training two birds in one cage

katraz · Post by **katraz** » Sat May 27, 2006 7:47 pm

hi, I've got two IRN's in one cage... I've heard that you can't train or tame them if you have them in the same cage, because then they don't rely on human contact. Is there any way around this with out buying another cage or should i just buy another cage?....thanx in advance

julie · Post by **julie** » Sun May 28, 2006 12:19 am

easy way buy another cage.harder way same cage for both.it may be alright to keep them in the same cage but it just may take a little longer to tame them both.loki and kozmo are in the same cage they belong to darkcloudchild who might be better to talk to about this topic.

Mikaela · Post by **Mikaela** » Sun May 28, 2006 6:25 am

No way around it... if you want two well-rounded, talkative, happy, well-adjusted ringnecks.... you heard right.

Koz and Loki and definately an exception... perhaps they were already trained. Darkcloud? You around hun?

darkcloudchild · Post by **darkcloudchild** » Sun May 28, 2006 12:39 pm

Nope, they weren't already trained. We did it all ourselves starting with them at 3 months (we visited them a few times before than also). They have both turned into very vocal birds too. Loki likes to "talk" and Kozmo loves to make noises and coos. Kozmo sooo relies on contact with us everyday. She lets us know too! Loki isn't as dependant on us, but he's fully flighted so I think that has something to do with it.

Personally, I think it just comes down to how much time and effort you want to spend on them, and you should work on each seperately. But, please make sure that your cage is big enough for one to be able to get out of reach from the other, because they act just like sibilings, they fight, chase each other around, and can be quite grumpy. They need an area to retreat to when the other is on a rampage.

Mikaela · Post by **Mikaela** » Sun May 28, 2006 3:41 pm

Seee and they say they wont talk if caged together.

Dani03 · Post by **Dani03** » Mon May 29, 2006 3:59 pm

I dunno about caging them together. I wouldn't...obviously Lokie and Kozmo are different but in general don't do it

Dani Prinny Bodi

Mikaela · Post by **Mikaela** » Mon May 29, 2006 8:04 pm

Any two ringnecks cant be caged together. They have to want to cohabitate together, as loki and kozmo do. If not, one ringneck can very easily rip off anothers foot. Or even fight to ones death. Fairly common which is why its not advised.

Hate to have to be so blunt but its fact and I feel responsible to make you aware of possible consequences.

Ever seen a rinkneck fight? They fight to kill... it isnt pretty. I have to watch Baby with the cockatiel very well because they go from playing to Baby trying to hold the cockatiel down with his foot to kick her butt. Nasty when they fight. :evil:

They are bi-polar :lol:

Playing one minute and 'throwing dishes' the next.

katraz · Post by **katraz** » Mon May 29, 2006 10:21 pm

Thanx for the advice people... i'm looking for another cage now [/code]

Neokireina · Post by **Neokireina** » Tue May 30, 2006 12:30 am

It seems I'm so disagreeable.. but..

I dont believe they need to be in seperate cages. Even in cages in the same room makes it exactly the same. If these are wild birdies then your job is going to be a long and hard one. They WILL prefer each other to you any day of the week, This doesnt mean you cant tame them. You would need to work with each bird individually in a seperate room AWAY from the other bird. You would need to spend a lot of time with each bird individually. If these are younger babies or semi tame then your job is a bit easier. But the physical cage doesnt really make a difference unless they have a problem with each other.
I have 2 ringnecks caged in one cage and they get along with both each other and me just fine and are both very tame.

katraz · Post by **katraz** » Tue May 30, 2006 1:54 am

thanx Neokireina...
Yes both birds were wild when i got them, i've been training them seperately and they are both stepping up now. Good things do take time like they say...

They both seem to get along with each other rather well even though there is a year age difference between them, I think I'll keep them in the same cage (it more than big enough for the two of them) for the time being. I've got enough spare time to spend training them.

