Bratty Bird: How to cope with sibbling rivarly?

[ecodweeb]

As unfortunate as this may sound, we've resorted to calling our 17-year old male the Bratty Bird.

 

He was OK with the new adoptee until recently. It will be two months in the house Oct 8, and while I realize this is still in the "new phase" a lot of change occurred:

 

- Talula was moved from upstairs to downstairs

- Talula was given a new cage with a playtop

- Talula is given daily baths

 

We've tried hard not to 'ignore' Phoenix, infact my interaction times have increased with him a lot. The problem occurs if I even think about having them both out at the same time.

 

If I have Talula on a perch near the TV and get phoenix from his cage (same room) and move to the sofa (4.5ft from Talula) and put him down on the back, he was sit there and state at Talula and make an angry chirp.

 

He will then put his head down if I ask him to step up and is generally acting like a defiant 17-year old child would.

 

Please someone tell me this will pass in a few months! The one time the two of them were accidentally left on the same bit of furniture, he climed up to talula and tried to spar with her! Being a good little girl she backed down and ran away (later nipping at his tail when she got the chance). I'm actually paranoid to hold them at the same time, if he gets within striking range he will try.

 

I realize this is full blown jealously, but he's not fully revolted against me: I can flip him on his back, give kisses and play with his feet.

 

He has become more social/loving/accepting of his actual owner (my partner, whom he basically abandoned when he met me) and to my neighbor and our roommate, which to me is a positive change. But I also see it as being the attention whore: he just wants to steal time away from Talula.

 

Now Talula seems to be indifferent. She does not care about Phoenix that much, she hardly seems to notice him. She does mimic him, she's the talker of the two.

 

I'd love to hear you stories about late adoptions. Phoenix has been an only bird for his whole life, Talula has lived with at least a Cockatoo in her past. She is used to the whole multibird home concept.

 

My worst fear is this behavior will worsen and he will start to strike at humans. He did try to bite me the other day when I asked him to step up from his swing, but then he quickly recanted that action with a sunken head and an offered foot.

[danmcq]

You can not change the dynamics that must and will take place of how your flock is going to interact. They are both trying to establish a relationship at some level. It will work out to whatever it is going to be eventually and then you will know how it will remain.

 

That point has not yet been achieved.

 

One thing I will say and know, is that if you try to control it completely, rather than just intervene if you see it is going to become dangerous, you will delay the process.

 

I hope all goes well in this. :-)

[Luvparrots]

I acquired my year old grey when she was four months old in November 2008. In April, 2009, I re-homed a 10 year old Eclectus. My grey is easy going and would go up to the ekkie. He is not so loving and I have to keep a close eye on them. I am still working on Sully, the ekkie, tolerating my sweet grey.

[ecodweeb]

So then it's actually OK to try and let them sit on the same bit of furniture? I've tried to limited that, keeping one on an adjacent chair that the other can't get to.

 

I suppose it's normal for Phoenix to feel "betrayed" since the new comer needs a lot of attention (she is doing so well).

 

Thanks for the insights

[danmcq]

Yes, as long as the "furniture isn't just 12" wide. :-)

 

I decided long ago NOT to get another Grey. It was because I know mine and he wants all our attention, when not preening or playing by himself.

 

I figured I had a 50/50 chance of getting another Grey that would also want the attention.

 

I guess it's just my preference to be available for Dayo.

[ecodweeb]

It's an IKEA something or another. It can seat three people, so it's not like a tiny chair

 

I understand what you mean. I think Phoenix will come around eventually, on the bright side he's re-bonding with his real dad ... which is good, he sort of gave up on him after he started attaching to me.

 

Still, only I can harness/unharness him without having blood drawn.

[Luvparrots]

I don't let my fids sit too close together. As I said Ana Grey (1) wants to touch Sully (10) with her beak and Sully tries to bite her. He is much bigger and older than her. I watch them constantly when they are out together. I never leave them alone outside of their cages. I never let Ana Grey walk on Sully's cage as he would nip her toes if he got the chance. I understand that you should feed and acknowledge Phoenix first because he was there first (hierarchy) so he won't be jealous. With Ana Grey and Sully I don't do that as Ana Grey doesn't care and Sully is so much older he usually comes first.<br><br>Post edited by: luvparrots, at: 2009/09/26 02:38

[ecodweeb]

I always uncover and get Phoenix's dishes first, but since I've been feeding him tufu (soy bean curd, organic, no fungus) sauteed in red palm, his breakfast takes longer. I tend to start warming his tofu in the microwave and then uncover and tend to Talula, by the time I am done the tofu has cooled off and is ready to eat, I plop the cube into the dish, add pellets, and serve.

 

He seems not to mind this so much.