When Males Attack

[Niki_K]

Has anyone experienced a male attacking a female?
I put a male and female together in a breeding cage over a week ago (measuring roughly 1m x 40cm deep x 50cm tall) and they were fine together for four days. I noticed the female had a few feathers missing from her cheek two days ago, but didn't think much of it, as it happens occasionally. Then on Wednesday, when I checked on them in the morning, the poor hen had been beaten up! Head, back and shoulders completely bald, and dried blood on the top of her head and her cheeks. I separated them immediately (male put back into bachelor colony, and female kept alone in cage), and gave the female some electrolyte solution and put a heat mat into the cage. She was moving around ok, still able to fly and was perched in some foliage I had put in there previously. I left her alone and she seemed ok. Checked on her yesterday and same condition, hadn't eaten anything, so I gave her some electrolytes mixed with hand rearing food to try and encourage her recovery. Found her dead this morning.
I've never seen an attack like this- sometimes I've had females that have plucked the tops of males heads (and vice versa), but I've never encountered such a vicious attack! Has anyone else?

[Netsurfer]

Has anyone experienced a male attacking a female?
I put a male and female together in a breeding cage over a week ago (measuring roughly 1m x 40cm deep x 50cm tall) and they were fine together for four days. I noticed the female had a few feathers missing from her cheek two days ago, but didn't think much of it, as it happens occasionally. Then on Wednesday, when I checked on them in the morning, the poor hen had been beaten up! Head, back and shoulders completely bald, and dried blood on the top of her head and her cheeks. I separated them immediately (male put back into bachelor colony, and female kept alone in cage), and gave the female some electrolyte solution and put a heat mat into the cage. She was moving around ok, still able to fly and was perched in some foliage I had put in there previously. I left her alone and she seemed ok. Checked on her yesterday and same condition, hadn't eaten anything, so I gave her some electrolytes mixed with hand rearing food to try and encourage her recovery. Found her dead this morning.
I've never seen an attack like this- sometimes I've had females that have plucked the tops of males heads (and vice versa), but I've never encountered such a vicious attack! Has anyone else?

Mast have been Female's fault, provoking him! ( ) What are we talking about? Species?

[iaos]

What are we talking about? Species?

Check the sub-forum it is posted in

[MadOzzie]

I have had two male canaries fight until one was bald and next day dead. I have not any problemns with zebs.

MadOzzie

[Niki_K]

Yeah, I would have been less surprised if it was two males, but this was a male and a female. I've never had any problems before (apart from the odd feather plucked here and there), which is why this was such a shock. I've paired that male with other females before with no problem.

[Mortisha]

Can you identify any causes of stress?
It is not uncommon for very stressed animals or birds to take it out on each other when confined.

[vettepilot_6]

Were they both put in together or was the male already in the cage? If he was he may have been territorial...just a thought.

[Niki_K]

The female was put in a day before the male was. I had a very leafy branch in there and a woven nest to provide them with some hiding places.
I can't think of any potential stressors- they were in a bank of 4 cages opposite a small aviary and all the others are fine.

[monotwine]

Shame sorry for your loss.

I've only witnessed this with a friends birds when they called me for advice. However the "pair" was actually two males. The "hen" was a fully white bird and they thought it was a lady, but as the bird lacked the tear drop it was actually a male.
The same scenario though, we seperated the birds out, but after a few days the beat up bird passed away. I don't know how much internal damage they can do to each other.

I recently had birds, near fledging, beaten up in the nest. I suspect by Gouldians looking for new nests. Their bodies sustained major deep bruising and they died the day after too. These little things can be vicious if they want to.

[Mortisha]

Let’s see, finches fight when they are defending food, nesting materials, a nest site, a good roosting spot or a mate.
Or they are overcrowded and stressed.

Could he have already bonded with another female and was trying to get rid of the competition?.