Princess Parrot questions

[Karen]

So I introduce Monty to his new mate Matilda on Saturday. What a disaster that turned out to be! Whenever she dared to sit on the same perch as Monty he'd attack her - not just the head bop that birds do, this was full beak open at her throat pinning her down. She was screaming in terror. I thought they were just getting to know each other - they have been in the same cage with a middle separation for the past week.
It didn't change all Saturday so I thought he just doesn't like her.
So I swapped the males around and straight away he was attacking the other female!
When he was with his first female with his previous owner, the female bit part of his tongue off.
Could this have something to do with his attitude?
He was in a side by side cage for a year and half with a female IRN whom they'd share food through the bars with each other.
Could he be species confused?
I had him in my mixed species aviary for a month or more before putting him with a female and he kept to himself for most of the time.
He is a large beautiful male and I'd really like to breed him.
What can I do? What are my options?

[meandem]

You are in a spot of bother there aren't you.

He really must have had a bad experience with women! Did you introduce him into her cage? Or was it the other way around? I try to always introduce them into a new section together, I find this helps because they are both so busy investigating they leave each other alone for a while. I can't say that I have ever had that problem with prinnies, but I do have one male cockatiel that hates everyone - except the Galah. They are both males, and they live in the big mixed aviary, but they always seem to be together. I know that space is always an issue, as I always have this problem too. I keep them in smaller house cages for a while - side by side - and then as I said before introduce them at the same time to the new section. Give them plenty to occupy their mind from one another and hopefully in time they will get on. It's sad when you have gone to all the trouble to get them aquainted and it all goes horribly wrong. How long did you leave them in there together for?

[Karen]

I had them in a totally different cage, then introduced them both into a suspended at the same time.
I left him with the first female for all of Saturday (despite hearing a few screams) but I checked them every hour.
Sunday morning I changed them around and about 5.30pm I removed the female for her own safety. She was miserable, I could see she hated being with him - I've had her for just about a year or little more. She is a friendly bird (handicapped) and yeah, could see it in her eyes she didn't want to stay with him.

Would finding a dominant hen help?

[meandem]

Finding a dominant hen -

Probably wouldn't help too much, they might fight to the death. It's agonizing putting new birds together, I hate hearing shrieking noises - I sit and watch them for hours and they don't do anything, but as soon as you walk away they attack. I would have separated them too, because if they are miserable together - they aren't going to be a very good breeding pair. I'm really not good on the whole advice thing, but I sure do wish you the best of luck with them. For me personally - you should do what you feel is right.

[Laraine]

Oh dear you do have a problem. I put my 2 Princess Parrots together a couple of weeks ago. For the first day or so he tried to bite her every time she went near him, but he didn't connect. But now they are good friends. In your case you can't leave females with him if he is going to hurt them. Good luck.

[avinet]

It's pretty unusual to have many issues with compatibility with Princesses - mine have always settled in pretty quickly. Perhaps he does remember having his tongue bit.

I would suggest putting him and the hen back into the mixed aviary for a while. Sometimes being in a crowd helps to cause a bird to gravitate to their own species.

I had a similar problem with a ringneck pair this spring. I have had a pair for several years and they have always produced lovely babies in a variety of colours. This year, when the hen was about to begin laying, she suffered some sort of stroke from which she never recovered, and had to be euthanased eventually. Sine I had a virile male without a partner I took home a young (2yr) blue lacewing hen for him, and he promptly attacked her quite viciously. I had to remove her and put her in an adjoining mixed flight hoping that he would get to know her through the wire. A week later I tried again and again she had to be separated. So I moved him into the mixed flight and left her in his flight. A week later same result.

Finally I put both into the mixed flight (3.6 x 3.6) which has a mixture of retirement birds from the shop - the ones that are too old, too plucked. too un-sellable ect. After a couple of days he started to display a bit to her, and after a week I put them back into his flight without a problem. Now they have two chicks hatched, the second one yesterday, and still a possible fertile egg to hatch. If I had had another suitable hen available I might not have persevered, but in the end I have a pair producing babies that should be of a variety of colours and good temperament.

So maybe try them both in your mixed aviary and see what happens - may work!

cheers,

Mike

[Karen]

That's a great idea Mike! Thanks for that I will try it.

[mrsmacka]

I was very lucky I introduced a male Ringie with succes, she killed her mate last year. I bought a new Princess hen for my blue male about 3 months ago & she chased him for about 4 days but settled ---- that was in a mixed aviary, I also put a male Kak in the same aviary without any problems. I tried to put my pet GC in with 2 others & they worked him over well, thought I'd leave him in a carry box & they bit his toes so he's back in the kitchen

[Karen]

Well I was going to put them both in the mixed aviary but then my mother found a dead mouse in there and I figured mouse = mouse poop so no more birds in there until I've sterilsed it.
Alas they have been together since Friday evening and from what I've seen and my mothers seen he isn't attacking her anymore, neither though is he sidling up to her. I'll pop a box in there on Saturday and see if that stirs up his manly juices!

[Karen]

Well I put Monty and Matilda in together for awhile now and he doesn't try to attack her - he is scared of her!
I don't understand! They have everything they need and she is "ready" for a family but every time she goes near him he runs away!
I am going to miss breeding season! I've got a perfectly happy, healthy and frustrated female going to waste.

[zoey]

My experiance with the Polythesis family which are the Superbs,Regents and Princess the female will always show dominance and try this scare front..he.. its all part of the long breeding process in my opinion seeing.The female's will go at the male in a way to go away but you will notice they pin there eye's in doing so.Then show a front having the male go away,then later l find them feeding each other and always together some way...l have learn't in this breed females show this negative behaviour , maybe its good for them and there way for breeding

[Karen]

I sure hope so Greg! The only thing missing from her behaviour is her "getting into position"! She practically pants whenever she looks at him.
He is a fully mature 4yo. I don't know her exact age but when I requested my dealer to get one I ordered one who was 2+yo and ready to breed.

[meandem]

How is the happy couple going? Are they getting along any better?

[Karen]

They are getting along but no action yet. I really want princess bubs!

[meandem]

Well at least they are getting along. Who knows what they are doing whilst you aren't watching. Hopefully they will do something soon for you. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. My princess hen was on 6 eggs, but we have taken them from her. All were clear. The weather has been hot, then cold, then hot, then cold again - I really think my birds are confused.

[zoey]

Good start they accept each other,as far a time well its to them now You know what l mean..

[Karen]

Well I have officially given up with Monty. He is still afraid of Matilda and can't even bear to be on the same perch as her.
I noticed now that Prince is a widower he spends alot of time on the other side of the wire looking at Matilda. So yesterday I swapped Monty and Prince and let me tell you, Prince is one happy boy! Within 60 seconds of being in the same cage as Matilda he was bobbing and weaving his head on either side of her face and pinning his eyes!
Hopefully he and Matilda will have a long and happy relationshipe.
I figure either Monty doesn't like girls or maybe he is confused and prefers female IRN's? Anyway, he is going to have a great time in the main aviary with the other birds flying around and doing what he wants. I won't pressure him into doing what he obviously doesn't want to do anymore.

[meandem]

Good for you, it sounds as if you have made the right decision. Hopefully Prince and Matilda will live happily ever after. I have a few birds like that, and they all live together happily - but just without partners, they all have good buddies.

[zoey]

Ahhh that's good to hear it's worked out,don't you love that pinning and head bopping circling

[meandem]

I have two of my princess parrots in with some ringnecks, and boy is there a lot of noise coming out of the aviary some days. There is swaying and dancing, head bobbing, the whole eye thing and the list goes on. I love to sit back and watch.