parrot out for blood, help!

[trps68]

Thank you Wolf for all your help, I truly appreciate it. As always, I will take your advice. I will keep in touch with you with Harley's progress and try not to get angry when he acts out.

I have not figured out what Harley's favorite food is yet, he likes everything but I think it might be sunflower seeds. Harley loves the red dot on the laser pointer, he tries his hardest to get it and eat it lol. I will try to get over my fear of picking him up since the last bite. Harley has already said he was sorry in his own way and came to me all sad and wanting me to pet his head. It is hysterical how he uses his toes to point to the area he wants me to scratch or rub. He is very affectionate when he wants to be.

I will keep working with him. I think I was venting this morning with the first post because I was frustrated with everything he is doing and I cannot seem to read him. I don't think I could ever get rid of him because he is in fact part of the family. He maybe the temperamental child of the family but non the less, he is family.

[Wolf]

Well you seem to have at least part of his body language down, But with Kiki the eyes always tell the story. If Harley likes the red dot it can still be used to distract him, just use it to attract his attention to where you want it to be. Go to is as good as leave here.

I forgot bathing, simply put out his bathing dish where you want it and where he knows where it is and keep clean water in it and he will use it when he is ready to. Just make sure he knows where it is and don't push it and he will take care of it in his own time as long as he is not afraid of the dish that you use for it.
Let us know how it goes, please.

Also I would take Pajarita's advice if you have not had him checked out by the vet yet.

[JaydeParrot]

Though they can end up really stinking, I've found both mine 'adore' brocoli. If you want to work on taming, you may be better off taking the bird away from it's cage (so he doesn't keep trying to get back to it) and into a small room (like a hallway) where there are few obsticles or objects that may distract harley. Try touching the top of the bird's beak to start with and then work to the top of the head and the sides of the wings. Mine would scream and bite hard when I first got them and now they'll lie on their back in my hands and wear aviators so essentially with enough work near anything can be possible, .

[Pajarita]

Please, please have his liver function checked out because I don't like the fact that his beak is overgrown. People would sometimes say it's because they don't chew enough but, in my personal experience, this is NEVER the case, it's always the liver. And, if his liver is not working right, those sunflower seeds are poison to him.

[trps68]

thanks everyone, I looked into a vet that is a hour away. I will keep you all posted of his progress. He seems to be doing better today but he is upset that I am refusing to pick him up. I am still petting him and kissing his head but I am still weary of him taking another chunk out of my hand. I am going to wait out this mating behavior before I put him back on my finger.

[Pajarita]

That'll take too long, my dear. He will be hormonal until the end of June/beginning of July.

[GMV]

The best thing for a parrot relationship is trust. They can sense fear. Sometimes parrots can have periods of time when they don't want to do anything. It should pass. Good luck!

[Wolf]

Pajarita is right. you can't wait that long. GMV is also right, trust is the basis for a good relationship with Harley.

The main reason that parrots bite is fear, and when you are that small and there is this giant thing wanting you to do things like step up on a hand that is bigger than you are there is a lot to be afraid of. Also trust works both ways, so you also need to trust in the fact that Harley is trying to trust you. It doesn't take a lot to scare you when you are standing in the very jaws of death so his first reaction is to bite hard enough to save his life and get away.

You are going to get bit and you need to accept that and work to help Harley overcome his fear and teach him to not bite you. I tell Kiki, my Senegal " No Bite " and accompany that with a look of displeasure. This has taken quite a bit of our hands on time but it is working. If it is too much, put Harley down for a minute or so then start over with step up. It takes a little time but you can't give up or try to rush it, Harley has got to understand that you mean him no harm and it takes time because he has to think in the abstract to realize that you not only did not hurt him this time but also that you will not the next time or the time after that and so on.