Stop Fighting?

[Metabird]

For the past couple of days my pair of Zebras have been fighting. At first they would playfully chase each other but soon they started chasing while making this harsh sound following by beak fenching when they catch up. I tried some things online like taking out their nest, which stopped the fighting for about a day or so, and changing the location of some of the perches, which also stopped it for a bit but it started up again soon after.

They even have some signs of injury now and I don't know what to do anymore... Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[lovezebs]

Metabird

When I hear about Zebras being cantankerous, I just have to smile and shake my head.
You know the silly saying "boys will be boys"? Well I have to say "Zebras will be Zebras".

Zebra Finches have a tendency to be territorial and at times aggressive as well.

Can you tell us a bit about their cage/flight, and their diet?

[Metabird]

Their cage is 30x18x18 and they eat Vita Seed for Finches with millet as a treat sometimes. I tried feeding them food like carrots and apples but it always gets ignored.

[lovezebs]

Metabird

Personally I would add some artificial greens to your cage, offering some sheltered areas, where they can get away from one another. Most birds enjoy playing with them.

I would also offer a foraging box, which is simply a tupperware container with some twigs, dry leaves, some hay, alfalfa, bits of spray millet, some seed, some bird grit, some crushed cooked egg shells, small crumpled paper balls, etc.

Most birds can spend hours in there foraging around, finding things to keep them busy.

I would also offer a swing if they don't already have one, and a daily bath.

The idea is to keep them busy with other things, rather then focusing constantly on each ither.

I would try offering some chooped up greens, like kale, romaine, broccoli, etc.

[Metabird]

Thanks so much! I'll try these and post updates

[lovezebs]

Metabird

Looking forward to hearing how things go on from now on.

[Fraza]

Get a different species in there haha to show them who’s really boss

[Metabird]

lovezebs

Sorry for the near month late reply, I wanted to wait to for a bit before posting an update in case things reverted to how they were. Both of them have been much calmer and how they were before they started fighting. They still have little scuffles every once in a while but nothing like before. They love the foraging box too. Thanks again for the help.

[lovezebs]

Metabird

You're very welcome .

Glad to hear that things are working out for your feathered kids.

Good luck.

[Fraza]

Metabird have u got a pic of the pair

[Babs _Owner]

Metabird lovezebs

Wooo hoo! The forage box works! Nice advice Elana!

I was going to suggest the usual: Boxing gloves, helmets, muzzles....*snort!

Hoping a lot more people try that foraging box for their monsters..er...zebras.

[ac12]

Newly combined birds will take a while to get the pecking order established.

I have also had to separate new pairs, in a divided cage so that the dominate bird could not attack the other bird. After a week or two, when the dominate bird got used to the other bird and calmed down, I would remove the divider.

With zebras, space seems to be a consideration. I always had aggression problems, but my friend with a LARGER cage did not.

A visual block to separate them may work to give them privacy and a visual escape from the other bird.

A privacy perch, where the perch is only a couple inches wide (just enough for 1 bird), with a roof to prevent an attack from above (or put the privacy perch high enough that the top of the cage is the roof), and walls on both sides, would give them a place to retire to.

Keep an eye on them.
I have had situations with "buddies," where one bird would turn on the other and attack/kill the other bird.

[Madiddy]

How long exactly does the pecking order establishment take? A day? a week? a month?

[cindy]

This chasing and fighting can have negative effects on the birds, not only physically but internally, the stress from chasing and fighting can cause a change in the ph in the gut and yeast can overgrow.

Some pairs do not get along, your "picking" a mate often does not work well unless introduced very young and allowed to mature. Zebras are aggressive towards others and their own. they can bloody a bird and take it down. yes space can help.

if the male is doing the chasing he may be in breeding mode and the hen not ready yet.... if it get to rough, feathers go missing separate them.

those foraging boxes make sure they do not contain anything that can be seen as nesting material... it may result in attempts to nest, breeding and dropping of eggs.