Introduced a female friend, now he hates me.

Ben · Snr Member Joined: Jul 28, 2008 Posts: 41

Hi all,

About 6 weeks ago I purchased a hand reared pied Red Front cock (Ricky) and he has been great. With the exception of attacking and biting me when I carry out food/water changes on his cage I have no complaints and love him to bits. He is approximately 4 months old and has been kept in the house with me since I purchased him.

I decided to build him an aviary/flight as some days having him out is a pain and I hate locking him up. He lets me know he has had enough time in his cage by pulling the paper that lines the bottom of his cage through the mesh and tearing it to bits. I try to keep him out as much as possible but between work etc it just isn't always practical.

With the construction of his aviary/flight (half oval shaped - 5m long by 3.4m wide and 2m high) I thought I would get him a female friend. I was given the name of someone to try and visited them today and purchased a pied Red Front (hen) approx 10months old. The local breeder told me to bring my current Kakariki up for them to view to ensure I had a cock etc which I did. I spent a few hours with them talking shop (as you do) and said I would take the hen they had offered me. Against my better judgment they put the bird I had just purchased in the cage with Ricky. Well surprisingly there were no issues at all and while we stood their watching just to ensure they were going to be ok, after about 2min Ricky started feeding the hen.

With the current bad weather we are having and seeing as they where getting on well together I have kept them in the cage for tonight as Ricky hasn't been introduced to his new aviary yet so I thought I would introduce them at the same time fresh in the morning. They spent the day without a problem and Ricky has been feeding his new friend all day. I think it must have been love at first sight.

BUT, now he hates me Crying or Very sad

He wants nothing to do with me. He attacks me through the mesh if I go close to the cage. If I try and let him out he fly's onto my shoulder and attacks my face. Obviously I put him and her back in the cage and have let them be. I have just covered them up for the night (Ricky still feeding her) and he attacked me again through he bars.

Is this normal?

He is being extremely aggressive towards me (never has been before and is more so than when I change his food or water). His pupils shrink, he flaps his wings and squawks and bits. If I let him out and go near the cage (containing the hen) he flies and attacks. If they are both out and in another room and I go near him or her he does the same.

Will he get over this? Have you seen this before?

Cheers
Ben

Steptoe · Site Admin Joined: Oct 06, 2004 Posts: 4550

Every kakariki has its own personality....
he is sick...love sick, fallen head over heels, has a mate and wants to setup home and have a family...
And look at it this way..he is extemely serious about protecting his terrority and family
So just carry on, u do your thing, they do theirs, and all of u will get an understanding that neather is a threat to the other...
This will settle down more so once she goes to nest, and he realises that u are the source of food.
Dont feed enough for the whole day...in the morning no food (veggies left) give them a handful...and in the evening no food left, another handfull
Before giving them the handful, offer a sweet corn kernel or a pea...let him come to u...wait 3 or 4 minutes, if he hasnt come, supply the handful
Eventually he gets impatent...thinks "stuff this waiting, Im going to grab that one for now"

Read this...
http://www.kakariki.net/ftopict-209.html
none of these birds are tamed....All the pics in our album holding and stuff we have not intentionally tamed...it just happens....their choice.

Dont be disapointed...the great part about having parrots is the abilty to interact with them in their normal life...and building that relationship...sort of like an uncle.

If they bite growl in a deep voice..failing that a push or tap...thats what they do to each other in a flock.

Ben · Snr Member Joined: Jul 28, 2008 Posts: 41

Thankyou for the advise Steptoe.

Unfortunately the weather is really bad here at the moment and I can't get into their aviary to finish the final touches so they may have to wait another day before being introduced to their new home.

With their behavior I think I better get my act together and supply a nesting box ASAP as it looks like they are going to make use of it sooner rather than later.

Wiccawolf · Foundation Member Joined: Apr 24, 2005 Posts: 45

hi Ben
I have had similar experience with my Lutino cock Ricky. ( My Avitar photo is of a very young Ricky )
I hand raised Ricky and he was a very good juvenile. Outside of the occasion nip of displeasure at being held against his will he did not bite and he enjoyed frequent interaction with me. When he was about 9 months old he fell and hit his head on the cage on the way down, and it gave him a severe concussion. For 4 days he was almost comatose, and could not stand, perch or feed himself. I ended up having to hand feed him again to keep him alive. He thankfully fully recovered and seemed to become even closer to me. Then came my beloved Lucy ( who just recently left me for the Rainbow Bridge... due to egg binding. ) That changed everything. Ricky was very much like your male.... totally in Love and dedicated to her. He started biting me hard and regularly drew blood. Lucy was another hand raised and had bonded with me, and her attitudes and reactions to me did not change. She still took delight in interaction with me and would regularly play on my shoulders or my knee. Ricky would watch intently when this happened, and you could see the little green bug in his eyes. One day he was perched on my knee watching Lucy play with my ear when I noticed "the look" and, as is my custom, I asked hin what his problem was :?:

( not that he would actually understand ). His response was immediate. He lunged at me and gave me two very quick and very hard bites to the lip causing two gushers. Then the brave little soul ran away. Things got worse after Lucy laid her first egg. I could not go near the cage, nor could the other birds in the house, without being attacked. I had to wear gloves when working inside the cage, otherwise I would need weekly transfusions. It was very frustrating wall

especially since Lucy still wanted to play with me.
Well we managed, and three years later Ricky and I are friends again, although he still bites occasionally when he does not appreciate being held. It has been some time since he has drawn blood however. His new mate Kaka does not seem to be having the same reaction as Lucy got, so he has not become overly aggressive yet.
I have noticed almost all my males ( in all species ) react in a similar manner, but to various degrees. They are protecting their family, so how can you be mad at them. As Steptoe suggests, enjoy what interaction you can with them, and realize for the most part, time will temper him. Just don't give up. I didn't give up on my Parrotlet hen Kiwi, and now she allows me to pick her up off her eggs or young without biting me. It only took 4 years...... <v>

Good Luck with him
Wolf Laughing

Ben · Snr Member Joined: Jul 28, 2008 Posts: 41

Hi Wolf,

Thankyou for the words of encouragement. Its funny that you called you male Ricky and your female Kaka as that is the name of my birds. Maybe its got something to do with the name Laughing

It was sad to hear od Ricky's accident but great news he made a full recovery.

My Ricky hasn't calmed down much at all in the last week. He still tries to attack me if I go close but will on occasion hop on my arm and climb to my shoulder for a little while. Once or twice he has just been sitting there (on my shoulder) and then decided to bit me for no reason (he draws blood too). I was just standing there not approaching his hen or anything so not sure what his problem was but as you and Steptoe have said give him some time and he he will learn I am not there to hurt them.

My Ricky got me on the lip the other day. I had had a fat lip for four days, little bugger.

I have a nesting box which I will introduce to their flight today and after reading a lot of older posts will get another asap and install that too.

Thankyou for taking time to read and reply to me I appreciate your input and support.

Cheers
Ben

Steptoe · Site Admin Joined: Oct 06, 2004 Posts: 4550

Ben · Snr Member Joined: Jul 28, 2008 Posts: 41

Will line my pockets and see how he goes over the next few weeks. I have just added a nesting box (another on order) so I hope he doesn't get worst. d'oh!