Sunny is constantly attacking Mango! What should I do?

[jacinta]

Lately Sunny has been very territorial of everything. Mango can't even perch on me if Sunny is sitting on me first. Sunny will bite or attack if Mango even goes near her. It is getting to the point where I am worried for the safety of Mango when I'm out. They have always fought with one another, ever since I bought them home to live with me, but it has never been this bad. I have witnessed Sunny wrapping a foot around Mango's tail and dragging him (her?) along. Mango refuses to go back into the cage that they share, squeaking and trying to escape as I pull my hand out. I'm afraid that Sunny will kill or even seriously injure Mango.

They are both around the same age, Mango was born on the last day of February this year and Sunny on the third of March this year. Please help me, I'm not sure what to do! :(

[linda040899]

Time for separate cages! Sunny is perfectly capable of killing Mango and will do so if you keep them together. You most likely have 2 hens so this is not unusual. I would get that second cage ASAP. If Mango doesn't want to go back into the cage, she's telling you there's a major problem!

[jacinta]

Oh wow, I am definitely going to buy a second cage while I am out tomorrow. I don't want Sunny to kill Mango! :( Thanks for the reply Linda, I was starting to wonder if they were both hens!

[linda040899]

The sooner you get that second cage, the better. When one lovebird kills another, the scene you find afterwards is not something you will forget anytime soon. The victim is usually attacked from behind and the back of the skull is split open. Soon, very, very soon, please.

[jacinta]

That is very scary to read. I am going to buy Mango a new cage as soon as the shop opens tomorrow. I would never forgive myself if Sunny killed Mango. I honestly didn't think that it was getting this bad but Sunny is just so dominant now, poor Mango is afraid all the time. :(

[apaulick]

I had to split some of my lovies apart shortly after we got them. the previous owners said they had all 6 shared the same cage, but after we got them 2 of the hens started attacking the 3rd hen. I had to put the hen that was being picked on in a cage with her mate and the other 4 still share a cage with no problems. hopefully the separate cages work for yours too.

[linda040899]

How do they get along when they are outside of their cage? Sometimes it's just the close quarters that causes the problem. It doesn't change the solution but many birds will get along in neutral territory such as a play gym, while in familiar territory, one becomes dominant and that's all she wrote!

[JohnUK]

jacinta: Try putting them both in the new cage but monitor them closely and seperate if the agression continues?

[jacinta]

Hello everyone, thank you for your replies! I have been busy moving house and such so I haven't had internet connection for a few days. I bought Mango a new cage and separated them but they hated being apart so they are now back together and since being separated for a few days Sunny has calmed down a lot and isn't attacking Mango at the moment. I do however have a very watchful eye around Sunny just in case she decides to attack Mango again. Sometimes I think Sunny needs a break from Mango, out of the both of them Mango is by far the more immature bird and she just annoys Sunny from time to time.

I do not trust that Sunny won't attack or kill Mango when I am not around so they will be in separate cages when I'm out of the house for long periods of time.

[linda040899]

Sounds like a game plan to me! Could be they just needed a break but I would always be watchful, as I've had what I thought were birds that got along famously, only to find one dead in the morning. That second cage may very well save Mango's life one day and I would not fail to have it available, just in case.

[JohnUK]

jacinta: Strange creatures lovebirds are. Due to a poorly bird, I had to seperate my two for a short while and they hated being apart. Put them back together and the usual minor squabbles soon started, mainly over first feed rights!

Maybe the change in environment, with you moving home, has helped calm the situation down. That could be a preventative solution in the future - vary their location occasionally?

However, you can't watch them 24hrs a day and if you have any doubts then you will have to keep them apart during the times when they can't be supervised.

[jacinta]

Thank you everyone for your advice and replies. They were well behaved for the first couple of days after the move but now Sunny is once again attacking Mango. I have the back up cage ready and did separate them before sleep tonight but Sunny got very distressed and they wouldn't let up with their chirps so I placed them back together and they cuddled up on the bottom of the cage to sleep :) Starting next Monday I will be doing work placement five days a week for two weeks so they will be separated for those days as I will not be able to keep an eye on them and don't want to come home and find Mango dead.. They are really loving generally but Sunny just seems to get very bossy when it comes to me, she chases Mango away. I think maybe she thinks I'm her mate? She often preens me, haha. :rotfl

[linda040899]

Guess once Sunny got comfortable in her new home, she returned to her old ways. It's a good thing you have 2 cages so that they are safe when you are not there to supervise. In the wild, parrots simply fly away from aggressors but pets don't have that same option..... Best to be safe than to be sorry.