Aggressive Amazon

[Keatz]

Hi, I posted earlier this year about how my yellow crowned Amazon, Basil, was starting to bite. I took everyone's advice, but lately, he's become really aggressive. He's been attacking me. On the weekend, he flew at me several times and bit my face, drawing blood and leaving me with scars and bruising. Sometimes, he's really nice to me and even regurgitates on me, and then suddenly he becomes aggressive and flies after me.
This afternoon, he was playing with a toy. He was jumping on it and attacking it, and then he decided to attack me. When we play together, invariably, he ends up pinning his eyes and I get bitten.
I don't know what I've done to upset him. I only have positive interactions with him. Even when he bites me, I scream because it hurts and I can't help it, but I never raise my voice at him, and lately, when he does do something good, I reward him with a pistachio.
I should mention that he's only one and a half.
I've owned many parrots. I used to have a cockatoo, and I also have an eclectus parrot, and none of them have been aggressive. Basil is the first aggressive parrot I've had.
Because I live in country Victorian, Australia, there is no one close to me who I can reach out to for help. There are no parrot experts or trainers here.

 

[wrench13]

At 1-1/2 he is most certainly going thru puberty.

On Hormones (or Horror-mones)

Parrots go thru puberty, just like humans do, because their internal metabolism tells the body –“Hey time to start thinking of babies”. When that happens, their little bodies get flooded for the first time with hormones. The when is only estimated, puberty can occur from 6 months or so for small parrots like budgies, cockatiels and parrotlets, with the larger parrots taking longer, progressively. Macaws and cockatoos, it could be a year or more before it starts. Puberty (and successive mating seasons) is not a precisely timed event. Depending on the individual parrot, it might occur earlier or later then the norm for that species, and other factors come into play on when it starts.

Like human children (and our parrots are so close in temperament to children), puberty can bring on all sorts of behavioral changes, which the parrot has absolutely no control over. One minute they are their normal selves and all of a sudden, BAM, they bite you, and the next second they are back to their normal selves. Mood swings like this are so common that for inexperienced parrot owners, this is the time when parrots are most often given up or surrendered. They can do a 180 degree turn and formerly the person who was THE person is now like yesterday’s news and the parrot might fixate on another member of the family (and it might not be one who actually likes parrots!). This does not happen every time, but it does happen, and the former favorite person needs to wheedle and scheme to get back into the parrots inner circle.

Some other behavior you might encounter:

• Trying to mate with objects like toys or food bowls, even your hand. Butt rubbing is what this looks like.
• Shredding paper, bedding, or any material that can be made into nest like stuff
• Seeking dark hidey places
• Being abnormally loud and making new clucking noises or others

Puberty can last anywhere from a few months to a year or so in larger parrots, again depending on species and the individual parrot. The 2 things to take away on this is that it will come to an end eventually and the other is to try and not let unwanted behavior become normal or habitual.

And now we come to mating season. Most parrots go through an annual mating season. Species like Eclectus parrots and a few other rare ones can have mating season at any time the environment produces mating triggers. For the rest, its once a year. Mating season is triggered by some things we can control and others that we cannot. The behavioral result of mating season is very similar to the ones displayed in puberty, with the exception of switching allegiances to a new person, which is rare. Uncontrollable rapid mood swings are pretty common and can vary with the intensity of the hormone release. Some years mating season can be pretty mild, and some are just killer for the poor parrot, as the drive to mate is frustrated (unless you are a breeder). The diurnal cycle of daylight to night time is one of the stronger triggers. Some folks keep their parrots on a day/night cycle that mirrors this, while others keep a 12hr day/night cycle. Either one has its pros and cons and we won’t get into that here.

Some things you can do to reduce (but never 100% eliminate) the effects of mating season are:

• Remove any shreddy type materials and limit access to them when the parrot is out of the cage
• Prevent access to dark hidey holes
• No touching the parrot anywhere except for the head and neck. This is a biggie as this can be interpreted as mating behavior by the parrot.
• Limit or remove sugar bearing foods, like fruits and high fructose foods like corn, any pasta, etc
• Lots of exercise – a tired parrot is less likely to indulge in mating behavior

Always keep in mind that the parrot has no control of itself during these periods! A bite received during them is 100% different than a bite you might get because the bird is angry with you. You should not use “shunning” or other methods to modify the behavior, because they have no more idea of why they bit you then you do. But, same as a normal bite, you should try to avoid being in a situation where the bite COULD occur. Cuddling with your parrot, giving/getting kisses or letting them near the face during mating season is likely not a good idea! Along these lines, during mating season, try to not let behavior like biting, humping or other outward signs become habitual.

