My Yellow Naped Amazon Kiwi flew at me why dancing again

[Beako_N_Kiwi]

We were singing and dancing to music when she flew off her cage and right into me. It was towards me face and upper body so I shielded myself. Do you suspect she was going to bite me? We adopted two parrots a month ago. The other one loves being handled and I can tell Kiwi is jealous of her being held etc. Was her flying at me her attempt for me to hold her or was it likely an attack? Her wings are clipped.

Also, I know she has stepped up in the past. Any tips to get her to do so with me? PS HER BEAK IS SHARP, so I haven't pushed her to step up after getting bit badly once.

 

[KellyH]

Hard to say if she just got excited and wanted to be with you or if she wanted to attack.

As far as handling goes, my BFA is the same. He knows how to step up but when spring hormones are in full effect he will bite and bite hard. He decides when and if he wants to step up on me. I have learned to read his body language pretty good already and watch him carefully when I ask. If he puts his head down, pins the eyes and fans his tail and puffs his feathers on the back of his neck, the answer is a clear "no".

He has also fooled me by lifting a foot when I walk over to talk to him. Now I have done some research and found out that some birds will do that as a warning that they are defending something (toy, mate, their nest/cage). So I will check the rest of his body language first and don't get fooled anymore.

With stepping up, you could also try using a stick or perch to see if she will step up on that. My parrot is not stick trained and is scared of everything I have held before him so I will need to work on training him accept stepping up on a stick before his hormones kick in again next spring.

They do also get jealous. I know FeeBee was very jealous when I was bird sitting for a friend and her cockatiel last month. Every time I went near the other bird's cage, he would start crying for attention.

I know it's hard and there is lots to learn, but try to be patient and don't take it personally when they bite you. There is so much that they are still getting used to in a new home and it could take a long time until they learn to fully trust you and know that you are not trying to hurt them. Slow and steady will win the race.

 

[Beako_N_Kiwi]

Thank you for your response! Kiwi is stick trained! So she has a special stick I use to move her from her cage to her playstand etc. I have heard from a previous foster home that she did step up on her arm before! I am shocked because I've had her for a month and she never has stepped up on me. We have a lot of fun together. After work I let her right out of the cage, and she stands on the door. I turn some of her favorite songs on and dance in front of her and sing, and she mimicks me! She pins her eyes and fans her tail as she is dancing (she does it a lot!!!!). She also pins her eyes as she is whistling along to the song. So I guess it means she is excited and not angry. But then she randomly flies at me!!!! She has also tried to lunge at my hand as I was holding her on her stick to move her around! I was wondering what her one foot in the air meant! I kind of got the vibe that it meant she was going to fly off the cage and fly at me, or wanted to step up! These birds...aye aye yayyyyy.

 

[suebee]

with having a nut that does flying attacks, you'd be left in no doubt, if the intent to attack was there!
as your bird is clipped, he may not have full control when he attempts to fly, so he may just want to be nearer/on you

but remember as you are learning your birds body language, he is also learning yours, so when your dancing lifting your arms about etc your bird might have read this as a threat??

also when your birds hormonal, try not to do things that excite them, this always leads to a bite

 

[lizardsmells]

The really awesome thing about Amazons is that you couldn't ask for clearer signals and body language. The really sucky thing about being human is that we have to learn what they are.

I know you're afraid of the beak after your last bite but you have to forge onward as if you're not. Figure out how to hide it and stick your hand in front of Kiwi and tell her to step up. When she does, praise her and put her back and then do it again. Or have her step up from hand to hand calmly and then praise her like crazy. You'll probably get bit again at some point. Remember, you're earning trust and trying to make friends with a creature who has seen pretty epic failure from human beings. (Kiwi is the one with the rough background, right?) Don't reinforce that belief in her by not having steady, confident hands. I know it's hard! It took me several weeks of inward cringing to stop being afraid of Kazi's beak because he had some similar issues. He wanted to trust, but couldn't at first, so he bit and I have the scarred up hands to prove it. But it's gotten better every month. I still get nipped occasionally, but they rarely hurt and he rarely draws blood.

It can be tricky earning the trust of parrots sometimes. Especially those with less than stellar backgrounds. But consistency is the key with any animal, especially a rescue. They need confidence and consistency will let them know what to expect which will make them more confident.

 

[QuackQuack]

Every bird is a critic!

 

[Beako_N_Kiwi]

Sorry guys, I think I have been hopeful and naive. Starting to think she is just waiting for any opportunity to bite me