Sun conure attacking U2 (cage issue)

[Muna]

Hi everyone

I’ve been noticing my 2 year old s.conure attacking my U2 for the past 2 weeks. This started ever since I successfully got him to eat his chop (freeze-dried chop mix). He sleeps for 12hr.


I know that he’s angry & so upset about his old cage being used for the U2 sleeping cage. I upgraded him to a bigger cage. He’s not happy about it at all. I bought him 2 cages one is a flighted & a regular cage.


He’s very possessive of the old cage. He would rush and fly toward her just to bump into her. He cannot stand her he got this grudge & randomly attacks her.


I never imagined him being so obsessed & possessive to an extreme level. I’m really upset with his jealousy & so lost. What I’m doing wrong here?

 

[expressmailtome]

You are not technically doing anything wrong other than allowing them to be able to get near each other at this point. Being cage possessive is very common with parrots, and while you can not stop it, you do have to take precautions to protect your birds. I say "birds" plural because your umbrella cockatoo will only take this behavior for so long before she strikes back, which could, and in all likelihood would, cause serious injury or even death to your sun conure.

 

[Muna]

umbrella cockatoo will only take this behavior for so long before she strikes back

That is what scares me the most. My U2 She’s super chill & tolerant but after the last attack. I don’t want her behavior to change as well.

So I had to step in & separate them. Seeing my conure not backing down and continuing with his attacks. I asked my family member to feed my conure for a month.

Seeing him so possessive of the cage & myself. I know things will get out of hand if I ignored those signs.

 

[Mizzely]

Is it possible to get rid of the cage and get a different one for your U2? Or swap things around so your conure can have that cage back?

 

[Icey]

I just wanted to add that my U2 is the sweetest little bird until something sets her off. When they are in attack mode, even my macaw isn't safe being in the same room as her. I can only imagine the horror if your U2 got near your conure.

 

[Muna]

Is it possible to get rid of the cage and get a different one for your U2? Or swap things around so your conure can have that cage back?

She does have her own larger cage. The only reason I’m using my conure old cage. It’s safely secure she cannot escape. The new cage she was able to escape opening it with ease.


My conure already has a larger flight cage yet he has shown no interest at all. Ordered for him internationally … we don’t have much options with cages here.

He prefers his small cage which has no room to move around or toys. He’s so hard-headed…

I’m so getting rid of this cage.

I just wanted to add that my U2 is the sweetest little bird until something sets her off. When they are in attack mode, even my macaw isn't safe being in the same room as her. I can only imagine the horror if your U2 got near your conure.

Yes! One chomp and it's game over …
After seeing her reaction to the last attack, made me decide to move her sleeping cage to a different room. That old rotten cage I’m going to get rid of it. I never imagined all this drama over an old cage.

 

[Xoetix]

I've heard/read about things like this! From what I gather, birds are very much creatures of habit - They like routines and things staying stable, and any change is a cause for rioting.

I would say getting rid of the old cage completely might be the best solution, just taking it out of the equation entirely. I'm sorry you're dealing with this!

 

[Tyrion]

So sorry your having to deal with this ..I would get rid of the old cage and hopefully things will change

 

[sunnysmom]

Have you thought about letting your conure having his old cage back as a sleep cage and getting a different one for your U2? Reading this actually gave me chills. Not to overly alarm you but the rescue that I help with recently had a conure relinquished whose entire foot is missing because he was walking on a grey's cage. No matter how nice your U2 is, if she's startled or gets scared, a bite is possible. I use a sleep cage for my cockatiel Scooter. It's his original cage he came in when I adopted him. It's way too small but as a compromise with him, I let him sleep in it and then he's in a bigger cage during the day.

 

[Dartman]

Nerd bird live happily in the tiny 19x19 cage we got him and his brother for 31 years. He didn't allow anyone but me to reach inside and he was free ranging as soon as someone was home seeing how he didn't fly well at all. He also had a play stand he immediately loved when we brought it home for him and he normally took months to accept new things. When he left us we got Lurch, another Mai Pionus like Nerd, and he happily took over Nerds old cage and was extremely possessive of it. Finally got him a nice new bigger cage and he really liked it and was very less possessive of it so I could reach in and things without getting attacked. I left the old cage in the corner of the room and he'd go over and just sit on it and snooze like he was visiting a old friend. Probably if I had another bird living in it he would have been the same way.
I have Dobby and Pippen now and a couple of foster birds. Pippen is a yellow sided Green Cheek Conure and Dobby is another Maxi. One day we heard Dobby screaming and he bolted out of the dining room where Pippens cage is. He kept landing on here big cage and she'd watch him and occasionally scamper up to get him but she never caught him and mostly ignored him. We kept telling him she's going to bite your feet and shooing him away but he likes all the birds and wants to see them.
Poor boy was looking at his toe and licking it like she'd tore out a chunk but luckily she just pinched it good and his feelings, and toe, were hurt a little. I have put a clear plexiglass sheet over the top now so she can't bite his feet and he can't bite her back, if he did it would be really ugly as he has a much bigger beak and is very strong.

 

[Muna]

Have you thought about letting your conure having his old cage back as a sleep cage and getting a different one for your U2? Reading this actually gave me chills. Not to overly alarm you but the rescue that I help with recently had a conure relinquished whose entire foot is missing because he was walking on a grey's cage. No matter how nice your U2 is, if she's startled or gets scared, a bite is possible.

OMG that’s terrible for the little one. I agree with you anything is possible with these small parrots triggering the larger parrot's temper.



Once I got rid of the old cage his behavior changed back to normal. Been taking him outside with me literally everywhere I go even to family gatherings, shopping & park. I’m rewarding both of my U2 & conure when they are calm & showing me zero aggressive behavior towards each other. I’ll be working on both of them for a very long time.

I left the old cage in the corner of the room and he'd go over and just sit on it and snooze like he was visiting a old friend. Probably if I had another bird living in it he would have been the same way.

I have put a clear plexiglass sheet over the top now so she can't bite his feet and he can't bite her back, if he did it would be really ugly as he has a much bigger beak and is very strong.

They do have their own personality & preference. I kinda let them control me for couple of years now.
Definitely worth to invest on cage proofing with the sheets.

 

[Icey]

OMG that’s terrible for the little one. I agree with you anything is possible with these small parrots triggering the larger parrot's temper.



Once I got rid of the old cage his behavior changed back to normal. Been taking him outside with me literally everywhere I go even to family gatherings, shopping & park. I’m rewarding both of my U2 & conure when they are calm & showing me zero aggressive behavior towards each other. I’ll be working on both of them for a very long time.



They do have their own personality & preference. I kinda let them control me for couple of years now.
Definitely worth to invest on cage proofing with the sheets.

Yes, don't leave anything to chance.
My U2 can go from angel to demon instantly if she sees my macaw. Funnily, my macaw is scared when she shrieks. Mind you my macaw could easily leave her in a mess if it came down to it.
They never get the opportunity to find out.