Cage aggressive, but seems to WANT to be friends?

[MaraJade]

As some may know, I'm getting my breeding business going again after a few years' break. I was in touch with a breeder who I got my quaker parakeet from. I was actually looking for another quaker, but she mentioned she had a five year old creamino female who was returned to her because the owner had to move. She said since she knows me and knows I'm experienced she'd place her with me.

Sassy is BEAUTIFUL. And seems like she really wants to be friends. She comes to the cage bars to "talk" to me and she likes to squeak back and forth with me. However, she's fully flighted and EXTREMELY cage aggressive. She left marks on my breeder friend's arm when she reached in the cage to change the food and water.

I've had the cage door open all day now and Sassy shows no interest in coming out. I don't know how I'm going to get her to do that, let alone clip her wings.

Any advice is welcome. Even if she's "just" going to be paired up to breed, I'd still like her to be friendlier. All my lovies are pets, not just paired up and never held, you know? Thanks in advance!

[michael]

How long have you had her? .. Really, for any new bird, this is expected behavior. Seeing how she's already acting social though, given a few weeks time, I wouldn't be surprised if she begins to warm up a bit. .. Have you tried step ups using a dowel? Any idea what type of relationship she had with her previous owner?

[MaraJade]

I only picked her up yesterday. So this woman originally had her in a clutch that came from her favorite pair of lovebirds. She sold Sassy along with her siblings. the woman who bought Sassy had her the past five years but couldn't keep her anymore. From the looks of the cage, it was well cared for but toys were NEVER changed out and Sassy has gotten VERY used to the way things are in there.

The breeder who she was returned to has had her the past month looking for the right home for her and fortunately chose me. :) So she's only been here a day. But I know of her cage aggression because of the breeder telling me. I have also seen it yesterday when I put fresh food and water in her cage. She gets VERY puffed up and aggressive and goes right for you.

I'm fine with letting her just chill for a couple weeks but would really like to get her wings trimmed. I suppose getting her with a towel would be too traumatic? I've been told that she is very friendly out of her cage. The trick is getting her out. :)

Today I took out one old toy and put in one new one. She seems to be okay with it. But she did try to take a finger off while I was doing it.

so just continue opening her cage and offering her the chance to come out?

[michael]

..... I'm fine with letting her just chill for a couple weeks but would really like to get her wings trimmed. I suppose getting her with a towel would be too traumatic? I've been told that she is very friendly out of her cage. The trick is getting her out. :)

........so just continue opening her cage and offering her the chance to come out?

As far as the wing trim, if the birds very protective/scared, then for both your protection and hers, a towel is recommended. The colour of the towel makes a difference too, so avoid the usual bright red/white/etc. .. Considering her initial behavior, right now may a little bit early to let her out. But really, thats up to you. .. Is the area safe if she doesn't return right away? .. In general, most people will first try to socialize their newbe. Kinda let them settle in a bit, which also gives the bird a chance to get curious. As you probably know already, sharing food/treats (or eating next to their cage), or even just leaving behind the goods, might help loosen things up too.

[MaraJade]

So Sassy isn't making much progress. I'm sort of afraid of her after tonight. Not giving up though.

I got her to come out for a wing trim. She flew at my face, bit my husband HARD, and still bit through the towel after the wing trim when we were putting her back in a cage. I put her in a new cage. She has two of her old toys and three new ones. I'm hoping maybe that will help wth some of the aggression.

She seems really upset, though. If she's only ever going to be in my breeding program and not much of a pet, I can live with that, but it's not ideal. Plus, both my males are SWEETIES. If I put one of them in with her, I might never get him out of the cage again to come play with me and socialize. It worries me that her behavior will rub off.

She refuses to take treats from me. lol. I'm looking for any other suggestions for a really aggressive lovie. :(

[linda040899]

Accept the fact that many lovebird hens are VERY territorial when it comes to their cages and work from there. Cookie, my infamous WF Blue hen was a living doll when I got her out of her cage but when she was in her home, I actually had to use gloves to protect my hands/fingers when I had to service her food/water dishes! Cookie was a handful and the only reason she remained with me for her entire life is because I happened to like her....a lot!

Aggressive hens, in my own experience, can make great parents but you just have to remember that they are going to be fiercely protective of their babies. I've always had to chase them out of their nest boxes and block the entrance hole with cardboard so I could get a good look at the babies. Babies don't necessarily inherit the personalities of their parents but they can.

Since Sassy is brand new to your home, give her a bit of a chance to adjust and feel more comfortable. If she doesn't want to come out of her cage, it's because she doesn't feel quite safe enough yet. Give her time and just interact with her verbally. :)

[MaraJade]

Since Sassy is brand new to your home, give her a bit of a chance to adjust and feel more comfortable. If she doesn't want to come out of her cage, it's because she doesn't feel quite safe enough yet. Give her time and just interact with her verbally. :)

I'm definitely trying to do that. She isn't showing much interest. :) I gave her some fresh fruit today. You'd have thought I was trying to poison her.

Cage aggression doesn't scare me. Finick, my quaker parakeet, will take your hand off in his cage but once he's out it's all cuddles and kisses. What scares me with Sassy is how she went right for my face and neck. I felt bad giving her a wing trim after all that, but I couldn't have her flying all over the place when she comes out of her cage.

Like I said, if she's never friendly I can live with that. But I just feel badly when you have a bird who has no interest in life outside its cage. :(

[light487]

When Lucky is being "aloof" and not interacting with me in his cage, I grab a pillow and lay down next to the cage with my head/face inline with the cage, facing him.. I don't pester him with too much talking but just lay there "with" him.. when he does something different, I praise him gently and then go back to just "being there" with him. More often than not, he is wanting to come out of the cage within 5 to 10 minutes..

Not saying it's going to be that quick.. but just that I think you need to just "be with her" for a time to get used to you being there.