Hi, from the Southern Appalachian Mountains!

[Katamount]

My critters and I are happy to join this group. I worked for some time in a strictly exotics animal hospital, so I got acquainted with lots of birds, and not just psittacines. I've worked with birds from song sparrows to hyacinth macaws to Russian steppe eagles. I never really planned on getting anything larger than budgies, other than chickens of course, but the fates had a different plan. As of six days ago, I'm fostering a quaker who was found flying free. Can't seem to find the owner, or anyone responsible enough to relinquish him to, so here he sits. He came with loads of bad behaviors, including wanting to attack my boyfriend any time he sees him. I'm about to move in with my bf, so this should prove interesting.

[Wolf]

Hi and welcome to the forum. It does sound as if you may have an interesting time of it with your new bird. May I ask where about you are located, I live in the Blue Ridge Mountains in northwestern North Carolina near the Tennessee and Virginia borders.

[liz]

Welcome to the forum.

There are no bad parrots just parrots who's fear make them seem bad.

Rambo is aggressive to men. All I can think of is that he was treated badly by a man in his past. He is 31 now and I have had him for about 16 years. He knows the difference between men and does not attack men who come to help such as EMS men who came to help Momma. He never attacked one of them but all other men are fair game. That includes my son who has turned into a game for Rambo. Rambo calls him by name then attacks. He seems to love my son but can't resist the game.

There are parrots who get into trouble all the time like mine. I am so busy right now that they are not getting the social attention they need from me so they find things to torment me. As soon as my schedule lets up I am sure they will go back to being respectful. Right now it is anything goes to amuse themselves.

Be patient with you little one. He will test you like a 2 year old and almost drive you up a wall but he does not mean it. He can't tell you what all has happened to him so he acts it out.

You can bring problems and questions to the forum and the members will answer you as best they can. Wolf and Pajarita have been very helpful to me. There are many others in the forum who have helped but too many to name them all here.

The first thing is to parrot proof the room you are in the most and open his cage to let him explore it. Giving them freedom without challenging them always helps to calm them. Give him a perch at face level and above your hands. Hands are scarey but faces are not. Of course protect your face until he starts talking to you.

[Pajarita]

Welcome, Katamount! Good of you to take in the quaker (they are one of my favorite species of parrots!) but the aggression is most likely caused by fear and the fact that we are in breeding season so, please, ask your BF to be patient about it, they can be the most affectionate and entertaining birds (HIGHLY intelligent!).