# Worried



## JordanAndVevila (Feb 7, 2011)

I told you guys about Spirirt and Vevila. Now I'm more worried. Spirit has gotten much worse with Vevila than he was. Now he does not let her eat. Regardless of the different food dishes, he chases her around the cage and hisses and bites her if she tries to eat. He won't allow her on the same perch as him, even though the perches are huge. He will run all the way from one end to attack her if she tries to get on the perch. He doesn't just nip at her anymore either. Now he full out grabs her, and he doesn't let go until she's screaming. Once he lets go, she falls all the way to the bottom of the cage. I hate this and don't know what to do. I seperated them today, because I'm worried for her. Ever since the seperation, she has been screaming her flock call, and doing her attention dance with the pacing and head flicking. He refuses to answer her flock call, and he seems much happier and calmer now that she isn't with him. She seems lost though. I don't know what to do about it. I got him because she seemed lonely, and I wanted her to be happy, but he just seems abusive and mean. Is the age difference too great? He is about 1 and a half, and she is about 8 and a half. Should I try to find him a new home? Do their personalities just not mesh? Is this normal and I'm just over reacting?


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## Belinda (Oct 9, 2010)

Keep them separated for now before she gets seriously injured - do you have another cage? He may not want to share with her, but you can put two cages close together so she isn't upset either. Give them some supervised out of cage time together, see if they start to become friends. Ultimately it is up to you whether you rehome him.


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## JordanAndVevila (Feb 7, 2011)

I did seperate them because I was really worried about her. He seems happy. He's been singing away to himself ever since. Nonstop. I don't want to rehome him. Although he is not friendly, I think he could be after a lot of patience and work. I just don't want to stress or hurt Vevila. I have been answering her flock call since he won't, and she has calmed down and stopped doing her crazy dancing and calling. In fact, she is eating and seems to be much calmer now. When she wouldn't calm down earlier, I opened her cage and allowed her to fly over to his cage. She landed ontop of it and started calling down to him. He climbed up and started hissing and biting her, so I took her away from him again. I just want to do the right thing here for both of them. I want them to get along, but I'm not sure that they ever will. I'll give them both time out of their cage together, and hope they get along better. He refuses to step up, on my hand, perches anything, and he hisses and bites anytime I'm even in his general area, but he is also very curious, always cocking his head and finding interest in new things, or things he doesn't understand. I think his curiousity could be a breakthrough point for him, (I'm hoping) in terms of training. However, I just don't know how he and Vevila will ever get along. =/


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## Belinda (Oct 9, 2010)

It's early days, perhaps he just needs time to settle in  Poor Vevila, she sounds like a sweetheart.


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## JordanAndVevila (Feb 7, 2011)

Ok. Hopefully that's what it is. Thank you so much. She really is a sweetheart. =) She's mostly fine with me now and loves to come out her cage and explore. =) I love her to bits.


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## Belinda (Oct 9, 2010)

Is she handtame yet, does she step up?


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## JordanAndVevila (Feb 7, 2011)

She's getting there. She steps up fine as long as she is not in or on her cage. She's careful about ti cuz shes missing her long toe on her left foot, so it throws off her balance a little. She lets me stroke her wings and head, and she allows me to carry her around if she can't see her cage. She won't eat out of my hand yet though.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

That's very good progress though! It means she thinks you're safe at least, as long as the cage isn't in view lol.


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## JordanAndVevila (Feb 7, 2011)

Thank you! I know. I'm really proud of her. She really has made great progress. =)


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## Chez (Feb 17, 2011)

Oh dear, poor sweet Vevila. It's just heartbreaking to see any creature being attacked & hurt by another. I don't think you are over reacting at all, as it does sound as though his behaviour has taken on a new level of aggressiveness. 

Is there a Cesar Millan for cockateils?


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## Chez (Feb 17, 2011)

Oh dear, poor sweet Vevila. It's just heartbreaking to see any creature being attacked & hurt by another. I don't think you are over reacting at all, as it does sound as though his behaviour has taken on a new level of aggressiveness. 

Is there a Cesar Millan for cockateils?


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## JordanAndVevila (Feb 7, 2011)

Chez. Thank you. I did seperate them. I was just getting angry at him, and I know that it doesn't help anything to get angry at a bird. I didn't want to dislike him, because he really is a cute little guy, but when he seemed to be hurting my baby girl, I just could not bring myself to like him. Now that they are seperated, it is much easier for me to like him. How funny that you should say that! I was just saying to my fiance David this morning, that there needs to be a bird whisperer! =)


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## JordanAndVevila (Feb 7, 2011)

Emm. Sure I worry too much, but I found a long tail feather on the bottom of Vevila's cage just now. No other feathers other than just the tiny little fluff feathers that are usually there. She has been doing bat wings to claim her cage, and I did notice she did it a little too close to the bars a couple of times, and her tail went through the bars. Is it possible that she just caught the one feather on the cage and pulled it out, or is she plucking? I would have noticed if she were plucking wouldn't I? I haven't seen anything other than normal preening.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

It was most likely an accident...plucking would be very evident with more than just one feather missing. Its ok to worry, it means you love her!


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## JordanAndVevila (Feb 7, 2011)

Thank you. =) I haven't seen anymore feathers, so it probably was an accident. =) I've been allowing Spirit and Vevila to sleep in the same cage, and then seperating them again in the mornings. I do this because, come night time, if he is not in her cage, Vevila screams nonstop. Also, they never ever fight at night. They sleep side by side with no bickering. I think the seperation is helping though! Now, when I seperate them, he flock calls back to her, like he actually cares that they are being seperated. MAybe this will help their bond grow to the point that they can be together again one day without fighting. =)


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Sounds like cookie and lucky which i call them a married couple love each other one minute preening and sleeping together then next minute they argue and fight


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## JordanAndVevila (Feb 7, 2011)

Lol Perry. I wish I could get in their brains and understand them more! Actually, I have been seperating them during most of the day, then putting them together at night, because Vevila won't sleep without him. Since this seperation, he has been much nicer to her. Yesterday, I left him in her cage all day, and they didn't fight. No fighting so far this morning either. In fact, he's been singing and happy this morning, even though they are sharing a cage! I think I'll still seperate them for a few more days, hopefully it's strengthening their bond somehow. It seems to be. =)


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Distance makes the heart grow fonder???


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## JordanAndVevila (Feb 7, 2011)

lol. Apparantly that saying is correct! They have been getting along so well. =)


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## Chez (Feb 17, 2011)

Glad to read things are improving for all the 'couples' mentioned in this thread. I'm definitely sticking to my 'one cockateil' rule ...


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## JordanAndVevila (Feb 7, 2011)

lol. Chez. I couldn't have just one of any animal if I tried. =) I'd smother an individual animal with farrr too much attention.


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## Chez (Feb 17, 2011)

Yes, I've been charged & found 100% guilty of doing just that! LOL


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## JordanAndVevila (Feb 7, 2011)

lol! You have a lucky bird. =)


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