Separate cages - splitting up 3 caiques

[lehighchick]

Question: Can we separate caiques who have been together for 10+ years but are now fighting?

We took in 2 white-bellied caiques (Shenanigans, male + Jinxie, female) from the same clutch when they were babies. Two years later we adopted a consignment caique (Tango, male) and they all got along pretty well. We've had them in the same large cage for about 10 years. We never had issues with mating or bonding to Jinxie. Recently the new male (Tango) has been progressively being more and more aggressive to the other male. We are constantly hearing them fighting and have to break them up. This has been going on for about a year - it started out mild but is now to the point of us needing to separate them. At night they would always sleep on the same perch but now we have to make sure Jinxie is in the middle of the boys or Shenanigans won't sleep there. Because my husband has been the one to break them up (Tango bonded to my hubby), Tango now wants to bite/attack him too. Tango is also plucking out the feathers on his belly.

If we purchase another cage to separate them, will that lead to further bad behavior or self-mutilation from Tango? Do we keep him alone or do we put Jinxie with him? Do we give Jinxie turns in both cages, alternating daily? This is all so heartbreaking to watch and we don't want to re-home him (he's always had a bite first, think later mentality).

[Pajarita]

Welcome to the forum. First of all, it's never a good idea to have three birds. Eventually, there will be problems because one of them will always be 'the third wheel' and, when it comes to breeding, that brings aggression. No two ways about it, I am afraid. Secondly and I am not accusing you of doing this, I am simply giving you pointers, the birds should not be in a cage during the day. Cages are only for sleeping and, in some cases, for eating. This is not only for their physical and mental wellbeing but also because it helps prevent fights because the bird attacked can always fly away, which they cannot do inside a cage. Third, this is not their normal breeding season so something needs to be adjusted (I recommend you re-evaluate their light schedule, diet and ambient temperature). I have caiques myself, black-cap and yellow-thigh white belly and do not have a problem.

My recommendation to you is to tweak your husbandry, put Jinxie with Tango and adopt an adult female for Shenanigans with each pair in their own cage BUT if the birds are free from dawn to dusk as they should be, this can very well be just a temporary thing because if both males have their own mate, there will be no fights.

[Prackentind45]

Sending you all the best and wishing you strength and patience during this difficult time.

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