Hello and Help!!!

benjo · Post by **benjo** » Fri May 23, 2008 4:42 pm

Hello, my name is Jo and I am new to this site.
Up until yesterday I had a female and male IRN. I have had them for a couple of years now and they were the best of mates. My husband called me last night at work to say he found the male lying on the floor of the cage dead. He looked like he had been attacked. His eye was missing and there was a hole penetrated into his head with feathers from around his face missing. He buried him before I got home otherwise it would have upset me too much so i didn't get to look at him. The cage is large but the holes too small in the wire for anything to have got in. The breeding box had nothing in it (we thought it may have been a rat) and there is no way anything could have got into the cage. I am now wondering if the female could have done this. She seemed distant yesterday but this morning after her breakfast is as happy as larry.
Has anyone everheard of this happening? Can a mate turn on the other bird? I am at a loss as to how this could have happened. He was so much bigger than her so to think she could have done this astounds me.
Anyway, lovely to meet you all.

Oliver and Justin · Post by **Oliver and Justin** » Fri May 23, 2008 7:05 pm

It is very possible that you female killed your male.

Females rule the mating season. And can and will kill the male.

Thanks all i know.

Jay or Donna can give you more info on this. And why this happenes.

Welcome, and sorry for your loss

benjo · Post by **benjo** » Fri May 23, 2008 9:25 pm

Thanks Justin. My husband told me that his neck appeared to have been broken. I am not sure if he could have died and she has just pecked at him afterwards (out of confusion). She had no blood on her at all where as Hugo did so to think she may have attacked him I would have thought she would have blood on her. He had one side of his head gone and the feathers had been ripped out of the top and side of his head. Strange thing is there were no feathers in the cage? I am at a loss. Also, I am from Australia and we are 1 week away from our winter so I am sure they are not breeding???
Now that Hugo has gone, will Kimba fret without him there? They have been together since they were quite young.
Thanks so much for your help. It is really appreciated. :cry:

bec · Post by **bec** » Fri May 23, 2008 10:01 pm

it is likeley that she will frett without him as irns are very social birds but if you decide to get another for comapny for her firstly make sure you have another room you can quarrantine in as you want to make kimba doesnt get sick from any illness brought in secondly i would make sure you have another cage so you can keep them seperate as the girls can be very territorial about their cages and only let them out together under supervision
it is possible if they are indoor birds can breed at this time of year in australia (in fact my male thinks he should be breeding )
most of all i am so sorry you & your family have suffered this loss
my heart goes out to you

pinkdevil · Post by **pinkdevil** » Fri May 23, 2008 11:30 pm

Hi Jo, sorry to hear about Hugo

Were they indoor or aviary birds? And how large is the cage?

Have they bred together before?

There could be alot of reasons why (if she did) attack him.

I am in NSW and all the males here are doin' the lurv strut but the girls are not interested just yet

lol. Last year one of my pairs laid their first egg late July early August, so it is just around the corner.

benjo · Post by **benjo** » Sat May 24, 2008 2:22 am

bec wrote:it is likeley that she will frett without him as irns are very social birds but if you decide to get another for comapny for her firstly make sure you have another room you can quarrantine in as you want to make kimba doesnt get sick from any illness brought in secondly i would make sure you have another cage so you can keep them seperate as the girls can be very territorial about their cages and only let them out together under supervision
it is possible if they are indoor birds can breed at this time of year in australia (in fact my male thinks he should be breeding )
most of all i am so sorry you & your family have suffered this loss
my heart goes out to you

Hello Bec,
Thank you for your message. They are not indoor birds and are quite wild so it is hard to even get into the cage without stressing her. I am not sure if I should get another or just give Kimba to a friend of ours who breeds them. I just don't want to upset her by moving her around or (if she did kill Hugo) then kill another bird if I get another male.
Thanks so much for your help.

benjo · Post by **benjo** » Sat May 24, 2008 2:29 am

pinkdevil wrote:Hi Jo, sorry to hear about Hugo

Were they indoor or aviary birds? And how large is the cage?

Have they bred together before?

There could be alot of reasons why (if she did) attack him.

I am in NSW and all the males here are doin' the lurv strut but the girls are not interested just yet lol. Last year one of my pairs laid their first egg late July early August, so it is just around the corner.

Hello Pinkdevil,
Thank you for your message. Hugo and Kimba were aviary birds, outside in quite a big cage. It stood about 7 foot high and was about 1.5 by 1.5 mtrs. They did not breed. The spring, summer just gone they mated constantly but no eggs

It is just so bizarre as they were both the best of friends. They were really happy birds and Hugo was always protecting Kimba. We were rarely allowed near her (or him for that matter). She always went to him for comfort and snuggled with him day and night. I am wondering if he may have died of natural causes ??? and she pecked at him after his death? I just don't know. What I do know is it is very sad not seeing him there anymore.

pinkdevil · Post by **pinkdevil** » Sat May 24, 2008 4:20 am

As they were aviary birds, it is possible maybe the male could have taken night fright or something and hit the wire and broke his neck, as you mentioned earlier that your husband thought Hugos neck was broken. This might explain his sudden death. Maybe Kimba done the damage after he was gone like you mentioned. It does seem strange that there was no sign of blood on Kimba though.

Donna · Post by **Donna** » Sat May 24, 2008 5:07 am

I don't think your female had any thing to do with the males death.
First you said you have had them together for about two years and they have been mating. A really bonded pair in a large flight cage just don't get that aggressive with the other unless there are more then 2 birds in that same cage. I keep my pairs together year around and never had a problem with aggression. Rodents and snakes can creep into the smallest holes that you think they can not fit through.

If you are going to get another male and put with her and you do fear that she will attack him you can clip her wings and leave him full flighted so he can get away faster.

Donna

bec · Post by **bec** » Sat May 24, 2008 6:01 am

wow smart thinking donna

Bella · Post by **Bella** » Sat May 24, 2008 7:37 am

Apparently a rat can fit through a hole as big as your finger and a mouse a hole as big as a pencil so it could well be a rat OR a mouse

Welcome im just so sorry its under such sad circumstances

benjo · Post by **benjo** » Sat May 24, 2008 4:35 pm

Thank you all so much for your help. You are all so wise. I guess it will always be one of natures mysteries. I just hope it was quick for Hugo whatever it was.
This is a fantastic site full of a wealth of information and fantastic people.
Thanks once again.
RIP Hugo.