Advice for Quinn

[ZombieJay]

For people who don't know Quinn is a four year old green cheek who has had a pretty rough start in life.

She was basically kept in a cage all her life and was only on seed. After some moving she is with me. Now she eats some fruits and veggies her favorites being corn, apple and oranges and im slowly getting her onto broccoli, kiwi and banana AS long as I take a bite first.

We are onto day two of being in a new home and I am not blaming her for anything! Though she has turned a little "feral" when it comes to anyone coming to her cage with fluffing, angry chatter, beak clicking and rubbing her break along the cage. I thought it may have been just being territorial over her cage as she calmed when she jumped on my shoulder after a bath and demanded cuddles and to be able to chew my hair.

Though later on outside of the cage she has bitten and been a little bit cranky, no blood yet but it is extremely painful.

After discussing the issue with her foster carer who is quite surprised at her behavior as she didn't do any of this when she moved to hers. I have possibly come to the conclusion that she is trying to bully/dominate me since there are no other birds here to do that to her unlike at the foster carers OR I've done something to upset her, she is unsettled or she doesn't want out of the cage when I go get her (even though she peeps for attention :/) im a little frustrated and upset that ive been bitten quite a few times and my hands are quite sore though I do not blame her at all for any of this.

please help, I would love that cuddly friendly bird back even if it means time. I would just like her to be happy and Im desperately worried its something Im doing.

 

[ZombieJay]

Ill give that ago and hopefully it works. And I agree with you its very strange she puffs right up and chatters at me and just gets mean. Hopefully it is the unsettling move that has changed her

 

[Dinosrawr]

I've had Avery since she was 3 months old (and she is now 1 year and 7 months), and she'll do the same thing. She'll follow me across the room in her cage, peep to come out, so I'll oblige and receive a nice chomp as a reward. This doesn't mean she hates me or that she's necessarily mad at me for taking her out, but probably frustrated with me or something I did earlier.

Or, quite honestly, it could just be hormones. During summer/fall they're more prone to hormonal behaviours, which sometimes results in anger and biting for reasons that us humans can't make sense of. But we have to take it in stride and realize that not every chomp is a "bad" chomp. So don't let the biting deter you from working hard, because as you said it's not the bird's fault. They really only bite when they're over excited or have been pushed too far, or have learned that biting means they can manipulate you to do something they want.

From what I've read, you've only had this lovely bird for a few days. You can't expect a perfect relationship from day one, and I personally think it's next to impossible to figure out all their quirks within such a short time. Take time to learn what Quinn really loves (such as those apples and oranges), what she doesn't like (anyone too close to her safe place), and what different behaviours mean for her. Some birds express anger and happiness in very unique ways. My IRN expresses happiness with vocals, as does Avery, and yet he'll make some of the most vicious happy sounds. Other people may interpret it as angry, whereas I know he's happy And every bird builds different relationships with different individuals, just as you do. Some boundaries can be pushes by you and not by others or vice-versa.

So really, just take some time. Let Quinn take some time. You have the rest of your lives, after all