Ask Lafeber

Aggressive Male Green Cheek Conure

My male green cheek conure has attacked my older female Indian Ringneck parrot and my male Jenday Conure multiple times. He has significantly injured the older female twice requiring veterinary care. I know he wants a mate and his best friend is an older parakeet with whom he shares a cage. He’s not bonded to our family because he has had the company of a mate who died and of his older parakeet friend. He’s very smart and our home is the only home he’s known. I don’t like to keep my birds caged all the time and try to rotate them in and out of their cages at different times, including the male green cheek, so that he gets more stimulation and exercise. However, none of the birds like to be in their cages even though they are spacious and have lots of toys. I do believe that the male green cheek conure will bond with us more closely when his friend, the parakeet (who must be 17 years old) finally passes away. The female Indian Ringneck Parrot is 27 years old an likely will not live more than 3 to 4 more years as she is a rescue bird and did not have a healthy environment for 23 years. I know that he is attacking the Indian Ringneck because she is the only female in the house. I do not know why he is attacking the male Jenday Conure. Any advice?

Hi,

You can’t make birds like each other. You have species that would never encounter each other in the wild, so they have no natural instincts to interact. Owners tend to think parrots will all get along. But even the same species of parrot may not get along. Once it is clear that two birds are not compatible, especially to the point where one attacks or bullies the other, your only option is to keep them apart. One attack is the warning – any additional attacks or bullying is on you. It’s inexcusable to allow multiple attacks, so severe that they resulted in vet visits. The next attack could be deadly. The green cheek is sending a clear message that he doesn’t like the other birds. By forcing or allowing these birds to share the same space when they are out of the cage, you are causing stress to all of the birds in addition to the physical injury. Your Jenday and IRN most likely fear for their lives when the green cheek is out. I’m sorry to be so blunt, but do not allow this again! It doesn’t matter why the bird is doing this. He simply may not like the other birds and doesn’t want them around. This isn’t a matter of why or how can this work out. It’s not going to work out. They need separate times out of the cages.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda