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New Too Owner Aggression Problem

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New Too Owner Aggression Problem

Postby bklyngrrl1369 » Thu Feb 23, 2017 4:13 pm

Hello Everyone, let me begin by apologizing for this it's going to be a little long, I recently signed on and wrote about some of my problems on the Intro section. For anyone who doesn't know what's up here's a quick recap. My intro was under, Bklyngrrl1369 New Owner Needs Help, I was given a cockatoo that's 21 years old her owner died and she loves men but hates women because this man's girlfriend used to spray her with a water bottle or hit her cage with a cane whenever she would make noise. I was following some excellent advice offered to me and after 2weeks she was allowwing me a little had rub and taking treats from me and I was talking very softly to her and making no sudden movements. But the last 2 days things have taken a turn for the worse and I need some advise desperately I want to correct whatever it is I'm doing wrong. My husband she loves she cuddles with him laying on his chest in bed and crawling under his arm and nuzzling into his neck. However about 2 days ago I went to give her a treat and she went like she was going to take it and instead she attacked my hand. Then she started climbing out of her cage to the floor and knocking her Beak all around and when I went to stand up she ran at me to attack my feet and bit my shoe and ripped it. Then another time my husband took her into the kitchen and put her on the table she began this knocking again and when I walked by the table she charged me, then at one point flew at me landed on me and tried to bite me but hubby grabbed her first.I don't know what happened in the last 2 days to bring on this intense aggression against me worse than in the beginning especially when it looked like we were making a little progress. I was being very patient and not expecting any overnight miracles however I was wondering is this normal to take a half step forward and 3 steps back? Please any help its so appreciated I'm not experienced with large birds and I need as much help as possible. Thanking you in Advance for any help offered.
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Gender: This parrot forum member is female
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Re: New Too Owner Aggression Problem

Postby Bird woman » Thu Feb 23, 2017 7:37 pm

This is the beginning of cockatoo frisky mating season so I would suggest that first off your husband keep the extream cuddling out of the equation for now or better yet only touch head neck and feet and beak . Even rubbing there feet right now can make them neurotic. I have a house full of crazy too's right now and some are nippy , some are very needy and some are tearing everything up in sight. Yours is new and has bonded with your husband and has only eyes for him right now. YOU ARE THE ENEMY and need to understand that. This will get better just try to be friends and the care provider which I am sure you are. When cockatoos hormones are raging even the human they are bonded to can get a bite or two. Making sure the light schedule is adhered to strictly and proper diet and handling and things will get better. My most delicate TOO Lilly bell loves my husband and is bonded to me but feels everyday when he gets home she must follow him and give him a nip or two to keep him in his place , then she's all right for the rest of the evening. She wants to cuddle continuously with me but sits in his lap with one foot on his hand and won't let him pet her. She's obviously guarding the situation . Relax and just try to be friends , I really hate to tell you this but it can take months even years for a cockatoo to be what they are going to be and a lot of it will depend on how much time and proper care and patience your willing to put in. Cockatoos are one of the hardest birds to properly care for as there emotionally needy and require a lot of time. They are quick to self mutilate and pluck or act out if they aren't getting what they need , even nutritionally. If I can help more let me know. BW
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Re: New Too Owner Aggression Problem

Postby liz » Thu Feb 23, 2017 7:44 pm

They are looking for spring and their hormones are raging. You can' stop the hormones completely but with a good menu and lighting it will ease up.

