Sporadically biting Blue Front!

[lucasake]

Hi all,

I work in a zoo in the UK in which I care for around 20 amazons as well as an array of macaws and conures. Around 4 months ago we had a blue fronted amazon 'donated' to us. By this I mean that it was dumped on us as a rescue. He was kept in an aviary but was an ex-pet - he had to be removed because he had a sudden wobbliness which was quite severe, leading to him coming to us. He's been checked over by a vet who could find nothing physically wrong with him, leading to it being deduced that he has a neurological problem. He can still wobble along perches and mesh/bars, flies well between cages/perches but sleeps with both feet on a perch and has wobbly landings/stumbles. Whilst we had him in our kitchen for the first month, he bonded with me quite strongly to the extent where I agreed to take him in to my house and provide him with a higher level of care that he required.

I'm not naive to the behaviour of parrots, but this is the first time I've had a larger parrot in the home. His name's Herman and, for the most part, he is a darling. Loves to come for a cuddle on my lap, eats all the healthy foods I put in front of him, flies happily between the various areas I've designated for him and isn't much of a screamer. He isn't too interested in toys but does chew away at fresh branches and will ring a bell from time to time. Recently he has given me one or two nips, the worst of which happened tonight. I just wanted some advice as to what you thought might be the cause.

It's all when he is on his cage, and one time when he was stepping up onto a stick. I give plenty of warning and chatting with before interacting with him and sometimes he has had/solicited a few head strokes/scratches before he's bitten. Tonight, my next door neighbour popped in for ten minutes and it was 15 minutes after she'd left that I got bitten. I hadn't been near him between her leaving and when it happened. Again he was on one of his cages, had a few scratches and then clamped down. Do you think this is cage aggression, upset at someone else having my attention, or could it be hormonally related? I don't know his gender and he doesn't offer proffer other breeding behaviour.

I apologise in advance that this is a bit of an essay! It's not a huge problem for me and it's only rare that this occurs, but thought I'd ask what people thought.

Thanks, Lucas.

 

[wenz2712]

First and foremost, welcome to the forum

It sounds like you are doing all the right things with Herman. It could be that he was jealous of someone else having your attention, and yes, he could also be cage aggressive. They can be unpredictable sometimes and do have their little mood swings! Its normally quite easy to see with an Amazon when they are in attack mode, as they pin their eyes and fan out their tail! When Codie does this, then I know to steer clear.

Also, depending on his age, he could be hormonal.

 

[SandyBee]

It could be any one of the three that you mentioned. You will have to get to know him over time. It could be cage aggression or just that he's not ready to completely trust yet.

Someone else getting your attention and hormonally related can go hand in hand. I know my amazon is in hormonal moods right now.

Happy that you took him in and are bonding with him, I'm sure with time you'll figure it out.

 

[henpecked]

I really don't have much time to respond. Welcome to the forum. It would be so nice to have a member who works with 20 amazons. I work with that many and they rule my life, especially my wife's life. LOL. IMO it's a socialization issue that will quickly fix itself. The bird seem to respond well to you and things will improve. Your the "man" as far as she's considered.Welcome to being a slave to a hen zon. ( i say that because a boy wouldn't play that way.)

 

[lucasake]

Thanks for the replies! It's comforting to have reassurance that I'm on the right track! The thing that has threw me off is that he (or should I say she, now?! haha) hasn't pinned, or fluffed up or fanned his tail when it's happened. We've had a lovely day today though - he's fell asleep on my shoulder and shared a healthy wholewheat pasta salad as a treat. Now snoozing contentedly on my chair. Think it is just a matter of time and working each other out - didn't realise it would be so easy to lose my heart so quickly to a bird, though!

Henpecked - I'm definitely a slave already . Luckily the birds in the zoo are all aviary kept and most of them are bonded (but not in a breeding situation), so I don't have to worry too much about learning the ins and outs of them. I do interact with a little training, but for the main part it's just providing enrichment, cleaning and talking to the public about them. Though they can make it difficult sometimes - there are a few people that they choose to divebomb! 10 amazons hanging off your fleece can be quite intimidating for an intern...

Altogether we have an aviary with 8 OWs and an aviary that has mixed birds - 2 DYHs, 2 OWs, 4 BFs, a festive and a red lored. Beautiful birds . So much great info on this forum, have read back tens of pages .

 

[MonicaMc]

Often times, when birds don't warn you that they are going to bite, it's because they were forced to step up in the past, and because the human(s) wasn't paying attention to the birds body language that the bird *would* bite, the bird learns not to "tell" the person that they *will* bite.

It's become natural behavior for humans to try and dominate others, because that's how they were raised... so many believe that birds *must* obey what we want them to do, when we want them to. Essentially, taking away the birds choice to refuse.

With the right training, birds will choose to do what you want them to when you ask (not demand) because they know that good things will become of it.


With Herman, and being an "ex-pet", it wouldn't surprise me if he was trained using force, then became aggressive because of it.



Even though you've known him for a few months now, it sounds as if the two of you still need to learn about each other! Maybe, once you learn more about him, you'll be able to figure out what triggers him into biting, then avoid situations that will result in him biting?

 

[Clueless]

I'm a rather newbie to the Amazons - we adopted/rescued two blue-fronts over a year ago. While the advice is great to watch their body language. . . . I know once Secret got me at the same time that the eyes pinned!

They can be moody, opinionated, annoying and they know how to act up to really get to you - but then they turn right around and act all innocent and lure you over for a head scratch and when you least expect it, try to nail you again.

What fun, right?

 

[WharfRat]

Not really gonna help but what I know so far. Our Zon's are bonded to the wife no question but I still interact with them. I have noticed they don't always pin their eyes or other indicators, but I know I'm gonna get bit regardless by them, even when giving them food and water. They will step up for me, sit on my shoulder/arm and especially on my office chair with me. It has gotten better recently but it is still a given it's gonna happen. When I have them I have no issues really at all (unless the wife is around) No, they don't bite full strength but it is a constant. If I reach out to touch or try to pet them, it's coming plain and simple.