Agression

[Pajarita]

Have you tried wearing something that would prevent him from reaching your face? My husband, who is terrified of Zoey, walks around the house with a knitted cap on his head (even in the middle of the summer ). I used to wear a rolled towel around my neck when I was 'taming' Boca and thickly padded bras (he liked to go down the neck of my top and bite me). But I have also used the cage time-out method. I did it to Sweetpea at the height of his aggression and, because he did not live in a cage, I had a smallish one without the bottom and would put it on him upside down so as to 'trap' him - maybe you can get one and use it just for that. People say that if you put them away in their cage when they bite, it gives their cage a negative connotation but, sometimes, you have no choice and, maybe if you used a different cage, it would not make him think of his cage as punishment.

[marie83]

I've plenty of cages so that wouldn't be a problem. My hair covers my ears when I remember to take it out the ponytail I wear for work. I wear a hoodie in the house atm as it covers my neck. Ollie alarm calls like crazy and won't settle until I take off whatever hat I might put on though, I was hoping a baseball cap would shield my eyes a little. I forgot he hates them.....

[Pajarita]

Well then, it seems that you are already trying the 'tricks' I would use so I would say that the only thing left is to put him in short time-outs (not more than 5 minutes, I would say) and see how that works out. They do go through 'phases' with no apparent cause and, just the same way, they calm down so let's hope this is just one of those cases...

[marie83]

We had gone two days with no attacks which is fabulous but he let me down last night and fought his way through my hair to grab my ear. I was folding towels, I didn't see him coming as he approached really nicely like he does when he only wants cuddles.

The day before though he was being really odd. He sat on his play tree all night with zero interaction with myself or my boyfriend. The only time he moved was when I did, he landed next to my boyfriend, strutted around him - literally walked a full circle round him whilst bobbing his head then went back up to his tree. He did this every single time I looked like I was going to get up from my chair. .

[Wolf]

Almost sounds like he is jealous of your boyfriend. I would normally associate this with hormones, But I wonder if the stress of losing his friend might have thrown his entire system off, or if it might be something else and we are just not seeing it.

[Pajarita]

When you say "last night" and "all night", do you really mean it was night outside? Because if you are keeping him up after 5 pm, that is the reason for his aggression.

[marie83]

He is on a solar schedule. He goes in other room just before dusk to be fed and has done for a year. Before that we were on a makeshift solar schedule. Just said night because the attack was just before feeding.

I don't think it was my boyfriends presence because yesterday was a first. Doesn't usually matter if he is there or not.

[Wolf]

Maybe he think you are responsible for his friends disappearance. I really don't know and am probably grasping at straws. I do know that they have good memories and are fairly intelligence, but I don't know if they think in that fashion. I really hope not.

[Pajarita]

Hmmmm, he might be acting out because he misses his friend. I don't know if he's actually blaming you, Marie, but they are like people and when one is in a real bad mood, one tends to take it out on whoever is there, right? But, if that is the case and you do get the maroonbelly, it should be OK.