Winnie Was A Butt Head Today & Got Clipped!

[KimberlyAnn]

Very good reply KimberlyAnn, I wish that I had been as graceful in my reply.

Have to agree, whilst my reply was supposed to be an offer of the forums support for the future whilst giving my opinion on the subject that reply was much better worded.

It's only because I teach preschoolers. I got lots of practice talking to parents! Lol But I know there is a good side to all of us and I've seen it in Scotty. Guys are guys. I got lots of practice there too. The first time my husband met my completely liberal uncle, he made a tame joke about Asian drivers. My uncle was not amused and his reply (word for word) was "I'm Jewish, do you want to say something about that too?" I simply died inside. DIED! My husband apologized immediately. My cousin's husband laughed quietly until we thought he was going to choke. Thank God we never had a repeat of this scenario, but I'm pretty sure my husband's leg has a permanent bruise from me hitting and kicking him under the table. Scotty's wife will shake her head in agreement, I'm sure! Lol

My husband is the sweetest man you will meet and every night that he gets home before Emmi is sleeping, he cuddles her like a baby telling her she's a pretty bird. Yup, saving motorists on the roads, clearing accidents with the police, and risking his life by day...Then doing the dishes, folding the laundry, and cuddling a small bird by night. He would have to hand in his man card if his friends saw this. Haha!

Marie...also, it's very good to see you!

[cml]

Previous posters, well said.

Scotty, I hope you consider your actions and see where you went wrong. Both regarding the clipping, and posting nazi-related images. It's simply something you should think hard about and realise how untactfully you acted and how cruel you've been to your poor bird (especially as you seem to gloat with your power over your bird).

[Pajarita]

They Myna was reacting to the new bird in the house which is, most likely, the star of the show right now and getting most of the attention because of the novelty and yes, it was just a matter of understanding what was causing the bad behavior and making adjustments so nobirdy feels 'left out' but what worries me is that you never even stop to try and figure out what the problem was. You saw a problem and you took care of it without any regard for the bird's feelings and, to tell you the truth, Scotty, that's not something a bird lover would do - aside from the fact that this system is not going to work with a cockatoo. I am hugely disappointed...

[Wolf]

They Myna was reacting to the new bird in the house which is, most likely, the star of the show right now and getting most of the attention because of the novelty and yes, it was just a matter of understanding what was causing the bad behavior and making adjustments so nobirdy feels 'left out' but what worries me is that you never even stop to try and figure out what the problem was. You saw a problem and you took care of it without any regard for the bird's feelings and, to tell you the truth, Scotty, that's not something a bird lover would do - aside from the fact that this system is not going to work with a cockatoo. I am hugely disappointed...

I don't know ... ,maybe I am just the luckiest person in the world, personally, I doubt that, but I have always had differing species of animals that are not supposed to get along and raised and/ or kept them together and everything works out for us. This has been going on for almost 50 yrs. So I don't understand why the addition of a cockatoo would make it not work for Scotty. I do understand that some people could not make it work with two animals that adored each other but it does not have to be this or that way. Just my take on things and not to be confused with the opinion of a professional.

[Pajarita]

It depends on the animals you are mixing. I've also always had different species as pets and multiples at that (I had a single dog for exactly three weeks once and a single cat for just a couple of months but the rest of them time has always been multiples and not just two or even three of each -LOL) so I know what you mean, Wolf. But It's different with dogs and cats than it is with undomesticated social species as mynahs or parrots. Mynahs (which are actually the Asian cousins of the common starlings you see everywhere in the US) are as intelligent and as social as parrots and are hardwired to bond with another being and to need the security of their flock around them so, when you take them out of the wild and put them in the middle of a human family, the bird relies/depends on this relationship for its emotional wellbeing. It becomes a mainstay in their lives. And, when an intruder (the cockatoo) takes over or threatens their 'position' or their relationship with the chosen human, the bird will feel insecure, resent the change/intruder/chosen one and would, in one way or another, act up.

I have no way of knowing if this is what happened in Scotty's household but, given the novelty (photos, videos, stories, etc) of the cockatoo's arrival and the fact that the Mynah started acting up a few days after the too joined the family and in a manner which is text book behavior of jealousy in social birds, I made an educated guess.

