Battling Zebras

[robleepeters]

I recently purchased a Ferplast indoor aviary and thought it would be big enough for my birds but now i'm not sure
I initially put 2 pairs of zebra finches and one pair of canaries in the cage which I didn't think was overcrowding
but the male canary was very terrortorial and very aggressive towards the zebras so I removed the both the canaries hoping the 4 zebras would settle down to live in peace but they are constantly attacking each other and chasing each other around the cage in a very aggressive manor
The cage is about 24"w x 24"d x 55"h
is this too small for 4 zebras?? or have I just got some stroppy birds?

Thanks

[ac12]

4 is not a good number.
I think the recommended is either 2 birds or 6+ birds.
3-5 birds and they can gang up on a particular bird.
odd number 3 and 5 are not good because the odd bird out gets picked on.
You could put dividers or fake plants in the cage, to give them hiding places and a visual block.
Zebras can be/are aggressive birds. I am glad to have given away most of mine.

[Nerien]

Add LOTS and LOTS of plastic plants inside, so that it looks like every end or corner is a very bushy bush. Maybe even some hanging down here and there through the middle area, not so much it blocks free flight, but enough that they can't look across and see "the enemy" sitting on another perch. Use plastic plants to divide perches into two or three zones. Lots of perches.

I have 8 zebras in a 60" x 18" x 18" cage, and they are living rather peacefully for zebras, because I crammed all kinds of greenery all over the place, so each pair and an individual or two can pick their own home perch area without conflicting with each other. Four separate multi-branch perches with lots of plants entwined, hanging down, in, around, them.

I also have 3 separate food bowls throughout the length of the cage, so that not too many at a time have to cooperate to eat. 3 separate water tubes, three cuttlebones (why three? what I had and what fits okay). Only one bath, but they seem fine with lining up and taking their turn.

And for fun, a bunch of single fake leaves loose in the cage so they can keep trying to build nests in their selected perches. Doesn't work, leaves just fall down, but they try over and over and over, keeps them busy so they don't worry about each other. If somebody starts to successfully lodge them in a branch, I pull them down so nobody starts unplanned nesting on me.

When I had six zebras, I pulled one pair to a separate cage for breeding (which is why I now have , and left four in the other cage with all the bushy-ness, and they got along fine.

Good luck.

[cindy]

If you keep all 4 together try making sure you have several top perches at the same height...if you have to set up two watering areas and two feed areas until they settle down.

Several perches at the same height at the top will also help cut down on some territorial dominance fights.

I found that often depending on mutations zebra can be a bit testy with each other. Penguins get along good as a colony as do Black Cheeks but normal seem to be feisty.

[Tammy]

good luck, sometimes it just takes a while.- tammy

[Ginene]

Zebbies are naughty...I have 3 pairs and had to separate them into male and female cages. I find they are better to their cage mates when not with their partners. My normals are definitely the bullies of the bunch...

[Lisa]

Zebras inherently fight with each other as they tend to be very aggressive toward their own and other birds. That's why many people refuse to keep them. Personally, I think the cage is on the small side for 4 finches, especially zebras. I would try to sort them into 1 pair in each cage and add lots of greenery.

[robleepeters]

thanks for the advice guys - really helpful

[Jeff McKee]

The cage isn't as big as you think. Birds use height, but they REALLY use width.

I have numerous cages set up with four birds. However, not all birds work in this arrangement. When setting up, I watch very carefully. I have some birds that I know must be in cages which involve just two birds. Although the aggressor birds tend to be male, they can be female. Bullying is often instigated by larger birds. Again, it's not exclusive to larger birds. 24" x 24" is big enough for the 'right' four.

The cage would likely be big enough it you set it on its side!