# Need help - one bird is picking on the other.



## Sar (Sep 22, 2010)

Hi, I could do with some advice please.
Background:
Billy is 4 and we rehomed him 2 years ago. He lives 'next door' to 2 budgies and they spend all day outside their cages perfectly well (with a little bickering).
Bertie was rehomed to us a few weeks ago and he has been with the other birds for a week. He has his own cage (we'd love him to be able to share with Billy but didn't push it, thankfully). Bertie has had a rough couple of months and is quite shy. He has started to come out of his cage and sit with the others on the playgrounds etc. There have been times he has shared the food plate with the other birds, and several times he and Billy have fallen asleep next to each other on the playground.
However, over the last two or three days Billy has taken to launching himself at Bertie and 'driving him off'. Bertie was actually asleep on one of these occasions, so it is not caused by usual territorial issues. I had a look at cockatiel cottage etc but the only advice I found was based on the birds sharing too small a cage (they don't share a cage at all, just a living room) or due to arguing (Bertie usually has his back to Billy when Billy flies at him).
At the moment I am treating Billy like a toddler and putting him back in his cage when he flies at Bertie unprovoked (as I type this Billy is chirping forlornly hoping I will let him back out - I will as soon as I finish). Now Billy is attacking Bertie then flying away from me because he knows what is coming next. 
Once Bertie came downstairs we made a fuss of Billy. He is not cuddly but he likes to sit on us, Bertie does not so there is no competition there.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to reduce this behaviour? I don't want to punish Billy, just indicate that the flock does not accept this behaviour. 
Thanks very much


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## Mentha (Jul 11, 2010)

You may have to give them separate play areas until they get used to each other. Billy probably sees Bertie as a threat to his flock. Cockatiels can be territorial and will chase off any birds not of their flock. You can also try clipping his wings too until he's accepted the other bird as a flock member.


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## Sar (Sep 22, 2010)

Thanks for the advice Mentha.
It would be difficult to give them separate play areas as our downstairs is all one room (apart from the kitchen). To put one of the birds upstairs in the bedroom would mean they would be shut away (and kept in the cage as the room isn't birdproof) so I hope to avoid that. 
I'd also prefer to avoid wing-clipping (I don't even know a vet who does this round here), although it may be the only way to calm Billy. 
This morning Billy again flew at Bertie's head twice so Billy was left in his cage whilst we were out. Billy is NEVER left in is cage normally and he is very subdued this afternoon. At least he has ignored Bertie since.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I would keep doing what you're doing...we had a similar issue with Fuzzy when he was younger, he would chase EVERYBODY for no good reason. Lots of time-outs have helped to mellow him out and learn that its not acceptable. Hubby also clipped his wings (this usually happened when I was out so I had no idea he was doing it lol) and this also seemed to help. A pet store usually only charges like $5-$15 to clip wings.


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## Sar (Sep 22, 2010)

Thanks Roxy. It's reassuring to know it is not us who have raised a bully, but fairly common cockatiel behaviour.

It is so frustrating! Bertie came out of his cage and flew onto the top of the budgie cage. Billy immediately flew at him so I put Billy in for about 10 minutes. When he came out he seemed a bit better but was giving Bertie nasty looks! I had to go to the shops and when I got back they were both sat on top of Bertie's cage grinding their beaks. I just don't know what triggers it with Billy. When he ignores Bertie we praise him (Billy loves praise) and when he is naughty we put him in his cage without speaking to him so I hope that is reinforcing the behaviour correctly.
It is not common to clip birds wings here in the UK. Pet shops rarely sell birds so I expect it would be a vet visit, and our avian vet is in the next town. I don't know if they clip though, some won't.

Oh bugger! As I typed the above Billy just launched himself at a confused Bertie so now Billy is inside his cage again. Poor Bertie is a very nervous bird and gets upset because he doesn't know what he is doing wrong. We'll just keep at it ...


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