[Question] Mr Grumpy doesn't like additions

[TheRedTitan]

Hello, first of all! I'm the proud owner of a Maximilian Pionus named Kiwi. I got him around Christmas time (2012) at 6 months old. He's my first parrot - after two also very-well-mannered parakeets as a kid - and I'm completely happy with him.
He's EXTREMELY even tempered, friendly, funny, quiet (when there's no competition or direct stimulation), and an all-together joy.

I have but one little issue that I have no idea how to fix...
He doesn't like me messing about in his cage. Whatever toy/perch/etc I'm trying to unscrew/remove/add/etc he starts attacking. He has bitten me once in one of these occurrences, but I'm fairly certain he didn't mean to. He's directly attacking the object and displaying threatening body language: he is not playing.

The odd thing is...he does the same thing with anything I present to him. In or out of the cage. Treats included. I can't really reward good behavior, as such, except via petting and verbal encouragement. He doesn't need much awarding - his manners are great - but this concerns me. And again, he is attacking the object, not me. I've held a single pellet of his food, for example, between my finger tips...and he goes bananas. Directly towards it, not grabbing me even once.

He really is a joy, and is super calm and docile otherwise. I can even make the same "pinching" motion with my fingers as if I were holding a treat of some sort and it doesn't bother him in the slightest. Petting, stepping up, sitting on my shoulder for extended periods, getting him out of the cage...no issues.

Any ideas?

[Pricey_boy]

just keep everything the way he likes it most birds dont like change they like organisation and routine

[Brittanyv326]

I do all the cage changes while my bird is out on her stand or just elsewhere. She doesn't let me do anything, I get bit too. I don't know if she's angry at me for doing stuff in her space or angry at the new object but I just avoid doing it altogether until I put her somewhere else. I think it's still important to have a stimulating environment though. Does he eventually play with the new items?

[marie83]

Some parrots do get territorial and once they are territorial you are unlikely to train them out of it. Remove the bird from the cage before you do any changes or maintenance to avoid stressing it. Personally I think getting birds used to change at a young age is better as it improves their adaptability and they wont freak by bigger changes later on. Others disagree.

[janetafloat]

My Sennie isn't particularly territorial but he's not happy if I start rummaging around in his cage while he's in it. I'm with the others - if I'm going to be moving stuff around I do it when he's out.