Hello
I have pair of mint GCC they were kind to each other and mating sometime , but now the male attacking the female , I dont know why they are in cage birds , and they had breed last year with no issues , should 8 separate them and how long ? Is they dont good for each other anymore ?
Hi Kasem,
When this happens with breeding birds in captivity, it can be because the male is ready to breed again and the female isn’t. Did they breed and raise chicks last year? Do you have them set up to breed or are you not interested in breeding?If you want them to breed and haven’t put the nest box back up, then you might try giving them their nest box. If they do have a nest box, then you might try removing it to see if that calms the male down.
If you are trying to breed, it is very important that the birds are not related. If you got them from the same breeder, they are probably related. Green Cheek conure mutations were developed in a very short period of time, so this means that a lot of inbreeding took place. The first mutations were not seen until about 20 years ago. A mutation is a genetic flaw, so mutations of any species are not considered to be as healthy as the natural color. Because so many mutations have been developed in these birds, a lot of inbreeding had to take place, so there are going to be issues related to the weak gene pool. This can be health issues or even behavioral issues. Their instincts are not as strong and it’s hard to know how all of this affects breeding. Pairs will have fights, but it is usually harmless sparring and a lot of loud vocalization. If no blood is being drawn and feathers aren’t being pulled out, then the fight isn’t serious, as long as both birds are participating. But if the male is chasing after the female, bullying and intimidating her, this can lead to more serious attacks. In this case, you probably should split them up and let the male calm down. This can be temporary, or he might go right back at it when you put them back together. All you can do is try and see what happens. Another reason he may be doing this is to protect her from you. If he does it when you get near the cage, then he views you as a rival or intruder and when he can’t get you to leave, he attacks the female to drive her back to her nest. Again, give them a break from each other and see if that works.
Thank you for asking Lafeber,
Brenda
