Possible to train alternative to highly emotional behavior?

[kaylayuh]

I set up a camera when I needed a bird sitter and got to see what she was doing with my bird. Even though I trusted her, I know that the budgies are not people birds and wanted to make sure she was following my guidelines. You may want to try it just to make sure it's not something she's doing.

He could just not like the sitter, too. My aunt's husband's bird would turn into psycho bird whenever he had to spend time near people he didn't like, but he only ever went to attack her husband and never the other people.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

We did try asking her to not handle him at all during one of the shorter trips, and that made no difference in his behavior... the only thing it is correlated with is that the first time he expressed this behavior was after the first trip we took after acquiring Scotty. Maybe he sits there and calls him names or something? I think it is probably a coincidence, but it is the only obvious correlation.

[patdbunny]

I'm just dying! I think it has something to do with your flock dynamics since you said it only started happening after you got Scotty. I just can't figure out what it is.

Like Ducky turns into a little hoodlum when I have other babies around. As soon as the babies go to new homes, he's much better.

Maybe wrack your brain and write down as much as you can remember of details for trip preparation and trip return before Scotty and after Scotty and see if you can figure out what's different other than Scotty? Even stupid little things like you used to change your socks when you got home before the days of Scotty and now you come in, don't change your socks, and greet the birds.

Sorry, I know this post wasn't much help.

[kaylayuh]

Maybe Scotty does pick on Scooter while you're away. Have you tried separating their cages while you're away to see if that helps?

[entrancedbymyGCC]

Cages are not all that close. Scooters is in the middle of one wall next to a closet which occupies the rest of the wall to the corner -- around the corner is the door and Scotty's is on the other side of the doorway. Maybe 4' from closest corner to closest corner. Moving them further apart would require completely rearranging the room. Which may happen... but not tomorrow!

Roz, uh oh, you are now in the same head space I am! It's so weird! But why would it take three whole days to get over? What kind of natural behavior is at all like that?

Maybe setting up the webcam for a recordable feed while we're gone next time is the answer. I now have a new computer I can leave powered on without fear of it overheating. My old Mac used get hot and then the fan would start to sound like an airplane taking off and that DID make the birds crazy, so it got powered off all the time. My new Mac Mini (Bday gift from husband) seems quite happy to stay powered on and I'm not sure it even HAS a fan.