A Sweet and Savage Senegal..bleeding human requires advice!

[amandaok1]

Hi,
I am in desperate need for some valued advice.
I have had the pleasure of owning Pip, now a 12 year old Senegal Parrot (male) and love him to bits.
When we got him, he was hand reared and very very tame. He would not bite but he would put his open beak over your finger but never put pressure on.
He was hardly ever in his cage as I used to take him everywhere with me (mostly he would sit nesting in my curly hair), then one day, he flew off my shoulder has I walked into the kitchen and went to land on my step dad's shoulder (who hates birds). He then waved his hand to scare him off but knocked him into the oven door. Pip then fell to the floor where is sat doing this horrible sqwalk and flapping his wings as I went to pick him up.
Ever since that time, he would only ever let my mum near him for fuss or handling. If anyone else went near him, he would bite!
I was deeply upset by this as I love him the most lol.
I have since moved into my own house and Pip has come with me.
He is in is cage 100% of the time as I dare not let him out. There was a time when I would try to get him better, (i have never ever hurt him or gave him any reason to attack me as he does).
When I let him out of the cage, I open the door and he happily climbs out and I whistle and chat to him as normal as he sits on top watching me. He even sings back and chats back to me until he desires the taste of blood. For no aparent reason, he launches at me, often going for my head, sinks both feet into may hair then flings his body down the side of my neck and clamps his beak into my skin drawing imense blood and inflicting a tremendous amount of pain! I then try and get him off but he just does the same with my hands then and I have to wait screaming with blood pouring down my neck and hands until my husband gets him off me. (he appears to love my husband to bits like he does my mum, inside and outside his cage)
I take it very personally.
When Pip is in the cage, he eats food from my hands and I scratch his head and neck for the longest times and he comes up to me. We sing songs together and I always talk to him, to which he answers back etc..I make stupid noises to him that he loves and sits dancing to. But again if I try to let him out and I go sit on the sofa, he will fly to the edge them walk up to me one step at a time then when he is within distance, he runs at me at top speed and sinks his beak into me at the earliest opportunity, leaving me diving to hide under the nearest cushions for proctection.
He has got a big long wooden ladder which I used to have on hand so I could let him out for a fly, and then I could still get him back in the cade ok, but he still used to 'GET ME' but I got too scared of him to do that now.
When I see my husband stroking and petting him, I long to hold him like I used to. He used to hide down my top and go everywhere with me. We'd sit doing tricks for ages and it breaks my heart cause I am sure he hates me now.
He only wants me when he wants food or a head scratch but when he's had enough he will go savage again.
He is not depressed and he is always singing and dancing ( with me too) but I need some insight!
Any suggestions welcome!
Thanks in advance

Amanda & Pip

[Michael]

You gotta forget the past and start over again from scratch. You need to take a training minded approach and proceed in small steps. Preventing bites is crucial. Clicker and target train the parrot, then work on teaching step up onto a handheld perch, etc. The more reasons you develop for the parrot to want to be around you, the less prone it will be to biting.

http://TrainedParrot.com/Taming

[amandaok1]

Thanks for the advice,
Will start trying that, will get a clicker from my local pet shop as I was looking at them the other day for my horse lol.
Didn't realise that they could be used on birds. I have watched your target training vids on you tube so will give it a try.

Will keep you posted on how it goes.

I am just so scared of him attacking cause he goes for the bone, he just don't bite, he will chew aswell lol x

[Michael]

If you want some parrot themed clickers, I sell them 3 in a pack on my website. But I sold out my most recent batch and remaining ones going to prizes. But I have a huge new shipment coming in about two weeks so you can order by April if you'd like. If you're interested in a Parrot Training Perch Kit, there are still some Wizard clickers left with those. I really recommend them for flighted parrots and training tricks. Anyway, good luck. Hope the training brings your bird back.

[Sparky]

Oh Amanda that's awful, how horrible for both of you. He's obviously traumatised and has lost the trust. I hope you can work with him t get it back. He's lucky to have you willing to keep trying after taking chunks out of you like that! All the best!

[Wayne361]

As mentioned above, you have to work on regaining trust. Not to the same extent as your story but I was trying to shoo a fly away and mistakingly struck my Sennie by mistake. It wasnt a hard strike but I was the bad guy for a couple of weeks and got bit many times till i could gain trust again. I felt horrible but took the time, and the bites, till i was able to be seen as his buddy again. I'm not sure this helps much but if anything can be taken out of this story, it is the ability to regain trust.....

Wayne

[Mona]

HI Amanda:

I am sorry to hear about your Senegal. I think the first thing you want to do is "avoid bites at all costs". Try to figure out what happens directly before he bites (it sounds like you being on the couch) and avoid that circumstance. You can find other ways to interact with him.

Second, has he been to a vet? Have you had him checked out for injury? Sometimes, a bird's attitude will change if they have pain and or injuries.

Finally, I had the same situation with my Senegal Jack and you can read about his story on my website www.flyingparrotsinside.com.

I still do not trust Jack 100% if he is on my hand but I do target fly him. He turned into a really fun little boy but it took some work on my part to get there. We have a pretty good relationship right now but I don't pick him up - except with a step up on a stick. I do all kinds of little tricks for him and frequently give him treats for cued behaviors.

Good luck.

Mona