Parrot training gone terribly, terribly wrong

[Khaiqha]

http://www.birdtricks.com/blog/does-you ... mmunicate/

It's a pretty interesting article about how birds can communicate. Every bird is different. My IRN and Alex both do one thing in common though: they make the cutest noises right before they savagely attack something. I have to warn people all the time. The more adorable my birds are being, the more angry they actually are.

Case in point, today I found out my Alex is jealous of my xbox controller. He'll sit on my arm/shoulder/head, but I don't let him chew on my controller. I was gaming and heard a cute noise and thought it was from the xbox. Next thing I know my Alex is striking and biting the controller and tagging me in the process. I moved the controller away from him, and that seemed to make him even angrier and he started attacking my hand.

My kinect happened to catch everything. First, my bird lowered his head and got his "helmet" on (fluffed up the feathers). Then he pinned his eyes and bobbed his head, and finally he made the cute noise.

I'm lucky that his idea of biting is putting his beak on me but not squeezing. I feel for your boyfriend. If someone else's dog had sent me to the ER, I'd be pretty pissed. It's moments like these that we have to remember birds are not domesticated, and that you have to maintain a certain level of awareness with birds at all times.

[Polarn]

It's moments like these that we have to remember birds are not domesticated, and that you have to maintain a certain level of awareness with birds at all times.

Well said their like toddlers with matches, still cute but with the possibilities to eventually cost you your home and your skin.

And im glad you got to be able to do a replay of the event through your kinect, incase youve never noticed one of the behaviors leading up to a bite before. I think it is important to maintain their signs of discomfort and the only way todo so is to respect them. I also think that the more you respect these kind of signs the closer the bond will be between the two of you.

Also greymoon, happy she has learnt that the signs do have an affect on you, and eventually she might not do em halfhalf anymore and actually present you with the whole array of "psst, get outa here!" signs before he strikes.

[Grey_Moon]

Side note: *shudders* yuuucck birdtricks... hate those guys.

Yup Polarn, I'm happy she's learning slowly that she doesn't need to lash out to get me to leave.
Interestingly though she completely forgoes warning my partner usually.

Why?

Because he gets into a headlock with her where he won't reward her for 'little things' like stepping up and is determined to 'be the boss' (when she gets stubborn he reaches for a towel...I reach for the walnuts). So she figures he's one of those people who won't listen so why bother.

I'm slowly teaching him to back off and that you trap more flies with honey than vinegar.

The other factor is of course he's the third wheel. I'm her mate and her chosen person, he's the competition/annoying intrusion so she's much less patient and tolerant of him. Especially when her hormones gear up...she's much more likely to speak softly and carry a big beak. She charged him a few nights ago and I was wondering if she was going to dive bomb him.

But its breeding season and he was helping me reassemble her cage after we broke it down to clean it...so I'm not surprised.

[Eurycerus]

Side note: *shudders* yuuucck birdtricks... hate those guys...

The other factor is of course he's the third wheel. I'm her mate and her chosen person, he's the competition/annoying intrusion so she's much less patient and tolerant of him. Especially when her hormones gear up...she's much more likely to speak softly and carry a big beak. She charged him a few nights ago and I was wondering if she was going to dive bomb him.

Disappointing, but good to know that this stuff happens with your parrot and partner. *sigh*

Also I've never even come across birdtricks but I'm curious why the hate? Haha omg one of the dudes looks like such a tool with his long, spikey hair. Hilarious... they're such bros.

[Ursibear]

thank you for the many answers and good tips
I've been thinking while i was at work about all of this and iIve decided to make a little tabletop perch for Sisu. This way he can still be watching TV and at the computer with me, but not be on my shoulder.
Now i just need to find out how to actually make him sit there
has been acting strange all day though... First off, when i got up in the morning, he was overly cuddly. As in, it took me 10 minutes to change his water and feed him because he would rub his head against my hand while lolling his tongue. This isn't what i would call weird.... he's been a cuddle monster for about a week now. but after the ordeal yesterday, i would have thought he would be at least a bit reluctant of my hands.
Then i came back from work and i noticed his seed mix had been spread all over the floor like 2 feet away from his cage. How did he even do that? i didn't think a 150g bird would have the torso strength to fling things that far Then my boyfriend informed me that he had been doing extremely loud bird calls and chatter all day, which is unusual. He claims he takes a nap or two during the day normally, and he spends most of the rest of the time playing with the toys and watching the bunnies or just hanging out.
So i went over to the cage after cleaning up the mess, and offered him pieces of grape and peanut, which he initially accepted, only then to fling them away. (he's done this before, during the first 2 days after his arrival). So i told him, my cuddle monster is pouty! And he then started with some more really loud chatter, and rattling his beak on the cage bars. I offered him my hand to come out of the cage, he pecked it and then demonstratively walked away and climbed to a higher perch.
I then gave him some harrison's pellets, a pinch of his old seeds and small pieces of apple. I then filled up his bowl of water and left.
As soon as i sat down by the computer, i heard a splash. So i turn around and he is taking a "bath" in his water bowl :s ( actually just diving in chest first, cause his bowl is not big enough to fit the entire bird) He hates water, so no clue where that came from.
So then i spent about 30 minutes doing mimic with him from my chair at the comp, let's say about 10 feet away from his cage. Normally it's just clicks, 2 different whistles and kissing noises, but today he said "hello!" and quacked like a duck. Never heard him do that before.
After a while he started screaming so i ignored him, as i want to discourage loud noises. He must have figured it out though, because he then started crying like a baby. A human baby. Or maybe a cat, not sure. Either way, weird!
Went over to the cage to observe him a bit better, to try and see his body language. He lifted his wings half way up, puffed his feathers a bit, and then started making circles with his head. Like a bob, only a full circle. While singing.
Now I'm a noob, so this could very well be aggression, but i sort of got the impression that he was showing off instead.
Tried to get him out of the cage by inviting him to step up, and he backed off. So i closed the cage again and walked away. Before i could sit down, i hear the cage door open and he is there waiting for me. So i come over and he climbs on my shoulder as usual. (Still haven't completed the perch so i don't know what else to do!)
He's been asking for cuddles since. He also rubs his beak against my nose, walks from a shoulder to the other through my chest rather than the back as he usually does, and grinds his beak together with the eyes closed.
I am confused. My little birdie is very expressive and he doesn't give me a break to learn what he's trying to say, just tosses everything at me
Is it possible he's going through a hormonal phase? can male parrots do that?

