Sun conur hates TAG

[Kakariki]

October 2014 I adopted Crayola, 5 years at the time, 6 know. She and my other birds get along fine after a short period of introduction., and still do.

August 14th, 2015, I adopted Skippy, TAG, 5 years old. His integration was going fine as well, however over the last few weeks Crayola has been flying at him aggressively any time he comes out of his cage.

Obviously, this is upsetting for Skippy and me, but I also realize that Crayola is also upset or she would not be doing this. I suspect jealousy? Skippy does not fight back, but flees the situation and having been clipped when I got him and has not yet molted, he is not able to fly proficiently. I would appreciate suggestions as to why Crayola has just now became aggressive toward Skippy. It is sometimes difficult to think of all possibilities when one is in the midst of a problem. Also suggestions on the best ways to handle the situation when it occurs, in hopes to reduce or , preferably, eliminate it.

I am not posting a lot lately so I will also add , because I know it is an important factor, that I do make gloop for them and that is their daytime feed plus extra veg/fruit, and their light schedule is dawn to dusk. ( although Skippy begins chanting his "wanna go to bed now" long before dark)

[Kakariki]

I should also include the fact that so far I have started alternating their times out of the cage. I would like to be able to have them both remain with the ''open door policy' .

[Wolf]

Well, I would say that first of all if Crayola is bonded with you then she is probably resentful of the time you spend with Skippy and she knows that Skippy can't fly and is at a disadvantage because of this. Conures are also more aggressive than Greys, who most of the time would prefer to avoid a fight and tend to ignore birds that they don't like.
Kookooloo, CAG, and Kiki, Senegal, are not friends and are both bonded with me. Kookooloo will fight to keep other birds off of me when she is on me so that seems to deter Kiki from doing an aerial assault on he and Kookooloo is fully flighted as well. I also try very hard to make sure that Kiki gets plenty of time out of her cage and on me so that she doesn't feel that she is getting ignored. If they are both out and on me I don't allow either one of them to threaten or attack the other. Sometimes the only answer is to alternate their times out so as to avoid conflict. Sometimes there is no one easy way through this type of situation, but the less they can fight the less they will over time and they will eventually accept each other in the same room in most cases but I think that Skippy being fully flighted would help a lot.
I can't really say that I have any other answers to this issue and can only relate what things that I do and the main thing is that I protect whoever is being threatened with attack and do not allow fighting.

[Pajarita]

I think nobody has a definite answer to this kind of problem, Wolf. I agree with what you said though - in my personal experience, the only thing that really works is to prevent fights until, eventually and hopefully, they get used to each other and stop the attacks. Mind you, this is not a sure thing! It works with some birds but it doesn't work with others. It seems to be working -after a fashion- with Zoey Senegal and Isis Redbelly but it's not likely to happen if the birds are both deeply bonded to you and have no companions of their own (that's why I always try to have two of each -the Senegal is now living with a male Senegal and I am looking for a male redbelly). Parrots are mainly monogamous so, when they bond, they bond deeply and they stay bonded and don't want anybody or anybirdy to come between them and the object of their affection. Sunnies are not easy birds in that they tend to be quite aggressive in their jealousy... I have a young, male jenday (jendays and sunnies are VERY similar) whose companion (they never had sex so they were not mate-bonded), a handicapped quaker, was put into rescue because the idiot bird was completely fearless and would try to take on the larger birds even though she really could not easily get away from them - as a result of this, I had to keep her caged when I wasn't in the birdroom and that was not acceptable to me. Now, he has nominated himself Sophie CAG's BFF and has been going after BabyBoyd Jardine which, although not bonded to the CAG or anything, liked to hang out with her (thankfully, BabyBoyd is pretty smart and after ending up hiding in a corner of the birdroom a couple fo days, decided to hang out with Pookey TAG on another platform). Nando Jenday also doesn't like any other bird on me and would often fly at them while they are on my shoulder -but only when they are smaller, his size or slightly bigger so he doesn't fool around with the toos (did I mention they are very smart? ).

I am afraid that the only solution (if it's a solution at all and only time will tell) it's for you to alternate their out-of-cage as well as their one-on-one times.

[Kakariki]

Thanks, I thought as much but still had to ask.

Not sure if any of the following will shed any more light one way or another but..
Crayola and Jasper have slept snuggled together since she came. They also spend time through the day grooming each other but have not 'mated' physically, not for the lack of Jasper trying . Other than that, yes she has been pretty much a Velcro bird.