I had Rainbow 10 years before he stopped attacking men. My son paid the price for his attitude. Myrtle loves me and does like women but will make a fool of herself with men. I had Myrtle for a week. She came from a very bad place. She was skinny, dirty and scared so much she would shake. She knew I was her human but was too scared to interact with me. When my son came over she called him and chattered while he talk.
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Re: New Too Owner Aggression Problem

Postby Pajarita » Fri Feb 24, 2017 12:31 pm

Yes, both Liz and BW are correct. You are in a bad situation right now because, most likely, she was not fed correctly (people tend to feed way too much protein -especially now that everybody is feeding those terrible High Potency pellets!) and she was not kept at a strict solar schedule so she was already hormonal by the time she got to you - add this to the fact that we are in too breeding season and that she chose your husband as her human and you became, as BW said, the enemy! I am having problems with my toos myself and both of them are the sweetest things! Linus bit Freddy's toes and he ended up losing half of two of them :cry: - and he bit me out of sheer over excitement! This morning, I had to keep an eye on him and run to another spot when he came running to me because he was intent on chewing on my shoes -something he has never done before but which is a common problem with them.

The only advice I can give you is to make sure she is not eating a lot of protein (no free-feeding it!), that she is kept at a super strict solar schedule (your only hope of her hormonal production decreasing in another couple of months) and not to interact physically with her, most especially when your husband is home! If you can manage it, a good bath will distract her (they all love baths!) and give her lots and lots of stuff to chew (toys don't work too good when they are hormonal, you need to provide wood, preferably in the shape of a box so they can go in and chew it from the inside -that usually keeps them busy for a while).
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Re: New Too Owner Aggression Problem

Postby bklyngrrl1369 » Sat Feb 25, 2017 6:41 pm

I would like to take a moment to thank everyone for sharing some of their bird knowledge with me. I was wondering what a good solar schedule would be? I'm going to research the food that we were given to feed Cindy to see about protein levels and also try to find what's best to feed her. I was made aware that the person who was fostering Cindy used to think it was funny to get her all riled up and try to get her to lay an egg so I know her hormones are definitely all out of whack so I guess add that to breeding season and I now understand what else is going on. Once again thank you all everyone here is great. Doreen
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Gender: This parrot forum member is female
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Re: New Too Owner Aggression Problem

Postby Pajarita » Sun Feb 26, 2017 3:15 pm

Any commercial food there is -pellets, seeds, nuts, avicakes, nutriberries, etc- should never be free-fed or given for breakfast. They should get whole grains, veggies, fruits and leafy greens in the morning and their protein food (whatever you choose to use -I give mine mostly tree nuts- but do stay away from the fruit pellets -worst food ever!- and the High Potency ones) only for dinner.

A solar schedule is one where the bird wakes up naturally with the light of dawn and goes to bed with the light of the sunset (this, of course, without any artificial lights to interfere with the different spectrum that happens during twilight and which turns on or off their 'internal clock'). This time of the year, my birds get their cages uncovered (and the doors opened) at 6 am, I turn on their full spectrum lights at 8:00 or 8:30 am, turn them off at 3:30 - 4:00 pm, feed them dinner at 5 pm and cover their cages (in the dark) at 7 pm.
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Gender: This parrot forum member is female
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Flight: Yes

Re: New Too Owner Aggression Problem

Postby liz » Mon Feb 27, 2017 7:03 am

I have told this before but you were not here yet. I rescued Rainbow. She was instantly my little friend. When she met my mother she claimed her and put me as second human. When my daughter moved in I was pushed down to third human.
Momma died and Rainbow was devastated. He tried to claim Aunt Betty as his "grandmom" but she did not accept him. Rachel moved to first place and I to second.
Rachel played around with moving for a year after we moved. She was in NC more than FL. At first Rainbow would be excited to see her. After a while she decided that Rachel was not a good human and put me in first place. When Aunt Betty gave in to sharing food she moved to second place and Rachel to third.
Rainbow still claims them as part of his flock but I am her number one. You may move around to first human after the hormones wear off.
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BF Amazon Myrtle
Cockatiels: Shadow Tammy Flutter Phoenix Jackie
Andy Impy Louise Twila Leroy
Flight: Yes

Re: New Too Owner Aggression Problem

Postby captainjack » Tue Mar 28, 2017 8:51 am

Thanks for sharing you experience
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