actually have set up two mini-flocks of seven birds in one and six in the other. They also have their own separate flock cage as well and cuddle into those cages when they wish to feel safer. If your hens are still fighting inside the cage, make sure there are two food and water sources as far apart as you can place them to make sure the older hen doesn't try to manipulate the younger by refusing to allow her food and water.

A cockatiel was the third type of bird I was introduced to back in the early eighties when I was still terrified by parrots. (long story) 'Tiels were the birds with whom I first fell in love. My first heartbird was Gracie, a completely white cockatiel. She was seventeen when she died. She learned to love and have babies with a cock bird I named Chip and they produced absolutely beautiful babies; I kept all but three of their 14 babies. Gracie was able to switch from being a normal flocking cockatiel to being my lovely heartbird and a moment's happening. This is why I say cockatiels can not be overbonded!

 

[Birdilove]

E

Eliminating areas where she pleasures herself or tries to set up a nest is somewhat cruel in my opinion. She is trying to deal with her hormones the best she can; let her do what she wants to satisfy her urges. As I said, if she is masturbating on you, you can change her focus by substituting something soft between you and her bottom. Eventually my Meyers parrot would only masturbate on his little teddy bear and left my hands alone. It can be managed.

Most cockatiels are stoutly flock birds. Mine live in a free flight birdroom and actually have set up two mini-flocks of seven birds in one and six in the other. They also have their own separate flock cage as well and cuddle into those cages when they wish to feel safer. If your hens are still fighting inside the cage, make sure there are two food and water sources as far apart as you can place them to make sure the older hen doesn't try to manipulate the younger by refusing to allow her food and water.

A cockatiel was the third type of bird I was introduced to back in the early eighties when I was still terrified by parrots. (long story) 'Tiels were the birds with whom I first fell in love. My first heartbird was Gracie, a completely white cockatiel. She was seventeen when she died. She learned to love and have babies with a cock bird I named Chip and they produced absolutely beautiful babies; I kept all but three of their 14 babies. Gracie was able to switch from being a normal flocking cockatiel to being my lovely heartbird and a moment's happening. This is why I say cockatiels can not be overbonded!

I would let her build her nest but everytime she does she seems to get worse and attack my other female. I try to not let her and it seems to help her not raise her tail. She doesn’t really masterbate, I would let her do it if she was doing it.She just raises her tail and wants me to do the rest, I want her to be happy and so should I do something? Get her a male, or get her a toy or something idk.

 

[sunnysmom]

I wouldn't do anything to encourage her to masterbate. And getting a male I don't think is the answer either. How many hours of sleep/darkness does she get? It's important for tiels to have 10-12 hours. That can help with hormones.

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

The only "help" with hormones most bird owners and bird behaviorists recommend is to manage the bird's environment to keep hormones lower and eliminate behaviors linked to their breeding times that annoy or embarrass humans! What about the needs and feelings the birds have? Allowing normal nesting and breeding behavior can be managed without aggression and have continued interaction with the birds having the hormone surges IF we allow the urges to be felt, behaviors done and birds managed without elimination of their hormone levels. Do we only have birds because they are beautiful? Are the birds not only lovely when they exhibit their natural behaviors as they are when they are doing only what we want them to do? We "eliminate" breeding behavior in our dogs and cats by removing their reproductive organs. But the truth is we still have breeding behavior; when your dog takes a walk by himself he is doing the hunt for females; when dogs rub the base of their tails against objects like the coffee table, they are masturbating. When a female dog wants her belly rubbed she wants her nipples stimulated like puppies would do when she feeds them. All these things are pleasurable things dogs do related to their blunted hormones that feel good.

"All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small"... are trying to fulfill their Goddess given purpose: and that is to reproduce themselves and fill the Earth with life. In my opinion, allowing my parrots to follow their hormonal behaviors is a beautiful thing. Yes, they still like me and include me in their flock, yet they are still birds being as natural as they can when they are actually captive birds and being managed by humans for our selfish wants.