Help! Killer Senegal

[Parabuteo]

I have a 4 or 5 year old male Senegal named Hedwig. I acquired him last fall, as a rescue/removal from the SPCA. Hedwig is an amazing bird, he will let me do almost anything to him(he will attack paper towels, but we are working on it...(I have a feeling that it was caused my improper training on casting) we is extreamly affectinate with me and will do all the courting behaviours.
The problem is that he attacks my partner and draws blood. He will fly across the room to get her and will even leave my shoulder to attack. I don’t want to blame her but she encouraged it by screaming and reacting. He fine when she walk by his cage, and she can feed him in his cage.
I have a friend that occasionally comes over who is familiar with birds and she can handle him without the blood loss...he doesnt like it, but he puts up with it.
So fair I have been keeping a close eye on him when she is in the same room. I give him lots of affection (reward)when she is near. I use body blocks to brake up close interaction between him and her(I still allow it and reward positive, but brake it down into smaller positive training sessions). If he postures I return him to him enclosure, make him perform request behaviours, then reward them (so cage time does not = bad)
the attacks have decreased but my partner is still afraid and will not work with him (but she will still work with the raptors)
Any ideas??

 

[Parabuteo]

Oh yah and he is good for his vet. He steps up, and shows off.

 

[suebee]

hummm i like the hands off kinda training an with havin a aggressive and flighted sene myself i know how scared your partner is!! and you cannot blame her for screaming and carrying on when he attacks her! cos when mine bites me etc (very rare now) i did the same cos it bloody hurts an often by surprise

i think the extra affection you are giving him is making him more terratorial when your partner is about

when nut is on my man i leave them to it, i wont ask her to come of him etc it took some time but she will now let me stand next to him an give her a quick head rub, but if the attacks have decreased, what your doin may be working,

but most important relax when they are in the same room, she really needs to spend more time with him, (without you being there, as in out of the house) even if its him on his cage an she's watching telly, an for her to give him treats when he goes over to her, he may take them an fly of but its a start, i won't force interaction as such, but let it happen at the birds pace
you'll come home and he'll be all over you lol but he will have some kinda bond with your partner

if his aggression increases you may have to consider clipping him, for your partners safety

 

[Parabuteo]

Thanks for your help.
His wings are clipped.
The attacks has decreased dramatically(and becoming rare), but she does not want anything to do with him, nor the training. Any suggestions on building her confidence? I was thinking of taking them both on walks ( I know it sounds funny but it works for dogs, pack mentality), I think he may see her a safety place in the “big bad world”

 

[suebee]

is your bird a definate he??

also nuts attacks have litterally stopped as she is out of season! but may well start again nov/dec till feb

it would be good if she can take some interest in hedwig as he does have another 20yrs plus of life left!

taking them out etc is good as hedwig will just see this a flock time we try to include nut in everything lol when we bath we take her a spritz her, have our main dinner she is in her cage in dinning room and gets a little of what we eat (she is in her cage as her table manners are a tad naughty! lol) so by doin things together hedwig will see your partner as a member of your flock, and i think this method has helped with nut, as she does not mind being left with her none fav person, ie me or my son

my main thing with my son is not to over fuss her, because at times she just wants to be left alone when my mans not at home, but head rubs are her fav, try doin a signal before giving hedwig a head rub and then your partner can do same signal, but she might have to start with a quick touch/stroke if he shows interest in letting her do this and also best to start when your not about, but she should not expect much back for it lol i normally do a wriggly forefinger as a sign for head scratch

nut will call me over to give her a head scratch (its a very specific clicking sound or whistle) or do a very dramatic bowing postures, these your partner should look out for as well, when they are alone

 

[Lesleybird]

Hi, I would clip the wings so that the bird could not fly at your partner and attack him. Lesley

 

[Parabuteo]

Thanks, He is clipped. The room is small and even with clipped wings he can make it.

The attacks have decrease from every opportunity to almost non existent(I cant remember the last attack). My problem is my partner does not want to participate in the training (rehabilitation). This is why I developed an alternative training technique to decrease the attacks, it has worked. On a good note, she is still confident working with the other birds including the raptors.

I am looking for hands off approach to build her confidence at this point, then I will add in the hands on. That’s why I was thinking the flock walks

 

[Parabuteo]

We have time to fix the problem, as long as we are making positive steps forward I am happy, because I am not just fixing Hedwig, I am fixing her as well.

 

[suebee]

lmao..... well thats one way of puttin it

 

[Parabuteo]

Just a quick update. Hedwig is doing awsome! I can't remember the last time he attacked. He is happy playing on his play stand beside my partner...next step I need her to get the courage to give him treats........my plan is to teach him some new "cute" tricks and trick her into getting him to do them

 

[suebee]

awww so glad to hear, they canbe devious devils mine still gives me a bite outta the blue, but on the whole she's to cute to be cross with lol

 

[kitt]

Please be very patient with your partner....you can't rush or force her into feeling confident again.
I use to have a real fear of birds....when my leroy bit me hard enough that my husband had to seperate his beak to get him off of me....it took my trust in the caique forever to come back....after a bite like that or an attack, it takes a long time to recover.
I can see where you are coming from and I am so glad things have gotten better...
With that being said, I totally understand where your partner is coming from too.
Good luck and continued success.....

 

[Parabuteo]

Things are going a lot better. Hedwig can be on his cage or play stand and she can put food in his cage with no reaction and he can be with me and does not fly accross the room to attack

 

[suebee]

awww thats great to hear!! this will be hope for those that have the killer sene's lol there is light at the end of the tunnel

 

[kitt]

I am so glad to hear this....thank you for letting us know about the progress...