Aggression - please help.

[bgriffin70]

So now as Green Bean is almost one year old; I believe she's definitely taken me as her 'mate.' The trouble is; she is becoming EXTREMELY aggressive towards my wife.

Today; a terrible attack occurred in which my wife was cleaning her cage and Green Bean jumped onto her head and was pretty much full on attack, biting her to the point my wife was crying and asking me to get the bird off of her.

Luckily; I was nearby and got her to come to me immediately but the bites on my wife's ears brought her to tears. This was the first time it's come to this level of aggression; but we've been noticing the screeches and loud whistling whenever my wife gets near her or gets near me when the bird is close.

So I know this isn't unusual with birds, I suppose; but would you mind offering any recommendations on how you may have handled this with success in the past? My wife cares for the bird, feeds her, cleans her cage... does a lot of work while I'm off working all day. I do not want my wife to fear the bird and I certainly don't want the aggression like that at all... any thoughts or success stories are welcome. Thanks in advance!

 

[MikeyTN]

Ok, your reaching the hormone stage with Green Bean your Lory.....Be careful about invading their space which is their cage. Always watch the mood before doing any sort of arranging or cleaning. Sometimes I will put them into a different cage before attempting. This crazy stage will pass but don't allow Green Bean to do any sort of fly attack to your wife without putting him back into his cage cause it can get worse as they can get pretty vicious with the attacks. When Malachai was around the same age, my god was he the devil. He would bite if you stick your hand within his cage and will fly to do a full on attack and bite to draw blood. But he is a lot better now, he's two and a half years old now going on three. He started calming down on it around a year and a half. Do you have toys within for him to destroy? They love balls to roll around and play with.

 

[bgriffin70]

Good advice and thank you, MikeyTN. It's refreshing to know that, with work, this too shall pass... (sigh) On a second note; you mentioned toys to destroy... we did pick up a couple of little plastic balls at a bird store for her to play with. What's weird is that she literally ATTACKS these things as if she's afraid of them; it's weird. We tried getting her on the floor back when we first got them and she ran and went nuts. Got them out again yesterday and just tossed them into the bottom of her cage; she attacked !!! Wings flapping and sqwaking; we just took them out. Ever seen a bird do that ?!?!?
* Maybe my bird needs a prescription for Xanax? (ha ha)

 

[MonicaMc]

Exercise and training may help.


You might want to try teaching Green Bean target training, then teaching station. In this way, your wife may be able to interact with Green Bean in a hands-off way and Green Bean can learn to sit patiently while someone cleans the cage.

 

[MikeyTN]

Good advice and thank you, MikeyTN. It's refreshing to know that, with work, this too shall pass... (sigh) On a second note; you mentioned toys to destroy... we did pick up a couple of little plastic balls at a bird store for her to play with. What's weird is that she literally ATTACKS these things as if she's afraid of them; it's weird. We tried getting her on the floor back when we first got them and she ran and went nuts. Got them out again yesterday and just tossed them into the bottom of her cage; she attacked !!! Wings flapping and sqwaking; we just took them out. Ever seen a bird do that ?!?!?
* Maybe my bird needs a prescription for Xanax? (ha ha)

They will screech and attack the toys viciously but they have calm moment where they play cute and sweet. Get the plastic little bell cats toys and you'll see how they'll throw it all over and even play soccer. I think yours is a male from the sound of it as males is bad at doing the stuffs your describing.

 

[bgriffin70]

'She' could definitely be a 'He' as we really don't know and haven't had the DNA test done. We just presumed when we first got her and went with Green Bean being a "she." At least if it turns out differently; the name fits either way.

PS - Green Bean is loving the toy balls now. It's hilarious to watch her kick and scratch and toss them up in the air!

 

[MikeyTN]

It's super cute when they play like that. Mine will lay on his back while playing with his ball toys...

 

[bgriffin70]

Ball toys... I like that much better than explaining to my kids or to the neighbors that, "I have a bird that likes to play with it's balls."
It's hilarious when she gets mad and starts flapping her wings and throwing the ball around her cage. She is also laying on her back and talking to it... "I'm gonna get me a bird, I'm gonna get me a bird."

 

[MikeyTN]

I was quite careful how I worded it.....lol......by the way, do you hang shower curtain behind the cage???

 

[bgriffin70]

Biting getting worse; much worse !!! She has now bitten me as well as the wife to break the skin and cause painful bleeding / open wounds. Not sure why the sudden change in her behavior and why so aggressive ?!?!?

 

[MonicaMc]

Have you tried any target training with her inside her cage yet? Through the cage bars?