AGGRESSIVE AMAZON

[Lina]

I use a long broom handle to get him off his cage, so it gives me time to get him in the cage before he can run up it too me. His cage is only 4ft high so im still above him he not eye lvl with me. We believe Riki is like 23 yrs old. He has been aggressive with my sister since she made a mistake when he attacked her the first time and wouldn't let she had to shake him off, and she says he has been unpredictable every since .

I am trying to cut back the seeds in his diet getting lots of natural light and just hoping in time he settles down some, i know trust takes time to build and since he has been in like 3 homes before my sister got him and the last year since my sister became so ill he has been left to himself . I hoping time will help but any advice is very welcome since i have never had birds before and really don't know anything about them I am dog person i understand dogs

[Shelby]

Michael wrote a step-by-step taming guide for beginners. I think it would be very helpful to you. He goes over pretty much everything - getting the parrot out of the cage, handling it safely, putting it back in the cage, and more.

Click here to read it: http://trainedparrot.com/taming/

Basically, the thing about birds is they are very smart (I think I read somewhere that they have the intelligence of a three year old human child), and they don't like to be forced to do anything. So your job as the owner is to figure out how to get the birds to want the same things you want. Respect seems to play a big part in the relationship with birds. If you let them say no and don't force yourself on them, you'll be less likely to get bitten and they'll realize you're not just going to snatch at them and make them do things.

And birds don't understand punishment. So reward the behaviors you like and ignore the ones you don't.

[Pajarita]

Hormonal male zons are not really unpredictable, they are actually VERY predictable: if they are sexually frustrated, they will bite you - and you can take that to the bank -LOL- The key is to never allow them to get sexually frustrated, never to ask for anything the bird does not want to do and to watch them like a hawk for displays (and that's the real good thing about zons, their body language is VERY easy to read -not like ekkies which go for the kill without batting an eyelash).

Examples of angry zon displays are:
- fanned tail
- erect head and neck feathers
- pinning eyes
- turning the head sideways (with one cheek facing down and one up) or, when they are REALLY mad, rolling it around

So, as long as his pupils are dilated, the tail is closed and the neck and head feathers are flat, he is OK - but keep your eyes on him (but don't stare, watch him out of the corner of your eye)because this can change from one second to the other.

[MandyG]

You're right about their body language being VERY clear. That's actually one of the many reasons I chose an Amazon for my first bird. I guess Mojo's behaviour would be better described as unstable. He does let me know before he flips, but it's such an amazingly fast switch in behaviour and since this situation is new for us I'm not familiar with the triggers and such as I usually am with him. Usually he's in whatever mood he's in and even though that can change moment from moment we're able to read eachother and communicate effectively. Right now it kind of feels like he's a new bird and I guess I've been interacting with him the way I usually do instead of taking a step back to observe with patience and go back to basics with him.

[Pajarita]

Oh, yes, you are 100% right, they change as fast as one can turn a light switch on or off - that's why one needs to keep a very watchful eye on them. I have three aggressive males, two of them wild-caught as juveniles (so they never were handfed and, thus, never imprinted to people) and the third one was a hand-fed pet which was rehomed to somebody who did not know how to deal with parrots and, when he bit the man's hand -the idiot man was keeping him up after dark- the man retaliated by 'taking his fist to him' (and these were his words) - result: the bird no longer trusts humans. But I don't worry about him because he doesn't really attack me although I would assume he would bite me if I pestered him. I do watch the other two like a hawk because although we have reached a truce, they would have no problem whatsoever attacking me if they felt I was been disrespectful of their space. And, by attack I mean a BIG bird flying out across a room with his claws first and aiming at your head, grabbing it and biting you in the face. Not a pleasant experience -LOL- But it hasn't happened in months and months even though they just finished their breeding season (when they are at their most aggressive) because they have come to realize that I can be trusted to be fair and respectful of their space and wishes. Parrots are not naturally aggressive animals, they are not predators and they don't have a hierarchical society so aggression is only use for defense and, as long as they know you don't pose a threat to them in any way, they are fine with your presence.

[Lina]

Blink of an eye is an understatment i just got a major blood drawing bite this morning while getting ready to put his food in. He went from his morning calm self looking at me from his to perch to having my finger in his beak tearing at it thru the cage. The only thing that was diffrent this morning was he wasn't talking to me but everything else was the same, i don't know what im gonna do if i cant even get food into his cage with him without him drawing blood. I have tried to send a couple PM but they just won/t seem to go for me.

Pajarita if ya could try to send me one i could use asking you some questions if i could get a email link to you
I would like to give more of his history too. since he not a young bird he is over 20 and has be rehomed like 3 times or more, im not even sure if he was breeder raised or wild caught.
thanks alot hope this posts

[Pajarita]

I just sent you a pm, let's see if you got it.

[Lina]

I got it but i can't seem to reply to it so i sent you an email

I HATE MY COMPUTER

[Lina]

Holy bat crap ...i just read that breeder birds have bands and wild caught usally don't.....Riki has no band.....

[Lina]

Well after all the research and exp of bites and learning as much as i can about Riki's history, and my abilities for dealing with birds. We have desided to rehome locate hin to a bird sanctary where he will be with other i have inspected the place and i think it the best place for him, i do believe he was a wild caught bird, and i am just don't have the knowledge for really giving him the best place, and my sister knows her health even when she recovers isn't gonna be able to really give him the best he desearves. So Riki will be going to a sanctary here in Central Oregon.

Buzz the breeder hand raised one will be staying with me ( so yes im gonna still be asking alot of advice)

But Riki the aggresvie one is getting the right home for him.

Thank you all for all the help you have given me and other on this thread. I know i wasn't the only one to learn from the questions and replys.

and a reallly big thank you to Pajarita for taking the time to share you knowlege of