Fighting to the point of bleeding??

[bdl2020]

hmm not sure if this is the right place for the topic, have also tried in the diamond finch specialist, but people have posted there in a long time. Have a pair of Diamond Firetails that were pretty aggressive when housed with Gouldians and Red-Faced parrots for a while, even after moving into a larger aviary of 120mx100m so had to put them in their own Montana cage, and they seemed ok for 2 months and laid 3 sets of 5 eggs each which never hatched but were brooding. But yesterday one started chasing the other around (not sure which is female/male) and today looked in was to the point of drawing blood, the victim had lost most feathers back of head and shoulders and bleeding from back of head (see photos poor thing). Left the attacker alone in the cage and hope the victim can recover in the aviary, will call a vet, but a local breeder said they wont ever be able to be placed back together or anyone with the aggressor for that matter, feel bad if it would have to be left alone permanently...hmm maybe someone has some ideas (have quite a few branches in the cage and aviaries, including different nests and coconut shells, the Goulds and Parrots seem happy enough together but the Diamonds never left anyone alone ;(

[Rod_L]

Is your aviary really 120 meters X 100 meters?
That's a big bird cage.

You can try putting the agro bird in with a colony of diamond firetails and it might choose a mate it is happy with. But if it attacks any of them, I would get rid of that bird.

The best way to get pairs of birds is to buy a group of unrelated males and females and put them together. Let them choose their own mates and you normally get happy pairs that don't fight and produce lots of young.

Assuming the injured diamond firetail is still eating and has good balance (isn't wobbly or swaying back and forth), it should be fine. But monitor it closely for a few days because it could have a concussion or bleeding on the brain. Neither of which can be treated.

[Brisbane_Finches_333]

I think that'd be 1.2 x 1.0m, I don't know where you'd find an aviary that big, let alone have the space, money or time to maintain for it.

[finchbreeder]

I have not kept them. The people I know who have had greatest sucess have, as suggested above, bred them in an avairy of Diamonds only, where they get to choose their mates.
LML

[Rod_L]

I think that'd be 1.2 x 1.0m, I don't know where you'd find an aviary that big, let alone have the space, money or time to maintain for it.

Back in the 70s there was a house that was an aviary. The owner simply enclosed the property (back yard and sides of house) with bird wire. Trees, plants and everything else simply grew under the wire. The property was pretty big (typical 1/3 or 1/4 acre block for the time).

There is a wine grower over east who enclosed his vineyard in an aviary. He has quail running around the bottom and they help keep the bugs down. The aviary stops the wild birds getting his fruit. He can drive a tractor around inside it.

There was a wildlife sanctuary on the outskirts of Perth some years back and they had a pretty large walk in aviary full of rescued parrots and cockatoos.

There is a parrot rescue centre on YouTube that has a pretty big aviary too.

I wish I had a big aviary now

[finchbreeder]

I wish I had a big aviary now
You and me both. There are a few in the outer suburbs here that are as big as most peoples garages. And some of those people have more than one that size. But these blocks are measured in hectares. Still trying to talk hubby into moving further out, but I think he has sussed my alterier motives.
LML

[Rod_L]

Still trying to talk hubby into moving further out, but I think he has sussed my alterier motives.
LML

LOL

[bdl2020]

sorry yes meant 1mx1.2m ok, hmm probably don't have enough space to buy a whole flock of Diamonds...will have to see if the one heals. I wonder if they would be ok with a group of zebras (which are also cheaper and more common here in Germany anyhow)? thanks for the tips
PS looks like it was just bleeding from the plucking I hope, seems to have dried and birdie can fly so prob no concussion thank goodness.
PPS also heard from a breeder sometimes they look for nesting material to the point of plucking (unf hadnt provided much of any but they were nesting in coconut shells which had a lot of fibres so thought they didnt need any)

[Brisbane_Finches_333]

By the way, a good bird-to-aviary ratio is 1 square metre for 1 pair of birds

[finchbreeder]

My small avairy - 75cm x 1.8m x 1.8m is full with 8 zebs and 1 canary, and 1 pair quail. All finches need to be able to choose to make a nest or leave it bare. So daily handfuls of seeding grass that can be eaten then turned into nesting material is always good. Also with agressive birds a corner of soft plant matter that the other bird can get into and behind for protection is good. You could try reintroducing them by putting the passive bird in first with nesting material, and the agro bird in a smaller cage within the larger one for a week before being realeased. But if you do this watch them like a hawk to see if agro has settled.
LML