Finally – always, always remember – “THIS TOO SHALL PASS”. Your loving friend is still in there and will be back!

 

[Keatz]

At 1-1/2 he is most certainly going thru puberty.

On Hormones (or Horror-mones)

Parrots go thru puberty, just like humans do, because their internal metabolism tells the body –“Hey time to start thinking of babies”. When that happens, their little bodies get flooded for the first time with hormones. The when is only estimated, puberty can occur from 6 months or so for small parrots like budgies, cockatiels and parrotlets, with the larger parrots taking longer, progressively. Macaws and cockatoos, it could be a year or more before it starts. Puberty (and successive mating seasons) is not a precisely timed event. Depending on the individual parrot, it might occur earlier or later then the norm for that species, and other factors come into play on when it starts.

Like human children (and our parrots are so close in temperament to children), puberty can bring on all sorts of behavioral changes, which the parrot has absolutely no control over. One minute they are their normal selves and all of a sudden, BAM, they bite you, and the next second they are back to their normal selves. Mood swings like this are so common that for inexperienced parrot owners, this is the time when parrots are most often given up or surrendered. They can do a 180 degree turn and formerly the person who was THE person is now like yesterday’s news and the parrot might fixate on another member of the family (and it might not be one who actually likes parrots!). This does not happen every time, but it does happen, and the former favorite person needs to wheedle and scheme to get back into the parrots inner circle.

Some other behavior you might encounter:

• Trying to mate with objects like toys or food bowls, even your hand. Butt rubbing is what this looks like.
• Shredding paper, bedding, or any material that can be made into nest like stuff
• Seeking dark hidey places
• Being abnormally loud and making new clucking noises or others

Puberty can last anywhere from a few months to a year or so in larger parrots, again depending on species and the individual parrot. The 2 things to take away on this is that it will come to an end eventually and the other is to try and not let unwanted behavior become normal or habitual.

And now we come to mating season. Most parrots go through an annual mating season. Species like Eclectus parrots and a few other rare ones can have mating season at any time the environment produces mating triggers. For the rest, its once a year. Mating season is triggered by some things we can control and others that we cannot. The behavioral result of mating season is very similar to the ones displayed in puberty, with the exception of switching allegiances to a new person, which is rare. Uncontrollable rapid mood swings are pretty common and can vary with the intensity of the hormone release. Some years mating season can be pretty mild, and some are just killer for the poor parrot, as the drive to mate is frustrated (unless you are a breeder). The diurnal cycle of daylight to night time is one of the stronger triggers. Some folks keep their parrots on a day/night cycle that mirrors this, while others keep a 12hr day/night cycle. Either one has its pros and cons and we won’t get into that here.

Some things you can do to reduce (but never 100% eliminate) the effects of mating season are:

• Remove any shreddy type materials and limit access to them when the parrot is out of the cage
• Prevent access to dark hidey holes
• No touching the parrot anywhere except for the head and neck. This is a biggie as this can be interpreted as mating behavior by the parrot.
• Limit or remove sugar bearing foods, like fruits and high fructose foods like corn, any pasta, etc
• Lots of exercise – a tired parrot is less likely to indulge in mating behavior

Always keep in mind that the parrot has no control of itself during these periods! A bite received during them is 100% different than a bite you might get because the bird is angry with you. You should not use “shunning” or other methods to modify the behavior, because they have no more idea of why they bit you then you do. But, same as a normal bite, you should try to avoid being in a situation where the bite COULD occur. Cuddling with your parrot, giving/getting kisses or letting them near the face during mating season is likely not a good idea! Along these lines, during mating season, try to not let behavior like biting, humping or other outward signs become habitual.

Finally – always, always remember – “THIS TOO SHALL PASS”. Your loving friend is still in there and will be back!