It is not just that Skippy cannot be near me when she is out, She does not even want him to come out of his cage. If he does she will do her flying attack. The only time she leaves him alone now is when he is in his cage even if the door is open, she wont go in there, I guess she understands, at least, that that is HIS territory, but she considers everything else hers, floor, playstands (even though she does not even use them) so...

If they are both out and on me I don't allow either one of them to threaten or attack the other

.

I would not allow it either, but what to do when it is attempted? Is a 'time out' appropriate? or what steps do you take that does not allow it in the first place?

[Kakariki]

GOOD GRIEF !

Crayola was in the largest cage along with Jasper for company, and Skippy was on my shoulder sharing our lunches (Crayola has breakfast with me and Skippy gets lunch now) when all of a sudden we were both bombed by Crayola !

Jasper is an escape artist. I have had to secure all sliding doors and spring-hinge doors as he has figured out how to operate them. Now he has figured out the latch !

I guess I have 'spoiled' my birds with out of cage time. I have never had to lock anyone in through the day before.

[Kakariki]

I sure hope Skippy molts soon. I like birds to be flighted. I would hate to do it, but what do you think about the idea of a LIGHT clipping to Crayola for now?

[Wolf]

I tell them no, no fight and put one down on each side of me. They usually climb right back onto me but they have been distracted from each other for a few minute. It took time but most of the time I can have Kiki and Kookooloo both on me for up to an hour or so without any problem although I may have to remind them no fighting.
I don't think that a light clip would work and a clip that would work would rob Crayola of flight, so I don't think much of it. Do you have another room that you could use for the grey? They often prefer a quieter environment and he may not mind given that Crayola is attacking him. Another possibility would be to divide the room for now.

[Kakariki]

My downstairs is pretty open, but I do take Skippy upstairs to my sewing room for a while through the day now. He does not seem as happy there, perhaps because he is not yet used to it , but he has been up there at least 10 times now, just him and I. I also have food water and toys in there now. today It was not even 4 oclock when he began his ''wanna go to bed now' which I assume meant wanted back in his cage...

Skippy is a doll. It is funny, from where I got him he was an 'only bird' except for a short time that they had an IRN. The previous owners said they did not have anything to do with one another. (yes, the poor IRN was then rehomed as he was not sufficient company for Skipppy when the owner couple became busier...hence they rehomed Skippy as well, hoping and questioning for a place he would get more attention....) so anyway, at first Skippy seemed a bit overwhelmed, but it seemed in a good way, lol.. when he saw all the birds flying around, interacting and squacking, He was in his cage watching closely during the more active times of day and would exclaim "WHOA" as the kak's would whiz by his cage (they ARE FAST !) And when one of the other birds would land on his cage to take a peek at him he would talk to them, actually looking at them and talking...at first in a low gruff voice "what d'ya want' 'go away' then soon after in a high pleasant voice 'you want a cookie?' cookie cookie cookie cookie coookie'
now he says 'you O.K.? you O.K.? in the sweetest caring voice and then climbs the bars towards them and says 'tickletickletickletickletickle'. he does so many fabulously amazing things. He and Jasper have had ''laughing contests'' a few times lately. I love all my birds. I want Skippy to be able to feel as at home as the others do.

[Kakariki]

[quote="Wolf"]I tell them no, no fight and put one down on each side of me. They usually climb right back onto me but they have been distracted from each other for a few minute. It took time but most of the time I can have Kiki and Kookooloo both on me for up to an hour or so without any problem although I may have to remind them no fighting.

Yes, I suppose time, and in my case an initial plan to approach it on purpose, I mean knowing it will happen and setting things up before hand and being ready in advance, with a plan,,,, sighhh, lol, like (the legal term) entrapment in a way. because right now, at this moment, it is just out of hand and any efforts I have made ''after the fact'' do not matter.

I remember when Jasper was a clingy young thing ( I LOVED IT !!!!) when I would have to go to work it was hard to get him off my shoulder. At the time I had only 3 birds who all got on well so I left them out. I only work for a few hours a few times a week and all was fine. but to get Jasper to stop flying at me I would hold him on my finger and explain, as I would to a child, 'I have to go to work now. You stay here. I'll see you later' give him a kiss and put him down. He got it by the third day ! Such a smart little whip he is !

I also remember after I got Crayola and her and Jasper would both be on me, If I had something yummy like lemonade for example they would initially squawk at each other over who was going to share with me and I taught them the word 'SHARE' repetition and putting the glass back and forth, saying gotta share, Jaspers turn, crayolas turn, GOOD SHARING, GOOOD BIRDIES!' JASPERS TURN, CRAYOLAS TURN, and over and over and now it is not a problem. They know they will both get some. however they already liked each other then. With Crayola and Skippy I need a deeper thought out approach.