# There seems to be a slight problem...



## gromit99squi (Dec 22, 2012)

Hi all, 

I am just posting this to see if there are any possible solutions for this problem or if we'll just have to work around it which is a little hard. 

So basically, out in the aviary I had a clutch of cockatiel chicks. The youngest was obviously last to leave the nestbox, but since all the other chicks had already left and were chasing their parents around for food on the highest perch, and he could barely fly, he seems to have been abandoned. We noticed that he was still on the ground and not perching for quite some time after leaving the nest (atleast 4 or more days), so we brang him inside, only to find he was quite weak. He had to use his beak to crawl around, and could not stand properly. After feeding him formula three times a day every day and giving him a constant supply of seed he seems to have picked up. He is learning how to properly fly now, can perch, and even runs around on the floor a bit. 

However, little did I know that "Kakariki's are outstanding foster parents." until I read my 'Handbook to cage and aviary birds', after noticing Kiko trying ot regurgitate food for the chick. So we now have a cockatiel chick and a kakariki who's obsessed with him, so what happens if we add a budgie into the story? Well, I have become quite attatched to the chick and plan on keeping him, and really the only place I can keep him is in with Schwepp, my budgie. So he has been visiting Schwepp quite a lot, and even sleeping in her cage, which she doesn't care about at all. If these two can happily live together, then Schwepp wont be as lonely when I go to school, and neither will he. So we now know that two birds are trying to get close to the one, and this is where the problem occurs...

Kiko tries to eat Schwepp, or atleast kill her anyway. I don't know why this is but he will spend up to an hour hopping around the outside of her cage trying to get in to harm her. If she is out and somehow Kiko gets into the same room that she's in, he will fly as fast as he can trying to catch her, and if we aren't there, who knows what could happen. 

Kiko is going to go out in an aviary with a female Kakariki in a month or so, but until then, is there anything I can do? Schwepp and Kiko used to be friends but as time goes on their bond only weakens, so is there some possible way for me to reintroduce the two without them fighting?

Thanks in Advance


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## Kate C (Oct 15, 2007)

Not that unusual, Kiko has obviously decided that the baby cockatiel is a more suitable partner than Schwepp. Not that much that you can do about it apart from keeping Kiko and Schwepp well and truely apart. Kiko is obviously jealous of the attention the baby is getting from Schwepp and is trying to remove the threat.

My only other suggestion is regarding Kiko. I would not be putting him out into an aviary in the middle of winter if he is used to being inside. Even a room without heating is going to be warmer than an outside aviary would be. Not sure how cold it gets in South Australia but here it gets pretty chilly and even when spring hits in September it may be warm for the first week or so but there is always a cold snap around the middle of the month which could quickly upset a bird that has been nice and suggly inside. I don't put inside birds outside until around the end of September when it is slightly warmer and allow them to acclimatize for the summer months. Also be careful that Kiko is over his love affair with the cockatiel as he may not like the kakariki mate you have selected for him.


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## gromit99squi (Dec 22, 2012)

I'm sorry, I probably should have specified this more clearly. Kiko is not in love with the cockatiel chick, especially since he is male. He has simply just taken over the adult role for the chick. Thanks a lot for your help though  I'll definitely make sure it's warmer before placing Kiko out in the aviary. However, they are from southern New Zealand originally and prefer the cold over the heat. Many sources say that kakariki are prone to heat stress, so maintaining a kakariki aviary may be a bit challenging, but the poor bird is quite lonely and really does need a partner.


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## Kate C (Oct 15, 2007)

Kak's may not like the heat it is true but the sudden shock of going outside into a cold aviary from a much warmer house would be too much for him. I know I can't have kaks here as it gets too hot at my suburb for them. But you are blessed in SA for having what many consider the ideal climate for breeding parrots of all species.

That clarifies matters with the tiel. Kiko may be trying to protect him from another adult bird. But often adult males that don't have a female partner will try to have a love affair with another bird of the same sex. When hormones are flairing it doesn't seem to matter what sex the other bird is.


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