Dani03 · Post by **Dani03** » Tue May 30, 2006 1:40 pm

I guess what it all boils down to is how often YOU plan on spending with them individually. If you take them out one at a time it should go smoothly...

Dani Prinny Bodi

Mikaela · Post by **Mikaela** » Tue May 30, 2006 2:49 pm

Keeping in mind one could VERY EASILY kill the other. Happens often. Too often to recommend caging together especially if some is unaware of what dangers/actions to look for in a pair or ringnecks.

Noone needs to come home to a dead bird or one missing a talon for lack of knowledge. Not as long as I can spread the word and keep one baby safe.

I would, under no circumstances, house 2 ringnecks together until they had been together for much time and liked one another being around. Risks are not only too great but too common.

At very least, one would be flighted and the other not so the victim could retreat from the aggressor. Because one will be the aggressor, bet on it. Loki and Kozmo ARE EXCEPTIONS... NOT the rule.

Neokireina · Post by **Neokireina** » Wed May 31, 2006 12:55 am

I think that it's unreasonable to take flight away from one bird and not another just because they *might* fight. If they DO fight then split them up not clip them. Its very unlikely that the two irns would kill each other. Killing only really occurs during breeding season over nest boxes and territory.

Two of my ringnecks should not be housed together because they dont get along and they still lived in the same cage for over 6 months. Two of my ringnecks still do live in the same cage and have all their little toes. the point is read all you can about it and decide for yourself if your birds can live in the same cage or not. No one can tell you without knowing your birds.

Mikaela · Post by **Mikaela** » Wed May 31, 2006 7:05 am

I disagree 100%.

If it were 'unlikely' it wouldnt be so frowned upon.

I stick by my prior post.

Dani03 · Post by **Dani03** » Wed May 31, 2006 7:12 am

First and foremost in response to Neo's comments...free flight should be done only and ONLY when the owner feels comfortable with the bird. So far katraz is NOT. They should be clipped at all times unless you feel 100 confident you can predict that birds movement. Neo why are you giving out this advice? Are you trying to get one of these birds injured or worse dead? Housing two FEMALES together is NOT a good idea at all...Lokie and Kozmo are a male and female. Females are terratorial and aggressive and there will be fighting. It is better to fix it now than have to pay vet bills later on or burying a loved pet because of someone ignorance. Neo girl...what is going on? You know better...

Why risk it??? Why take a chance to save money on cages? It's not worth it and please don't put those birds through the stress they would have to endure.

I will also say that TITLES on this board mean nothing...because someone is a moderator DOESN'T mean they know everything nor is everything they say right...

Dani Prinny Bodi

darkcloudchild · Post by **darkcloudchild** » Wed May 31, 2006 8:38 am

My only comment is this:

What are you guys turning this board into? Attacking other members now who voice their opinion?

Everyone has opinions, let them voice them and not attack them, and let the people who are asking for advice take it, process it, and do with it as they will. We are all adults, and should act as such.

Mikaela · Post by **Mikaela** » Wed May 31, 2006 8:44 am

Yes, Im none too happy with the dynamics of the board lately either.

Not as family oriented as it once was and that has to change.

Luckily, Im aware of whom and what the problem is and from where it is arising and that is being taken care of.

We have agreed to disagree so lets not create problems where there are none. Noone has been or will be 'attacked' on this site. Thats why Im here for and I take my job very seriously.

Understood? :wink:

Now, lets play nice or I'll be forced to lock the thread. I dont want to do that.

Dani03 · Post by **Dani03** » Wed May 31, 2006 8:44 am

*sighs* I am not attacking anyone. I just get my feathers ruffled when someone who knows what they are saying is wrong still says it. The fact that IRNs can be mean and will kill each other is FACT not an opinions and anyone worth their salt knows this.

