My Quaker parrot became shockingly aggressive?

First day - he was sweet, wouldn't hesitate to step up, nipped me a few times and laughed, and peck my face like those birds on top of rhinos you see on animal kingdom

Second day - stopped stepping up, but stopped nipping

Third day - started flying away whenever I approached him and offered my hand for step up; became more aware of me petting him

Fourth day - started TREMBLING when I pet him, and flying away became more frequent

Fifth day - started to quickly lose weight, and became very dependent on the food that I was eating rather than the food in his cage

Sixth day - I've tried leaving him locked up in the cage all day, because of hygiene issues and he seemed to become more scared by the day

Seventh day - still friendly; still prefer being outside of the cage; still no biting

Eighth day - started preferring being inside his cage; started biting me

Ninth day - started charging toward my finger whenever it even so much as touched his cage


He still trembles whenever I touch him while he's outside of his cage. I've fed him variety of food by hand, and he's enjoyed them so much that tempting him with food is now the only way to get him out of his cage.

I don't understand what I did wrong here. Is it because I started restricting his freedom? Is it because I've held him - because he wouldn't go inside if I tried to put him in while he was perched on my finger - to place him inside his cage during nighttime? Why does he tremble whenever he's outside his cage and I'm touching him?

* He seemed to enjoy it when I held him in my hands, so I didn't think much of it, because he didn't exactly protest. Was that the problem? Is the damage to the relationship permanent? Will he never be the sweet bird I brought home on the first day?

On the other hand, he is still quite amusing; it's hilarious how he charges at my finger like a bull and laughs when I pull away ('ha-ha-ha-ha')

My sun conure charges my hand/fingers when I put them in his cage when he is hormonal. Not sure if that could be the case with your quaker or not. I would regroup and start from square one. If you just brought him home he hasn't had time to settle in. He has to get used to you and his new environment. I don't know much about quakers so hopefully someone with more experience will jump in here soon. Good luck!

Yeah, our Quaker laughs hysterically in such situations too. We had guests over and she took an instant liking to one of our guests. When my wife tried to take her back she attempted to bite her and gave her ha-ha-ha-ha cackle.

I wish I could give you an answer but I don't have one. My quakers are so different from each other that no rule applies. Clover is bi-polar. A sweetheart one moment, a T-Rex the next one. I have been watching my actions and find no rule or reason for her switching from loveydovey to killer.

Sweat Pea is pretty much doing the same things yours is, but for other reasons. His rescuer (me) became his enemy because I have to medicate him twice a day, put cream on his healing wounds several times per day. For that purpose I have to get him out of his cage and that is his castle and he defends it loudly, consistently, and with MUCH determination! He will not allow me to put my hand in there, nor will he come out by himself.

So we play the waiting game. I sneak up on him when he is on his playtop. When I approach he flies off and lands on the floor. Only then will he step up so I can give him his meds.

I am alternating my behavior though. I make sure I don't only pick him up to medicate. I cuddle and talk and sing to him often when he is on my finger/arm/shoulder. He will absolutely not nip or bite when he is away from his cage.

Please don't leave him locked up because of hygiene issues. Learn to time him. They poop approx. every 10 - 15 minutes. When the time is up, put him on a perch and wait until he does his business, when he's done, immediately say "YAY, POOP!" and pick him up again. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Neither Clover nor Sweet Pea poop on me.

Starting from square one is a good idea!

I wouldn't worry too much. He is in a new situation, give him some time to adjust. Keep giving him treat. Speak softly, move slowly, and don't force yourself on him. In some case just ignore the trembling and aggressiveness. Just talk to him and care for his needs. Reward his good behavior. Keep giving him what your eating, unless it can hurt him. But make a big ol deal about how good it is and make him work for it.

He does seem very happy after he adjusted to his new cage; he's eating frequently, started to slowly look a bit fluffier, dances and sings, and speaks what little vocabulary he knows, but he's become excessively aggressive while he's in his cage.

And I think he doesn't bite when he's out of his cage simply because he's scared of me.

Our Quaker defends his cage with a vengeance. You won't get him off it or out of it without getting a chomp. Away from the cage he is mostly easy to handle.
It sounds like you experience a nice honeymoon period when you brought him home. Now that he is adjusted to his cage he is defending it, like plenty of quakers do. I like my birds flighted, but I'd get him clipped, then work on training him. It'll build trust between you.
Weight loss is normal for a re-homed bird. you are smart to keep your eye on it though.

Joe

JoeR said:

but I'd get him clipped, then work on training him. It'll build trust between you. Joe

Click to expand...

There is no guarantee that Clipping a bird's wings will build trust between you and your bird. In some cases it can have the reverse effect and once done you can't reverse the wing clip. Each situation is different and the owner should do has much research about the pros and cons of wing clipping and, if it will be suitable for them and their bird before making that decision.

I'm not a fan of wing clipping and prefer my birds to have full flight. I do this because I believe it's very beneficial to the physical and mental health of my birds. But that's my opinion. If you do decide to wing clip, get someone else to do it, in fact I wouldn't even be in the room when it being done.

Your Quaker has become cage territorial I wouldn't be sticking my hands in the cage or even touching it at this present time. Look into clicker & touch stick training. trying hand feeding through the cage.

Hello Pisco1412
You might find some help in this link.


http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/49144-tips-bonding-building-trust.html

Leonard is a brotogeris parakeet, not a Quaker, but he also became increasingly aggressive when I first brought him home and we had established a relationship over a few months before I did. He needed me to respect his space and had no reason to expect that I would without being "taught" after his experiences at the store and two previous failed homes. It took a little while but we came to understand each other and the overt aggression faded.

That said, brotos, and I believe Quakers which are not too distantly related, are notoriously territorial about their cages. I always have to take care when I put my hands in Leonard's cage and he is inside. He is fine anywhere else, even on top of the cage.

Some people train their birds to step up onto a held perch when they display cage aggression. Leonard didn't care for that, so we wrapped some thick fabric around our hands and asked for the step up that way if he had to be taken out of the cage, otherwise I just left him alone until he came out on his own.

Take your time with him, when he realizes you are trustworthy, he'll come around.