[Ursibear]

Holy hats. excuse me for the wall of text, I didn't think it'd turn out to be so long
Also, how come you don't like the people at parrotricks.com, Grey? i thought the page linked was interesting, i wasn't aware that some parrots can change color I sure have a lot to learn.

[Eurycerus]

As soon as i sat down by the computer, i heard a splash. So i turn around and he is taking a "bath" in his water bowl :s ( actually just diving in chest first, cause his bowl is not big enough to fit the entire bird) He hates water, so no clue where that came from.

After a while he started screaming so i ignored him, as i want to discourage loud noises. He must have figured it out though, because he then started crying like a baby. A human baby. Or maybe a cat, not sure. Either way, weird!

Went over to the cage to observe him a bit better, to try and see his body language. He lifted his wings half way up, puffed his feathers a bit, and then started making circles with his head. Like a bob, only a full circle. While singing.

Is it possible he's going through a hormonal phase? can male parrots do that?

Nika has only showed me once, but she does apparently take mini baths in her water bowl. I wish did it more often because it was adorable. I haven't had her in the shower yet but I bring her into the bathroom and she whistles up a storm while I shower and I'm sure the humidity is good for her. So maybe Sisu hides it well!

Nika also does a terrifying baby scream thing, but only at night around her bedtime. It is the creepiest thing. I remember the first time she did it, about two or three weeks into owning her, I was startled and then cracked up. I accidentally reinforced it or maybe she just likes doing it, because she does it nearly every day right around bedtime. She also can mimic children yells perfectly, which I found out while hanging out with some family. She sounded exactly like my two year old cousin!! I'd say it's normal, just try not to laugh like I did. :]

Honestly his behavior doesn't sound angry. He is still settling in so you haven't seen all his tricks yet! I'm sure of it. Sounds like he wanted attention and was doing it in a way that actually got attention, rather than screaming, which is great. I reinforce all cute behaviors by copying Nika or at least talking to her. About two months after having her in my life she showed me a new behavior by bobbing her head at my boyfriend. She had never done it to anyone else before, including me, so they are definitely capable of new things.

They really get into moods and they don't really care what they were feeling yesterday. So yes your boyfriend got mauled but she's over it. I always expect Nika to act differently after a particularly awful day, but if she decides she's not upset anymore, then she's really not. Sisu might also be feeling the tension and is trying extra hard to get your attention and friendly pats.

Males and females get very hormonal, but hormonal dances don't look like what you described. They dance around with their wings from their body, make regurgitating motions, and rather adorable squeaky noises. They also rub their faces on you and Nika tries to jam her head in between my thumb and palm. (pretty sure red bellieds do very similar things)

[cml]

So i come over and he climbs on my shoulder as usual. (Still haven't completed the perch so i don't know what else to do!)

Here's where you need to change your attitude towards the whole shoulder-issue . If you are going to work around it, show that he is NOT allowed there, it doesnt matter if he climbs up a thousand times a day. If he does, remove him. Put him on a sofa, a table, a chair, whatever. Keep removing him !

[Eurycerus]

Here's where you need to change your attitude towards the whole shoulder-issue . If you are going to work around it, show that he is NOT allowed there, it doesnt matter if he climbs up a thousand times a day. If he does, remove him. Put him on a sofa, a table, a chair, whatever. Keep removing him !

Agreed +1

[Ursibear]

If you are going to work around it, show that he is NOT allowed there, it doesnt matter if he climbs up a thousand times a day. If he does, remove him. Put him on a sofa, a table, a chair, whatever. Keep removing him !

Yes, but how? Do i grab him? push him off? He won't step up when he's there