parrots territorial behaviour

Question
About those arrangements are as follows:

Each bird have its own cage,with these measures: Alexandrine parrot cage is (68"h x 36"w x 24"d) and the Rainbow Lory cage size is (34"h x 22"w x 24"d) both cages are located in a solarium-area next to our kitchen each of them facing the other in opposite walls and are in visual contact with the everyday activities. Both birds have a strict routine as follow: wake up time is always as soon as I come down to get the kids ready for school at about 7:30 am, sleeping time is always at 8:00pm, I cover their cages for sleeping at nighttime and uncover them every morning and say hello to them. At about 9:00 am I always feed them and get their bowls cleaned and refilled, the Alexandrine cage is opened since feeding time and for the rest of the day since he is used to perch atop and goes in and out of his cage freely but doesn't roam the house. The Rainbow Lory loves his bath time that he always have after each change of water and he is always set free after he is totally dry , he is used to be with me around the house in my daily routine but is very independent and entertain himself easily with anything or a toy while supervised. He will be back at the cage whenever I'm out but the Alexandrine though remains free atop his cage cause he never roams around by himself. The Alexandrine parakeet has playtime everyday when my kids come back from school, either with them or with me since nobody stands now his anxiety about not being far from me, and the Rainbow Lory really has the whole day as playtime since hi is very sociable and plays with everyone in the house, he even goes after the cat, and even since he is always looking for me, he is independent and plays by himself for many hours, unless he sees that the other parrot is with me, fight will follow definitely. About sleeping patterns in daytime, I don't really have set a rule about that but I've seen the Alexandrine napping during the day at his cage and the Rainbow Lory has a "nest" underneath a chest that he loves and sleeps there during the day, he goes there by himself and we leave him sleep when he's inside. I don't really know why he does that but I understand that he may have the need of coziness that the carpet may give him and the feeling of safety that he may have for been inside a covered and dark space, so we accept the fact that he sleeps there during the day.
If you have any other question let me know.  In case you want this info, their diet is: Alexandrine, eats, pellets, and a variety of seeds and fresh fruit and water. Rainbow Lory eats Nekton Lory nectar and Lory Life Powder, fresh fruit and fresh water.

Thanks for you response

Doris
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The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
I have a 3 year old male Green-naped Rainbow Lory and recently adopted a 10 year old male Alexandrine Parakeet from an old lady who couldn't care for him anymore. My problem is that both parrots have chosen me as a mate, and they fight for my attention, I first tried everything to have them understand that I love them both and care for both of them, but with no avail, my Rainbow Lory, who's been with me since he was a baby, is very aggressive toward the Alexandrine, and even though the Alexandrine was submissive the first months now is extremely aggressive and is desperate to be with me even if other family members are trying to be with him, but his demeanor towards me is very strong and demanding, for example, he ( alexandrine) doesn't let me do anything and he spends all the time he's with me regurgitating and harassing my face to put all my attention to him, so in addition to this very strange attitude he is desperate for attention, which he has but he only wants mine, not others attention. What is the best way to have this bird soften that excessively affection for me and have a normal attitude towards a family life with humans AND my other bird??  Please I need your advice...

thanks, Doris
-----Answer-----
Hi Doris - I'll see what I can do to help. Let me know what the cage arrangements are and how they get their sleep time ok? Do they have a separate sleep cage for nighttime - or are they covered in the daytime cage? Separate cages for each bird?
 Also - do they have regular daytime and nighttime hours, routines, etc.?


Answer
Doris - you are one of the GOOD ones! It's so nice to hear about birds treated this well and you're certainly educated as to their care.  Well done!

I'm especially happy to hear about the sleep time, the covering (the daytime naps are fine for them to decide on their own), even the food regimen is ideal.

As a nutritional/behavior consultant for companion birds and a rescue/rehab org, I look for the little details that owners might be missing. For example, sometimes a bird becomes a screamer when something as simple as a lightbulb change happens in the room (especially if it's to a flourescent bulb that the bird can perceive flickering where humans can't).

Anyway - the most obvious step to take is keeping the Alex. away from the "bird" he loves (your face). When we carry them on our shoulder, they don't understand that we are connected to the perch (our shoulders) and moving parts (legs). That thing in the middle (our head) is another bird or reasonable facimile :)

It will take some effort, but holding him below shoulder level is important.  No 'beaking' with him either. The kissing and touches we give them can be perceived as mating behaviors. Touching them below mid-back is another trigger.

 When it comes to encouraging interaction with others, birds do well by example. Cuddle and touch the person you want to share the bird and then gently pass the bird to their arm - step back just a bit and praise the bird, letting the person holding him offer a favorite treat.  Keep an eye on the bird and when you know he's becoming anxious, angry or frightened, take him back without offering praise (but not admonishing either).
Soon he'll associate the high voices of praise and treats to the other person and/or being social.

 It's hard to break the bond a bird makes with us. They often bond for life in their own kingdom.

when it comes to the other bird, that's a bit more difficult. Different species, same sex and in contention for the ruling bird's affection? there's no reason whatsoever for them to like each other.

 Let's just work on other people socialization for now ok?

You can keep me posted here or through my site (www.4AnimalCare.org)  and I'll try to work with you all the way