help!

[Rob]

I have two Galahs, a male and a female.

They don't always see eye too eye, but they do love each other. But today my male has been chasing and attacking the female and by the looks of things, his trying too jump on her back.....

I split them up for 10mins, put some fruit in (so hopefully he forgot) but then he was chasing her again. Now I just noticed blood all over there perch and the female has a bite on her foot from him.

What should I do? I don't have another cage too split them up. There okay now, but i'm still concerned about her foot.

[farseeker]

Make sure that the bleeding has stopped, and that the bite is clean on your girl.

Do you have anything you can put into the cage to act as a divider to keep them apart?

I don't really know anything about galahs but you might want to see if you can maybe get a standby cage secondhand so that you can seperate them if necessary. A spare cage is always a good thing to have regardless.

[Rob]

I do have another cage, but it has a big hole in the bottom, i'm going too try to place a peice of tin in it. They seem fine now, well atleast his stopped harrasing her.

Horny bugger....

[vankarhi]

I don't know anything about their breeding habits but I do know it is their breeding season right now. If you are sure they are male and female I would be guessing he is trying to mate her. Do you have a nest box in their cage??

I don't know if it is normal to be as agressive as you are saying..........but when chooks and ducks mate the males can be quite aggressive too.

maybe she would not stay still and he was trying to catch her and managed to only grab her foot?? Hopefully someone with a bit more knowledge (like John or maybe Bill) about their mating habits will get on and help out.

[Rob]

Yeah I think you are right vankarhi, he was chasing her and grabbed her foot, he was grabbing anything he possibly could get his hands on. And unfortunetly grabbed her foot, she seems okay now, shes definetly not happy though. This happend when I uncovered them about 7am when they first woke up, there outside now and he hasent tried anything.

Would it benefit if i put a nest box in with them? his alot younger than she is too, if that helps any.

[Rob]

by the way, i'm almost certain she is female and he is male, his eyes are dark and hers are a lighter pinky color, his been trying too mount my wife too

[vankarhi]

yes sounds like they are a male and female. The males eyes are usually dark (just like a juvinile) and the females change to a lighter sometimes orangey browney colour. I wouldn't put a nest box in unless you actually want them to breed and have babies. But you may need to separate them during this season. You could still keep them side by side but I would not actually have them in the same cage unless you want babies......... and if you decide you want babies you may need to be prepared to look after babies if they decide not to or if something goes wrong. Just my honest opinion.

[Rob]

okay, thanks for your advice. Babys would be cool, but the cage there in I dont think it will work out... or will it? Ill look into getting another cage asap so he stops harrasing her.. Poor girl..

[vankarhi]

Oh and by the way, it is great to see you back here and to hear your birds are doing fine ;D

[Rob]

Yes I know! its been so long, I have been so busy with work etc I havent had time for much play!

[vankarhi]

I know the feeling sometimes. I started back at work again in March and now work 30 hours per week. I find it a bit hard at times, but will stick it out for a while (need to get a few things done around here and pay off our car).

[bill]

Hlo Rob, you did not give the history of these two birds, (male in particular), i can only comment on what i read from your message, i get the impression these two birds are pets or get a lot of attention in a smaller type cage and that they can go into a bit larger outside? from what you say, i would not for a moment say that he is trying to mate, he is trying his damdest to beat her up, why?..because he is closer to you or someone else in the family than he is to her, and he does not want any other bird to come between.
Have seen this many times. ...Cockatoos do not just approach a female in breeding season and mate unlike roosters and drakes, (with apologies to chook fanciers) Cockatoos choose a mate and go through a lengthy bonding period, they are inseparable, cuddling up and grooming each other all year round, because they keep that mate and the approaching breeding season you will see him regurgitating food from his crop and feeding her, this goes on for some time, then and only then will he mate with her, and he does not get aggressive toward her in that union. Getting back to the brawl, she, (and you ) were VERY lucky that a toe or foot was not taken off in that confrontation, its not a pretty site. If you do not separate them, this will def` happen again, guaranteed.
Good luck, Bill.

[vankarhi]

Thanks Bill for the info and the heads up.........I had hoped someone with more knowledge about this would answer............as I also did say ;D

[Rob]

Cheers for the information Bill.

I started off with him, and he does come out too play etc. Then I got her from my father inlaw whom caught her as she would come too his house everyday and wouldent leave. So I introduced them together and they get seem too get on. His obviously more dominant and its sometimes hard too give just her attention without him coming over and wanting attention too (which is quite normal) but sometimes he just goes psycho and will chase her around. (obviously for the reason that you stated earlier)..

This has only happened once in the 6-8months that they have been together. Also, when you let them out, he will only SOMETIMES let her leave the top of the cage, otherwise he will beat on her if she does.. So I try too seperate them while there out, but still she will just sit there on top of the cage and wait, or she will start calling him (don't know why! ) Then he will go back and chase her inside the cage..

But all the other times they seem quite happy, and he will groom her, she will groom him, she will bite him, he will bite her.. they dance and play around together.. So I don't know!


Rob

[vankarhi]

Gee Rob...........sounds like some "marriages" LOL