Senegal parrot's bad behaviour

[matty2670]

My girlfriend's mother has adopted 2 Senegal parrots, 1 male and 1 female, who live in an outdoor aviary with 2 Ringnecked parrots. The female Senegal is no trouble at all, but the male is a real handful. He sometimes attacks the Ringnecks (but is getting better) and also regularly chews holes in the aviary, which has to be constantly patched up to stop the birds escaping. He also bullies the female and often won't let her have any food. At the moment the Senegals have been put in a cage in the aviary to stop him making any more holes. What can we do about all of this?

[wildwood]

Your prospective MIL should really have looked into this before taking on something like Senegals. In the confines of a domestic aviary you can not expect a parrot like that to behave naturally and she is lucky that the ringnecks are still alive. It is not bad behaviour, just bad management.

There is nothing you can do about the chewing, it is a natural behaviour to keep their beak in trim. Senegal parrots should really be kept in an all steel aviary with thick renewable non toxic perches where they can chew to their heart's content.
You may be able to score a few brownie point by locating some galvinised iron offcuts from a firm that uses that stuff - locker or tool box manufacturers etc. - and cut that in strips and cover the woodwork. If the netting is normal stuff it should be replaced with welded mesh or chainlink.

[matty2670]

Thank you. While I appreciate your time and the advice - I don't think you're in a position to criticise! She took them on as their owners could no longer have them and there was nowhere else for them to go. What was she supposed to do - risk them going to a bad home or worse??? She is the most committed animal lover I know and was only trying to help. If you have advice to give, fine, - as I said, I appreciate it. Just please keep your other opinions to yourself, they're really not helpful.

[wildwood]

Ah matty, you are being very difficult. It is well meaning animal lovers who act with their heart instead of their head which are responsible for thousands of pets (not just parrots) being put down because they have ended up in unsuitable homes and developed incurable bad habits.
"What was she supposed to do - risk them going to a bad home or worse??? " is a load of twaddle. There are hundreds of respected organisations for unwanted parrots all over the country.

If my commends saves one pet from ending up in an unsuitable home then it is indeed helpful. If this rubs you up the wrong way then tough titties.
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[matty2670]

sanctimonious ****. It must be nice to be so perfect, I expect you have never made a mistake in your entire life! You seem to have overlooked the fact that forums like these are for people like me to ask people like you advice without the stupid personal comments! Hopefully you'll get bitten by a rabid badger or something. Happy christmas ********..

[matty2670]

the answers to the missing words round are tw@t and kn0bhead by the way. Hopefully they won't get censored this time...

[eyeshade]

Matty has she tried a water spray?. It won't harm him but if she watches him doing something bad, spray him - they learn very quickly. It worked with our conure, when we approached him he'd say "oh oh"!! Soo funny!