Dani Prinny Bodi

jen5239 · Post by **jen5239** » Wed May 31, 2006 10:37 am

Byndi and Remmi are good examples of two birds that tolerated each other in the beginning and now can NOT stand the sight of the other! They were never housed together but they would be on the same play stand and would as I said TOLERATE each other. Now they try to rip each other apart. It's scarey! I would not house mine together for this reason. I don't know what happened to them but all of a sudden they just don't want to be near the other. And if you left and they were caged and one started something what might happen??? I'm not taking sides, just stating my opinion. I just would be too worried about it since I've seen mine do a complete turn around behavior wise with each other!

Dani03 · Post by **Dani03** » Wed May 31, 2006 10:49 am

well I know I sound a bit harsh or 'one sided' when it comes to these things but all I am saying is I am concerned about these birds. Lord the horror stories I have read about someone housing two IRNs together. Imagine having to take one of your beloved pets into the vets because one decided to take the others toes off? Eyes, feathers, toes, beaks are all tagrets and can be horrible costly mistakes that can be avoided by us NOT housing them together.

Dani Prinny Bodi

Neokireina · Post by **Neokireina** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 1:14 am

Let me clarify. What I meant by unfair is which bird would you clip and which would you leave flighted.. isnt it unfair to take flight from one and not both. And what happens if you clip the "victim" leaving the "agressor" flighted. You need know that there is a problem first and which bird is the agressor.

You all should know that while I am pro flight I am NOT anti clipping and I've even posted an article on how to clip properly. And I will even agree that to tame them they would probably BOTH do better clipped, but not just one.

My second point I would like to clarify is that Owners should know what each bird is like and decide for themselves what action to take and I pointed out that in my post. The issue posted about was about Taming and it may already be the case that they do already get along well in the same cage together and I think that it is unreasonable to go out and buy another $300-$500 cage on a whim or clip one birds wings, not many people have that kind of money for multiple cages. Again I am not saying that you shouldnt split them up, I'm saying you dont always have to.

I have two ringnecks in one cage and they are fine, I have had to separate a ringneck because it was not fine with the other two and it was not injured in any way and lived that way for over 6 months. Berrynice has two female birds in one cage and neither of them have been injured.

I have also bred ringnecks and know what happens when hens fight. I have a lutino hen missing toe claws. But in that situation there were other hens there and they were all uninjured and this only happened over a nesting box during breeding season.

My point is that each bird is different, you cant know who will or wont get along until you supervise the birds. Birds are also social creatures and should have other birds for company.

berrynice · Post by **berrynice** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 2:23 am

In reference to me...Bhanu and Azzy have sorted out the dominance issue pretty quickly. No blood, no flying feathers. Bhanu eats first, they have 2 separrate fruit/vegg eating things and Azzy knows when to let Bhanu get to something. These 2 whilst not best mates tolerate each other. Coco is not in the same cage as she tries to push the dominance issue too much. She basically upsets everyone. This works for me and all people can do is go on is past experience and hope for the best.

Post by **kyria** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 1:48 am

I don't know why I missed this thread.

watch, look, listen and learn.

And boy have I been doing alot of learning lately <shakes her head with sad disappointment>

I think knowing your bird and close monitoring could make it possible to try things and see how they go. Honestly or nobody would have aviaries with lots of birds together, would they ?

katraz · Post by **katraz** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 2:10 am

Both my irns have been living in the same cage quiet happily for over 6 months, they both have their wings clipped and sleep side by side on the same perch.. they have not givin me any indication that they want to kill or mame each other... although i am keeping my eye out for another cage to aid in training/tameing.

Thanx to all for their concerns and opinions.

Mikaela · Post by **Mikaela** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 3:51 am

Yes, another cage will make that alot easier/possible.

Also, good you have them clipped. I'd keep them clipped forever or atleast until they are trained very well to follow commands and not be naughty. After about a yr, if you spend alot of one one one time together each day.

While training, have only one bird in view at a time. Why? Because the other bird will be watching. Seeing the one you are training lunge or act out and Boom, s/he will do the same. So try to avoid that in the beginning.