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Post by oceanaussi on Feb 7, 2009 13:41:00 GMT 10
I've got 2 IRN - a blue hand-reared female turned nasty and a yellow male aviary bird. They've been together now for nearly a year and get along fine. This morning I've cleaned the cage, showered them and replaced the old perches with new ones. I was just doing some gardening when I looked into their cage and she was eating something weird looking. I looked closer and it was a yellow feather with blood on it.  I checked and can see the right wing of the male bleeding while she was sitting there bushing up all of her head feathers eating the bloody feather! What do I do? Did they just have a fight and I should leave it like it is or should I separate them? Please help!!! |
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Post by vankarhi on Feb 7, 2009 14:10:09 GMT 10
Just keep an eye on them.....maybe she plucked him or maybe somehow it came out accidently and she is now "playing" with it. Keep a close eye on them to see if they are fighting. If they are I would probably separate them for a while and then re introduce them to see how they go.......but first you need to establish if they are fighting or plucking or if it was just an accident.
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Post by rainbowfeathers on Feb 8, 2009 16:27:53 GMT 10
My ringies play with each others feathers all the time. I don't know if they pluck each other or actually pick it of the bottom of the cage. I haven't seen blood on feathers mine have been playing with, though . Have you checked to see that the yellow irn isn't still bleeding - if so, you'll have to pull the shaft out with pliers.
Yeah I'd just watch them and see how they go.
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Post by oceanaussi on Feb 8, 2009 16:56:05 GMT 10
Well the yellow IRN was bleeding for a while and I took the bloody feather away. It was the long wing feather they have (not dure of the name of it). I observed them for the rest of yesterday and today but they seem to be fine. The bleeding stopped after a few minutes and they seem to be ok.
But gee did that frighten me! I thoght she's becoming a cannibal!
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Post by vankarhi on Feb 8, 2009 17:32:15 GMT 10
It is quite possible it got caught on something and pulled out ...... but not by a bird and then the bird picked the feather up and started to chew on it to play with it. I have seen my birds sometimes pick up a feather and chewon it or play with it. I usually pull the feather away just in case they develop a liking for chewing on feathers.  |
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avril
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Post by avril on Feb 9, 2009 8:46:35 GMT 10
Oceanaussi, keep an eye on her if she has turned nasty, females have been know to attack the males.
I had to separate my Charlotte from her dad as she attacked him around the eye area and he ended up blind.
My birds had been together for nearly two years and I was told that Henry was trying to get realfriendly and as she wasn't in season she said no and promptly attacked him.A female Ringneck can be very aggressive. She sets the pace of courting and will gladly make her emotions known to her mate. A female Ringneck that is not supervised can quickly injure or kill her companion.
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Post by oceanaussi on Feb 9, 2009 9:28:52 GMT 10
OMG, that's not what I wanted to hear. She killed her previous companion by not allowing him to go to the food while they were in a smaller cage at a carers place while I was on holiday. I certainly will keep out an eye for him.
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Post by avinet on Feb 9, 2009 9:42:41 GMT 10
It sounds very much like a blood feather was broken and the hen picked it up. Parrots basically don't pull feathers out of wings - it takes a lot of force to pull a wing feather from a ringneck. Attacks are almost always around the head/neck or feet.
Given the time of year, it is highly unlikely to have been any hormonal type aggression.
I wouldn't worry about it. The only slight concern is if the broken blood feather, the base of which is almost certainly still in the wing, gets a further knock and starts to bleed again. If that doesn't happen after a few days then there won't be a problem since by then the blood supply into the feather base will have closed off.
cheers,
Mike
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Post by vankarhi on Feb 9, 2009 20:10:30 GMT 10
Gee Avril, that was a bit sad for your birds that the female turned real nasty. Oceanaussie......did you write to us about the loss of your bird while away on holidays??? I vaguely remember something about the loss of a bird by someone while on holidays.......and the other bird was not in real good nick either?  It might not have been the mate that killed him.......maybe.......if I have got the right story here. |
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Post by oceanaussi on Feb 10, 2009 8:22:34 GMT 10
Yep, that was me. The Vet said that the dead bird was malnourished and I assume as they were in a different cage, that she didn't let him near the food. They're only assumptions, I know.
There was no more bleeding and they seem to be getting along ok. But Boy, that just so frightened me!
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Karen
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Post by Karen on Feb 10, 2009 13:34:50 GMT 10
Do be careful and keep a close eye on them.
I have been told on a few occasions by IRN breeders that the female can and will kill her mate if she doesn't like/want/approve of her mate.
I had a semi-tame IRN once I was given as a rescue, she caught up and ate a finch that was in her cage. She dropped it's body when she saw me and I yelled out her name. She wasn't an aggressive female either. She used to bluff me all the time but only ever bit me on the first day I got her.
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avril
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Post by avril on Feb 10, 2009 21:22:59 GMT 10
They can be aggressive little devils, but I love them, I just got three more I call them The Triplets as they are from the same clutch and are only 6mths old and I couldn't bear to see them separated so I bought off my friend. One is a Albino and the other two are grey don't know what sex but will get them DNA soon.
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Karen
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Post by Karen on Feb 10, 2009 22:09:52 GMT 10
I like IRN's but wouldn't have an aviary one again. I had 3 once and could never get them to calm down even a little and after a few months I just got fed up and sold them.
When I had Ringo I think she was handraised. She was let to go a bit feral but I spent alot of time with her and knew she was gentle and didn't want to hurt anyone. She only bit me on the first day because she was afraid, she'd not seen me before and I in my own ignorance pulled her off my shoulder when she climbed up - I was afraid to let her there as I didn't know her. It wasn't a savage bite more of a yelp of surprise bite - didn't even draw blood. I think she was around 2yo.
I grew quickly to love her and was saddened when I found her dead in the bottom of the aviary.
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avril
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Post by avril on Feb 11, 2009 8:52:49 GMT 10
My female attacked her dad in the non breeding season and there was no nest box in there. We know it was her that attacked Henry because she had blood all over her feathers and on her beak area. She never attacked the others that were in with her. Here is a pic of them all in a colony aviary,  |
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Post by vankarhi on Feb 14, 2009 16:57:29 GMT 10
lovely looking birds there Avril ;D
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Post by oceanaussi on Feb 20, 2009 11:58:29 GMT 10
So far they've been alright. She still nips at him when he comes too close on occasions but he hasn't been bleeding since and they both look healthy and happy - what a relief!!! Thanks for all your help!!!
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It might not have been the mate that killed him.......maybe.......if I have got the right story here.