Accepted Answer

Hi Roma. Ah, the famous Sennie attitude. I know exactly what you are going through. I have a Sennie of my own and he will try to go after my African Grey and my Macaw. I always describe them as Macaws in a midget suit. They seem to never take size into consideration. Oddly enough though, mine gets along very well with all my Tiels. But, he was raised with a Parakeet as a buddy so maybe that's the difference. i'm going to assume this is happening when they are having out of cage time at the same time? If that's the case, you may have to start alternating their free time and drape something over the top of the Sennie's cage when your Tiel is out. That way if he lands on top, he can't get his toes bit. The theory about moving cages can work with some, not with others. Some consider the whole room, or maybe even the whole house, as their territory so all the cage moving in the world won't help in that instance. Also, that huge Sennie ego thinks "what's mine is mine, what's yours is mine". I would not even try to guess at the odds of you being successful with convincing him to adjust his attitude about territory. But, it certainly won't hurt to give it a try. I don't know if your Sennie has a trim on his flight feathers or not and it's not usually something I ever recommend. All of my birds stay fully flighted but I think it is a very personal decision we all have to make based on our birds, our circumstance and the bird's safety. However, I will say this about Sennies. They are the only birds I've ever had personal experience with, that seem to carry their attitude in their flights. When it's hormone time or when mine seems to get a bit "full of himself" and needs a bit of an attitude adjustment, he gets a very conservative trim. The first time he flies, ends up on the floor and needs my help to get back up to his cage or play gym, he gets so humble it's almost like a different bird. It works so well with him, he is the only one that ever has any degree of trim, ever. Of course the object of a perfect trim is not to prevent them from flying. It's only to prevent them from gaining altitude. A properly trimmed bird can fly/glide 15-20 feet, gradually losing altitude, stay in perfect balance and control and execute a perfect landing. I'm not sure there is one "pat" answer that works for all Senegals. As you describe your situation, I would try the cage relocation but never allow them out of the cages at the same time unless you are there to supervise. If you can't be right there all the time, and which of us has that kind of time, then for the safety of the Tiel, I urge the alternating free time. I don't know if your Sennie has ever bitten you but if not, I'm here to tell you first hand, it is a vicious bite, considering that small beak. They don't just bite and be done with it. They grab on, then grind that beak back and forth. If he should ever catch your Tiel just right, the Tiel could easily lose one or more toes, or worse, and it could happen so fast you couldn't get to them quick enough. I wish I could give you a list of things to do and say they will work. I'd be seriously misleading you if I did. It's going to be trial and error to see what works with your little feathered bull dog. Here are a couple links to more Senegal information and insights that may be of some help to you also if you haven't seen them. Click here: Senegal Parrot Parrots - breeding - pet - talking Click here: All About Senegal Parrots I hope this will help out a bit but if not, or if you have any more questions, just let me know. Good luck with the little terror. Patricia

Expert:	Patricia
Pos. Feedback:	99.9 %
Accepts:
Answered:	7/18/2007

Parrot C&onsultant

Published author, free lance bird behaviorist, adviser to the parrots at Sarasota Jungle Gardens.