[Wolf]

I see where you are coming from and full well understand the effect that a newcomer has upon both the group as a whole as well as the effects upon the individuals of the group. Since there is only so much time available to go around the addition of another means that much less time for the individuals of said group. Most animals will notice this and react to this and the effect is much more pronounced the more intelligent the individual is. As long as the human understands this and acts on this, the problem, instead of reacting to the poor behavior of the animal that feels the infringement the most acutely, there is no reason that thing will work out in any way but the best as the individuals and group become rebalanced. This does mean that the human must recognize the situation, give the proper reinforcement to those that are reacting, as well as endure a certain degree of acting out on the animals part until the new balance can be achieved. With this in mind I still see no reason that it can't work.

[Pajarita]

I agree 100%! I used to foster dogs and cats when I was at the rescue (had a steady number of 17 dogs and 26 cats living in my house and not a single one in a crate, ever) and bring in new birds all the time (had over 240 at one time) and nobody ever felt left out but, as you said, you need to understand why the dynamics changed and make adjustments (in the greatest majority of cases, just temporarily) so nobody suffers. But, in this particular case, it wasn't done.

[Wolf]

I agree 100%! I used to foster dogs and cats when I was at the rescue (had a steady number of 17 dogs and 26 cats living in my house and not a single one in a crate, ever) and bring in new birds all the time (had over 240 at one time) and nobody ever felt left out but, as you said, you need to understand why the dynamics changed and make adjustments (in the greatest majority of cases, just temporarily) so nobody suffers. But, in this particular case, it wasn't done.

Sad but true ! I do hope that this will be helpful in the future.

[Scotty]

You're actually wrong Pajarita because as I mention below this is not a pet shop bird, this is closer to owning a small hawk in your house and people don't typically keep wild hawks flying around inside a home, that is dangerous and Winnie can be dangerous too.

I actually didn't go wrong with anything, how many people here on the forum even know the nature of these bird or has owned one for 5 years like myself?

I'm only sorry about the Nazi thing if people didn't get it., I'm a computer geek and it's a pretty common thing online, amongst geeks, the Spelling Nazis, as an example, and it doesn't imply anything in the way of prejudice or hatred towards any racial groups, or anyone etc...

No one here has ever see the Seinfeld show and the Soup Nazi?

I don't believe in hate or prejudice...

Actually I am a bird person and I know how to train them, but Winnie is not a parrot for starters and she was taken from the wild at around 6 weeks old and then hand fed by me for 3 months.

They can be quite nasty birds, and I have other family members in the house that I have to consider the safety of, not to mention guests.

These Mynah birds like to stand their ground so to speak and fight you, and if one landed like Winnie did on your shoulder and you turned towards her to give her a look, she could literally take your eye out, and she won't hesitate to do it either.

There is only so far you can train these birds, beyond that they have a nasty streak and they will attack to hurt you.

Winnie was very cuddly as a baby/youngster, but when they get older, look out.

But Winnie does still want attention, she still comes to us and likes to play, and I taught her to talk, and she has a pretty good vocabulary, but this is an animal you to realize it can be dangerous and you have to respect that when owning it.

I've had a Common Mynah for almost 5 years, so unless someone else wants to step forward with this much experience, please don't criticize me on the subject of these birds, because you can only domesticate them so far, like having an Eagle or Hawk.

If Winnie was some type of parrot I could understand everyone's anger, but remember she's not.

So I'm sorry if everyone took my post the wrong way, it wasn't meant as a cruel joke, but yes I should of worded the Topic differently and left out the Nazis, I guess I'm the only one here that get's the Soup Nazi jokes?

Oh and this incidence had nothing to do with the new bird Noelani, this happened before she arrived.

Common Mynah birds are just aggressive, it's their nature. This is not your pet store bird, this is more like getting a small hawk that can hurt or mame you...

[KimberlyAnn]

So I'm sorry if everyone took my post the wrong way, it wasn't meant as a cruel joke, but yes I should of worded the Topic differently and left out the Nazis...

Thank-you for this part. It takes a big man to say those words.