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond and for the all the information. I very much appreciate it. It's reassuring to know all this. I was starting to feel depressed and wondered what I had wrought in getting him in the first place. My parents told me to sell him, but I hate giving up on pets when they become difficult. It's not their fault.
I had read that Amazons can be aggressive when they're hormonal, but I didn't know what age to expect it.
This morning he was really sweet and was sitting on my shoulder chatting to me. Then this afternoon, it was like he'd taken Dr Jekyll's potion and turned into a monster.
I've seen him engaging in some of the behaviour you described. He's been shredding books and CD covers. He's been hiding in a shelf in a drawer. He also makes clucking noises. This morning I took him outside in his cage for a while, and while I was sitting next to his cage, he started making those noises.
Thanks for the food tips. One food I've been giving him which I'm not sure about is soy beans.
Do you think they're okay?

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond and for the all the information. I very much appreciate it. It's reassuring to know all this. I was starting to feel depressed and wondered what I had wrought in getting him in the first place. My parents told me to sell him, but I hate giving up on pets when they become difficult. It's not their fault.
I had read that Amazons can be aggressive when they're hormonal, but I didn't know what age to expect it.
This morning he was really sweet and was sitting on my shoulder chatting to me. Then this afternoon, it was like he'd taken Dr Jekyll's potion and turned into a monster.
I've seen him engaging in some of the behaviour you described. He's been shredding books and CD covers. He's been hiding in a shelf in a drawer. He also makes clucking noises. This morning I took him outside in his cage for a while, and while I was sitting next to his cage, he started making those noises.
Thanks for the food tips. One food I've been giving him which I'm not sure about is soy beans.
Do you think they're okay?

BEWARE: Based on Basil's recent aggressive behavior I would NOT allow him on your shoulder! All it will take is for him to suddenly feel the urge to lash out, and your face will be butchered and bloodied! You can't see his body language when he's on your shoulder, rendering you powerless to prevent being maimed. your parents may (understandably) react by insisting you "get rid of" your bird.

 

[texsize]

I don’t know about the soybeans.
If you give your bird pellets most of them contain soybeans and may be too much.
Just my opinion, don’t know for sure.

While he is going through these hormonal difficulties I would avoid letting him on your shoulder.
You might end up missing part of your ear.

 

[ravvlet]

Agreed, our Amazon is in his 30s, but even so hormones are hitting him hard this year. My little man doesn’t get shoulder time unless I’m one hundred percent sure of him.

If he keeps flying and attacking, it may be time for a light clip for safety reasons. You don’t want to end up seriously injured. It sounds like he is fledged so there will be no issue of him resuming normal flight once this passes.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I don’t know about the soybeans.
If you give your bird pellets most of them contain soybeans and may be too much.
Just my opinion, don’t know for sure.

While he is going through these hormonal difficulties I would avoid letting him on your shoulder.
You might end up missing part of your ear

Agreed, our Amazon is in his 30s, but even so hormones are hitting him hard this year. My little man doesn’t get shoulder time unless I’m one hundred percent sure of him.

If he keeps flying and attacking, it may be time for a light clip for safety reasons. You don’t want to end up seriously injured. It sounds like he is fledged so there will be no issue of him resuming normal flight once this passes.

A light clip may also increase his reliance on you to move him around the room or from room to room. IMO, sometimes a parrot can get overly self-confident in the "I don't need these hoomans- why should I be nice to them? " way and become more defiant. Breeding impulses and puberty are obviously not defiance but maybe months of such behavior could set a hard to break pattern in a young bird.

 

[wrench13]

At 1-1/2 he is most certainly going thru puberty.

On Hormones (or Horror-mones)

Parrots go thru puberty, just like humans do, because their internal metabolism tells the body –“Hey time to start thinking of babies”. When that happens, their little bodies get flooded for the first time with hormones. The when is only estimated, puberty can occur from 6 months or so for small parrots like budgies, cockatiels and parrotlets, with the larger parrots taking longer, progressively. Macaws and cockatoos, it could be a year or more before it starts. Puberty (and successive mating seasons) is not a precisely timed event. Depending on the individual parrot, it might occur earlier or later then the norm for that species, and other factors come into play on when it starts.

