Biting and Agression in Parrots

[captwest]

I read a great anaogly to day and thought i might share it with you, i wish i'd thought of it myself but i didn't. I've delt with many amazons and have raised several from wild caught babies 35/40yrs ago and some are now breeder birds and some are very dear pets that i've had since before high school til now (i think i'm about 54) anyway i've had good luck with birds and feel like i know them somewhat. Many of the birds i have now are rescue birds either unwanted pets or someone's burned out breeders , that sort of thing, these are birds that are usually mean and bite. i have had some success in taming these birds down just by thinking about how that bird saw thing and tyring to calm it's fears, which is why they're agressive and bite.I would do things like keeping my head down, interact as little as possible, you know , give them some space and let them know t"m not a threat, Then after a while start interactting with them ie; be bright and cheerful when i inter the room , sing what they want to sing when they want to sing, slip them a favcorite treat when they're happy to see me. that sort of thing ( I could write a book about gaining your parrots trust, but won't), My system seems to work but it takes awhile, THis fellow looks at it like, Imagine your a women who gets raped in a dark alley, ( maybe toweling your bird to clip his nails) and you are then forced to sit for hours in a dark alley with this man ,every day!(you sitting /talking with your bird to try and make freinds, get him used to you).

[Azure Hanyo]

...This made me shudder. My poor Jovie was toweled every. single. time. she was taken from her cage by her previous owner, who thought she was doing Jovie a service due to her disabled foot. I have no plans on toweling Jovie, just for the record. She can bite me all she wants!

[sidech]

I understand what you are trying to do, but I don't think any of the women on this site are going to appreciate your analogy...

Anyways, I know I didn't. You should have used something else.

[Azure Hanyo]

I understand what you are trying to do, but I don't think any of the women on this site are going to appreciate your analogy...

Anyways, I know I didn't. You should have used something else.

Yes.......it was a little....much. Definitely.

[captwest]

I hope i'm doing this right, any way the point is, yes after awhile you may bet to yhe point where you might be able to sit with him in the alley , but what happens when he reachs over and touchs you?( you trying to pet your bird or "sept up" ) There's a better way, when he (the Bird) thinks your too close, move away! take little baby steps, when he'll talorate you for a mintue move away BEFORE he lets you know. When he gets to where he'll take a treat from you , give him one and leave! After awhile he knows your just stopping bye to give him a treat and will go away and not be a threat, be fore long he looks forward to seeing you and you can work foward from there, just leave him wanting and don't push things to the point where he has to let you know that enough and he's tired of you. I'm sure lots of people could do a better job on this story, but think like your bird and see things though his eyes, Captwest

[GooseBlossom]

I understand your analogy, and even in its brevity, it is too disturbingly graphic.

I like your approach in working with your birds - seeing life through their eyes and from their experiences, a good psychology that makes sense and has been successful. Your love for them must motivate your patience, for I'm sure some of them take awhile to feel they can trust you. When they eventually do, you must feel euphoric.

[Azure Hanyo]

This is getting way too vivid and disturbing.

[captwest]

I didn;t do a very good job posting this like i wanted , and i think my last reply got lost, i'm sorry if i offebded any one , i didn't think thing out as well as i shoukd. Richard PS should p remove this post?