Erratic Behavior

[QuackQuack]

Starting Sunday Quack began displaying and behavior very crazily. He became very noisy with a lot of eye pinning and aggression. We gave him the day to cool off, but he seems to be sticking with this INSANE overnight mood. What could be causing it? Why would he have such an overnight drastic change in personality?

 

[JensFlock]

Is there anything new in or around his cage that might be scaring him?

 

[QuackQuack]

Well, I guess we did put up some Christmas decorations, but it was a few days between that and his behavior. I don't think that would be the cause, BUT I will take them down to see.

 

[Remy]

Sounds a lot like Puck's demon mode!

 

[QuackQuack]

Do you notice a cause for Demon mode or anything that stops it? Is there a length of time that it seems to last. I know he doesn't mean anything by it but he is being a real jerk. He hopped off his cage and walked into my study today like 'I miss you mommy come play!" In my mind I thought, the demon bird is playing CON ARTIST so he can EAT ME!!! He has been like this for almost 5 days....

 

[Remy]

Puck's intense demon mode only last a few minutes. He will even lunge and draw blood if I'm not careful.

I noticed that he did it a lot after I got him better lighting. I was apparently giving him too much daylight or something, because I was turning it off when I went to bed. I started turning it off earlier, even if he doesn't go to sleep when I turn it off. Seems to be much better.

I've also found that if I see his demonic body posture, I can scold him or talk him out of it, whichever seems appropriate at the moment. He seems to react well to a more dominant posture from me.

 

[Remy]

How did he act when he walked to your study?

 

[oled]

Ville is in demon mode every second day and it last for 1-2 hours, but he is not biting hard, only not listening what I am saying

 

[YNAMomma]

How long have you had quack? Is it hormonal? Have you changed your habits. Birdies are very sensative in any changes in your schedule also and will not refrain from holding every little lack of 1 minute of thier play time against you for a long long painful grudge.

 

[lene1949]

When there's a sudden change in a bird's behaviour, a vet visit would be in order... He could be feeling sick.

 

[gixerchick]

I have just subscribed to this forum and I am DEVASTATED!!

My Sulfur Crested Cockatoo has done something very similar - I caould do ANYTHING with himn and he was my boy and over night he literally hates me! I'm devastated and confused... but he's got a vet appointment in an hour to check if something is wrong

 

[roxynoodle]

None of you think this behavior change is hormonal? The larger parrots seem to be much more affected, especially the males. My understanding is that the males can go through this for years until they get into their 20s. The females might only be monsters for a day or 2, but rest assured, the next year around the same day, it will probably happen again.

 

[wenz2712]

What is the answer when our parrots go through this hormonal aggression? I havent had this problem yet as mine are still very young, but I must admit I am worried about it when it does evenually happen

 

[Pedro]

Breeding season brings out the worst in our matured parrots. My Amazons are in an aviary & i know when to not handle the male when he's feeling that way. I get the same tail faning, eye's pinning, he wants to step-up & if i let him he nails me & bites hard drawing blood. I now know that breeding season brings nasty behavior with my Zons. Back off & just leave them be, above all don't take it personal. They get over it.

With my Sulphur Crested Too, he doesn't get as bad but sometimes will strike out but not actually bite. His changes are very subtle. But if he does take it out on anyone it's Time out in his cage until he behaves, usually a day or two. He is usually a very sweet bird.

gixerchick, good idea to take your bird to the Vet, if he is sick or feeling unwell that could explain his behavior. There are other reasons for this behavior as well but we can get into that when you see the Vet.

 

[roxynoodle]

I agree a vet visit is probably in order just to make sure he isn't sick or in pain from something. First those need to be ruled out.

I haven't yet had a larger bird who was a male. The new zon (if it's a male) might be my first experience, and he's 28 years old now. He has been pretty minor in the hormonal department so far. I'm also guessing he isn't a horrible problem anyway or he would not have kept his first home so long. The previous owner did tell me he gave a large macaw to a breeder when he got mean during puberty. Not that I recommend people give their birds away during this time, but what it told me was that the Amazon wasn't so bad regarding hormones. If he had been, I would guess this owner would have given him away, too.

My conures are/were both female. One got to the point where that day she could think of nothing else, and I just let her be. The other is pretty much fine with being handled those days.

 

[henpecked]

I would think that both of those aggressive birds are having hormonal issues.