My Birds Hate Each Other. Help me please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Simz · 08-29-2002, 02:15 AM

I have had a female tiel for sometime now and yesterday i bought a male. The problem is they envy each other like crazy and its starting to bug me. wot should i do

**featherjinxer** · 08-29-2002, 02:45 AM

Give them more time! Are you quarentining them? They NEED to be quarentined, just in case the new (or old!) bird is sick, but not yet showing signs. Usually lasts a month to a montha nd a half.
It will also give them a chance to get to chirp to each other, and get curious.
Some birds may just not like each other.
Once you are done quarentining, try playing with them together, give them bothtreats. The birds will need to work out their pecking order- it is you, then usually the old bird, then the new. The old bird will want to assert him domination usually, so it they get into minor 'beak fights' and don't hurt each other, let them. If they become too agressive, seperate them.

Sorry i couldn't help more...

**TaffyWduck** · 08-29-2002, 05:50 AM

I think you probably didn't know that you had to keep the birds separated for 30-40 days. If you already placed them together I don't know if it's too late for it but I would do it anyways and if either of the bird show sign of illness , take them both to the vet since they had contact.

Do you have a cage for each bird? If you do not intend on breeding you should. They still can be placed in the same room next to each other and have "out of the cage" supervised play time together but you'll prevent the arrival of babies. I you want to start breeding, be sure that you have plenty of time to hand feed the baby birds and that you had a vet or a qualified breeder teach you. Also be sure to have a lot of emergency money and read the breeding section of this board.

Your birds may grow to love each other, tollerate each other, or never like each other. It really depends on the birds, but I think the most important thing is that you let them feel that they both have a place in your heart. As Jinxer said, the old bird might feel his "rank" is threatened and the new bird might not want to have the "lower" rank so they might fight a little at first. Be sure not to let them hurt each other (pluck feathers, blood etc.)

Everything should be fine if you give them both love and time to get used to this new situation!

Keep us posted

~ Taffy and her spoiled little Baby

**DebbieT** · 08-29-2002, 12:55 PM

Well, I can really relate to you on this topic. I had my first 'tiel, Boo, for a couple of months before I got my second 'tiel, Annie. After the quarintine period, I introduced them and they hated each other. They would peck at each other, and make grumbling noises at each other.

They were both very attached to me from the very beginning, so if one saw me spend time with the other, then the first one would throw a little "birdie tantrum" or walk right up to the one that I was playing with and nip at her.

It was terrible. But, things have gotten better. Things aren't perfect by any means, but the two get along better and they even share a cage! I catch them sitting together and sharing treats sometimes.

My advice to you is what everyone else has said so far, give them some time, but watch them very carefully. Seperate them immediately if they actually hurt each other! I think that a couple of the beak fights will be inevitable until they figure out which one of them is going to be boss. And I have heard that this could take months for them to figure this out for sure. I would suggest putting two bowls of treats, water, and food in the cage, just in case of one is hogging it and not letting the other have any. Seperate quality times with you might be a good idea, especially if they are jealous over your time and your attention. Plus, if they are sharing a cage, they will be getting a lot of quality 'getting to know each other' time to themselves and probably enjoy the time alone with you. You might want to even leave one 'tiel in one room and take the other in another room. If I have one of my 'tiels out and the other can see us together, she will go crazy. :burn Don't try to get in the middle of their disagreements unless they are harming each other. Let them work it out on their own. You don't want to choose favorites or inadvertantly cause more agression between the two. You CAN reward them if they are getting along.

I hope this helps! Let us know how they progress!

Debbie