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My TAG, Khaufu, has suddenly taken to tormenting Addicus, my yellow winged parakeet. He yells his name over and over, hangs upside down over his cage while Addicus screams at him, tells him to "shut up Addicus" or "You want to come out an play" and then tries to fight him thru the bars. We don't know what has caused this to happen. I tell Khaufu "Go home" and he does but I have to be there every minute Khaufu is out of his cage now, can't leave the room for a minute. Fighting thru the cages, what next? And Khaufu won't stop teasing and every time he calls Addicus' name, Addicus screams, so he does it over and over again to torment him and then laughs out loud. We do not do this to Addicus (we do say "shut up Addicus" once in awhile when he is really, really noisey but up until now he's had no reason to be noisey). But the laughing? Taunting him to come out and play when I suspect evil is on his mind since he tries to bite him thru the bars, well it's unnerving. I have to take Khaufu with me everywhere now or lock him in his cage and I can't do that so I take him to his play gym in the bedroom, then to another in the office and back to his cage and give him more toys to distract him more but unless I lock him in, I can't leave the room cause little as Addicus is, he won't back down, flies right to the side of the cage and screams and Khaufu just swings there upside down.... Anyone had this happen before. They've been fine for almost two years and then suddenly this. Is Khaufu bored? We play table games daily with him, walk with him, all kinds of interactions. The only thing different is I've been sick and spending more time in bed and at drs., etc. and then don't feel up to Khaufu when I get home, not right away but I do get to him. What's the verdict?

Cindy, if it is your attention that Khaufu finds reinforcing then it makes perfect sense that he keeps going to Addicus because what happens. You said you haven't been spending as much time with him because you are not feeling well. So if you go and rescue Addicus by picking Khaufu up, he's just been rewarded with your attention. Can you put something benign on top of Addicus' cage so Khaufu can't land on his cage? He probably wouldn't do it if you weren't around but you can't take that chance with a smaller bird. What I would do is increase the one-on-one time with Khaufu and see what happens.

Bev

Yea, you're right. When I've been home and able to give Khaufu more attention and put news paper over hang over the smaller birds cage so it discourages him from going down there's little or no problem. Still have drs. appointments and tests for myself but inbetween, am letting Khaufu stay with me and he flies after me if I don't and lands on my head or arm. Poor baby. My husband has been helping by putting in more time when I can't, taking Khaufu with him to the office. Teaching him colors and counting, Khaufu loves that. So he's been going down to the little birds cage less and less. Yesterday I was in so much pain I couldn't spend any time with Khaufu but thank God Ted did in my stead. These little tags don't tolorerate much change in their social patterns, that is for certain. Not even for the short run. I should be ok in a few weeks. We'll get through it ok, with Teds help. Thank God he loves these birds as much as I do. He doesn't help with clean up but he baby sits and understands the importance of entertaining these guys or they get bored and destructive. I'm behind on cage cleaning and I'm hoping I feel better tomorrow and can do it. Life has just been overwhelming these past two weeks or so and it isn't going to let up for another few weeks but I know I can manage a late cage cleaning now and then and so can the birds. I've also been playing music for Khaufu and he loves it. Will listen to it a whole hour before he starts to want more attention. Wish me luck and thanks for the advice.
Cindy

Hi CindyLou:

I had breast cancer in 2002 so know that it's tough when you are in pain. Radiation therapy knocked me on my butt and there were days I couldn't put one foot in front of the other but I made it and I have to say it was my birds who got me through it. I live by myself so there was no back up help. At least you have Ted and these birds understand far more than we give them credit for.

Take care of yourself!!

Bev

We fixed it. Khaufu still hangs upside down over the upper part of the cage (less and less) and they still go at it but are seperated by a 4' by 4" strip of plexiglass which we cut and drilled holes thru for the bolts which, for the moment, hold it in place over the top area of the lower cage that Khaufu can reach. Now they just jab at the plexiglass. Little devils. He's not calling "Addicus" as much anymore. Just not as much fun anymore I guess. Once it wears off (the facination with harrassingl my little parakeet and lorikeet), I'll remove the plexiglass.

Excellent Cindylou!!

What you did is called an antecedent change in Applied Behaviour Analysis. It was a very simple environmental change because the likelihood of stopping Khaufu from going after Addicus was probably nil. It was too reinforcing for him. Now that you don't have to go over and "rescue" Addicus by picking up Khaufu. So the attention he was getting from you has been removed which was probably the reinforcement he got from "attacking" Addicus. I'm sure Addicus is very happy about that Plexiglass. LOL

Way to go!!!

Bev