senegal parrot

[Foggy]

I have a 3 yr old senegal and she had a accident last Saturday. She was on my shoulder and got scared by something and bit the back of my neck a put my hand where she had bit me and she bit my finger. My I reacted by swinging my had away quickly not realising she was still attached. She fly and hit a door, I took her straight to the vet and they said she is fine just in shock. I am her main carer and she would wistle like mad when I was around. And fly to me. Now she will only come to me if I get her from the cage, she will let me get her and feed her even take food from me but the minute I try to stroke her she starts shaking and leans away from me and if my partner is near me she tries to get to her even tho my partner is not keen. I don't know what to do I am getting stressed out by it. Can someone help

[Wolf]

Not to worry as this will pass, she is simply mad at you for her being thrown into the door. So as long as you treat her well and continue to spend time with her as if nothing has happened she will forgive you for your reaction.

[Foggy]

Hey wolf. Any idea how long she my keep this up and is there anything I can do to make her trust me more? She is also very quite at the moment. She doesn't wistle.

[Wolf]

Just spend time with her and talk to her and offer the occasional treat while you talk to her. I can't say how long it will take as they are all individuals and have a mind of their own, but I would not think it should be very long. She is a baby and she depends on you and she is aware of that, so it really shouldn't take too long for her to forgive you.

[Pajarita]

No, at 3 years of age she is not a baby, she is fully grown adult. And I don't think she is mad, I think she is confused and distrustful. I know you did not mean her harm and that it was just a reaction (this has happened to me and I think it happens, at one point or another, to anybody who has a parrot) but, when she bit you, she wasn't really been aggressive with you. The first time she bit you (on your neck), she was actually trying to warn you of danger. This is what parrots do in the wild with their mates, they nip them to make them realize there is danger - it's similar to our grabbing somebody's arm. Problem is, when they do this to another bird, they are not causing it any pain because they have a thick layer of feathers protecting their skin BUT, when they do it to us, defective birds that we are, they hurt because we have no plumage. When she bit your hand, it was just that she got startled by your reaction and, most likely, did not even realize it was your hand -it's like when you get scared by something and somebody touches you from behind and you turn around and hit them, it's not premeditated, it's a reflexive action.

So, look at it from her point of view: she tried to protect you and you ended up flinging her against a wall (I am not trying to scold you or make you feel bad, I am trying to see things from her perspective). So, now, she is confused as to why you reacted that way and is not as trustful as she used to be. But, she will get over it. Just give her space, don't ask her to step up, open the door to her cage and let her come out on her own. Sit next to her cage and talk to her in a sweet voice, offer her a treat every now and then. Spend time with her without pushing her to come to you... watch TV, play video games, read, whatever, only, every few minutes, pay attention to her. She will come to you. But let it be her choice.

PS I don't know if you do this but I always apologize profusely when I do something wrong to one of my animals (like stepping on a little dog's foot or tripping over a bird or a cat that might be walking between my feet). I always say more or less the same thing real quick-like ( like "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry - you OK, sweetheart? Oh, poor baby, I am so sorry!") and always pay them special attention (bending over, picking them up, etc), caress/kiss them and give them a little extra love and it seems to me they understand that it was an accident and that I am sorry for it.

[liz]

I hung shear curtains over bedrooms and laundry room doorways to keep Myrtle from getting into too much. My daughter lifted the curtain to the laundry room instead of just pushing it back. Of course Myrtle went in, sat on the hanging bar and pooped on my clean clothes. I tried to chase her out but she would not go. Then I realized the curtain had come down and she could not get out. She wouldn't even look at me for 10 days. I really thought I had ruined our early bond.

[Foggy]

You couldn't make me feel any worse than I do. I haven't been sleeping because I am worried about her. She has bit me many times but normally I ain't bothered as not had her long so still getting to know her habits. She is a very friendly bird. I just can't stand to see her stressed when I go to stroke her. I have been spending time with her and I try not to push her. I open the cage and she just sits looking at me and will only come out when I get her out then she just wants to sit on my shoulder like normal but want let me touch her. I give her little treats and talk to her. I just feel really bad.

[Wolf]

I was thinking 3 months, but Pajarita is right at 3 years she is an adult but the process to earn her favor again is still the same. You will find that she will still get mad at you once in a while even if you don't always know why, just be patient and try to look at things from her perspective and it will all work itself out.

[Foggy]

Thank you guys for the advice I will let you know how we progress.

[Pajarita]

Do NOT 'get her out of the cage'! If she doesn't want to come out, don't make her come out. I know you are trying to reassure her of your love but easy does it when it comes things like this. Open her cage and just sit next to it doing your own thing (watch TV, work on your computer, play video games, talk on the phone, read, etc) and, every few minutes, talk to her praising her in a soft baby voice, offer her a treat, tell her she is a good girl when she takes it - if she doesn't take it from your hand, put it in front of her and turn your head sideways -looking at her out of the corner of your eye- and pretend not to pay attention to her. Let her take the first step toward a closer relationship. It always works best in the long run.