Question: Can we separate caiques who have been together for 10+ years but are now fighting?
We took in 2 white-bellied caiques (Shenanigans, male + Jinxie, female) from the same clutch when they were babies. Two years later we adopted a consignment caique (Tango, male) and they all got along pretty well. We've had them in the same large cage for about 10 years. We never had issues with mating or bonding to Jinxie. Recently the new male (Tango) has been progressively being more and more aggressive to the other male. We are constantly hearing them fighting and have to break them up. This has been going on for about a year - it started out mild but is now to the point of us needing to separate them. At night they would always sleep on the same perch but now we have to make sure Jinxie is in the middle of the boys or Shenanigans won't sleep there. Because my husband has been the one to break them up (Tango bonded to my hubby), Tango now wants to bite/attack him too. Tango is also plucking out the feathers on his belly.
If we purchase another cage to separate them, will that lead to further bad behavior or self-mutilation from Tango? Do we keep him alone or do we put Jinxie with him? Do we give Jinxie turns in both cages, alternating daily? This is all so heartbreaking to watch and we don't want to re-home him (he's always had a bite first, think later mentality).