Zebra being a jerk

[garylancelot]

So I got a new zebra finch a couple of months ago and due to the dynamic between him and the other two zebras I have, I had to put him I to the enclosure with my four society finches. They have always gotten along just fine. He sometimes slept with them on their perch and sometimes alone. No fighting. Now all of a sudden, I have noticed that he is hissing at and chasing away three of the four society finches constantly. He interacts and preens however with one of them and never chases (her). Hard to tell what gender a society is, but I'm pretty sure this one is female. Why is he doing this? Is it possible that he has gotten territorial because he has now imprinted on this one society?

I would put him in with my other two zebras, but they have a new clutch of five babies that are a week and a half old and I think that messing with that dynamic could be detrimental to all involved. So my question is, how can I fix this? I only have two cages. There has not been fighting that I have seen as of yet, but he is getting more and more aggressive with his hissing and chasing every day. It started very small, like once a day. Now he is doing it every few minutes. Bear in mind that there is no nest in his cage with the societies. Thank you in advance!

[Babs _Owner]

Zebras being jerks....yep they do that Sorry I can't help. We have a lot of great zebras owners who can chime in

I do however think societies & zebras can hybridize and will mate. Perhaps he has taken a fancy to her and is fighting off the competition.

[Nerine]

garylancelot

Would it be possible to put some extra greenery in the cage to provide more hiding places for the societies?

[garylancelot]

Babs I honestly think that that's exactly what's going on. Yeah... for being such "social" birds, zebras are mean to each other! Society finches are like Jesus. They love everyone!

[garylancelot]

Nerine that's a great idea! I can't rehouse him right now, but plan to put all the zebras together once the chicks are around six weeks and then let them figure it out. I hate to think of my societies living in fear though just because one bird is being a turd.

[lovezebs]

garylancelot

When I saw the title "Zebra being a jerk", my first though was, what else is new.

Your Zebra, is in love, lol.

The one thing you might do, is put the three Socies in with your Zebra pair. They will probably even help them feetd the chicks.

[garylancelot]

lovezebs I like the sound of this, but wouldn't there be the possibility that the two zebras might abandon their nest with the indtroduction of new finches, or at least get very territorial?

[wilkifam]

This is why I don't Have Zebras. and believe me I have been tempted a time or two, but somehow managed to talk myself out of them.

Good Luck

[lovezebs]

garylancelot

How far along are the infants? And, how big is your cage?

[garylancelot]

lovezebs they are about a week and a half. Hatched between 2/2 and 2/7, so they are still little, but are getting big fast! Both parents are pretty good about feeding and caring for them. Both cages are the same. 18.5"l x 14.25"w x 21.5"h. This is my cage:

http://www.petsmart.com/bird/supplies/c ... gid=400029

My cages seem ok, maybe a bit on the small side for them to fly around, but I think they do get in each others' faces a bit much. I'm building them a cage that will be 3ft. x 3ft. x 5ft. tall. for the spring, but during the winter, they need to be inside. I live in Colorado.

I've seen these parents be pretty territorial, even before they laid the eggs and only had the nest. They were pretty quick to chase anyone out of the nest and away from it. If it would work, I would LOVe to see the societies help, which I think they would. It's just a question of whether or not the mated pair would allow it. What do you think?

[lovezebs]

garylancelot

Okayyyyy.....
Those are pretty small cages.....

With the cage size being this small, I would not place the Socies with your Zebra family. It would be really baaad.

I would pick up a cheap cheap second hand cage somewhere, whas it well and use it.

[slwatson]

garylancelot

I agree with Elana...sounds like your zebra is being protective of the one society and will continue to chase and hiss at the others. I had a single flight cage once with societies and one pair of zebra finches. There was plenty of room in my opinion in that cage, but the male zebra went out of his way to chase all of the other societies. I think getting a third cage for him for now is the safest bet.

[Sojourner]

wilkifam

Fortunately for me I already have noisy squabbling birds - my parakeets, Thing One and Thing Two. So on those very very rare occasions when the thought of keeping zebras passes through my head, it is immediately quashed by thoughts of Thing One and Thing Two.

Sadly all my favorite Finch breeds are non-dimorphous, and the ones that clearly ARE dimorphous, such as Zebras, are invariably a lot less peaceful and easy-going than the little brown birds I love the most.

[Jesse]

I had a bad experience with Zebras in with my society and spice and they're in their own cage now.
I will never put them together again. One spice died actually. spice are very timid and quiet.
Societies can hold it together a bit better but in a cage that small I would give them the bathroom until you can get another cage lol. They will LOVE it. Good luck!