Like human children (and our parrots are so close in temperament to children), puberty can bring on all sorts of behavioral changes, which the parrot has absolutely no control over. One minute they are their normal selves and all of a sudden, BAM, they bite you, and the next second they are back to their normal selves. Mood swings like this are so common that for inexperienced parrot owners, this is the time when parrots are most often given up or surrendered. They can do a 180 degree turn and formerly the person who was THE person is now like yesterday’s news and the parrot might fixate on another member of the family (and it might not be one who actually likes parrots!). This does not happen every time, but it does happen, and the former favorite person needs to wheedle and scheme to get back into the parrots inner circle.

Some other behavior you might encounter:

• Trying to mate with objects like toys or food bowls, even your hand. Butt rubbing is what this looks like.
• Shredding paper, bedding, or any material that can be made into nest like stuff
• Seeking dark hidey places
• Being abnormally loud and making new clucking noises or others

Puberty can last anywhere from a few months to a year or so in larger parrots, again depending on species and the individual parrot. The 2 things to take away on this is that it will come to an end eventually and the other is to try and not let unwanted behavior become normal or habitual.

And now we come to mating season. Most parrots go through an annual mating season. Species like Eclectus parrots and a few other rare ones can have mating season at any time the environment produces mating triggers. For the rest, its once a year. Mating season is triggered by some things we can control and others that we cannot. The behavioral result of mating season is very similar to the ones displayed in puberty, with the exception of switching allegiances to a new person, which is rare. Uncontrollable rapid mood swings are pretty common and can vary with the intensity of the hormone release. Some years mating season can be pretty mild, and some are just killer for the poor parrot, as the drive to mate is frustrated (unless you are a breeder). The diurnal cycle of daylight to night time is one of the stronger triggers. Some folks keep their parrots on a day/night cycle that mirrors this, while others keep a 12hr day/night cycle. Either one has its pros and cons and we won’t get into that here.

Some things you can do to reduce (but never 100% eliminate) the effects of mating season are:

• Remove any shreddy type materials and limit access to them when the parrot is out of the cage
• Prevent access to dark hidey holes
• No touching the parrot anywhere except for the head and neck. This is a biggie as this can be interpreted as mating behavior by the parrot.
• Limit or remove sugar bearing foods, like fruits and high fructose foods like corn, any pasta, etc
• Lots of exercise – a tired parrot is less likely to indulge in mating behavior

Always keep in mind that the parrot has no control of itself during these periods! A bite received during them is 100% different than a bite you might get because the bird is angry with you. You should not use “shunning” or other methods to modify the behavior, because they have no more idea of why they bit you then you do. But, same as a normal bite, you should try to avoid being in a situation where the bite COULD occur. Cuddling with your parrot, giving/getting kisses or letting them near the face during mating season is likely not a good idea! Along these lines, during mating season, try to not let behavior like biting, humping or other outward signs become habitual.

Finally – always, always remember – “THIS TOO SHALL PASS”. Your loving friend is still in there and will be back!

 

[Keatz]

Thank you, everyone, for your replies.
I can usually tell in the mornings when he's going to be aggressive. Most mornings when I get up, he sidles to the bars of his cage for a tickle, but some mornings if I stick my finger in the cage, he wants to bite it, and he remains aggressive for the rest of the day. It's like he woke up on the wrong side of the cage. Lately, he's been so desultory - I cannot predict his moods.
When he's not aggressive, he will sit on my hand and let me put him in his cage, but when he's aggressive, I cannot get him to sit on me without being bitten, and I have to coax him onto a piece of dowel with a nut.
He also attacks me if I handle his food in front of him. One night, I made the mistake of walking through the house with his food bowl while he was out, and I got attacked.
(Curiously, my mum's galah is the same, and my eclectus, Oscar, will growl at me if I put my hand near his bowl, even if I'm putting food in it (though, he never bites).)

 

[PrimorandMoxi]

That sucks being attacked when you are bringing food.
No one wants that.

I definitely believe that sometimes the bite itself is the reward and I avoid it at all costs. I always make Primor think it is his choice to step up and on the occasion that he seems super bitey I'll trick my partner into getting him or grab a stick.

My Blue and Gold Max bites, without any warning, for the extreme pleasure it gives him.

 

[aebttny]

So interesting. Is May common mating season time? My bird has bitten me twice recently.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

That sucks being attacked when you are bringing food.
No one wants that.

I definitely believe that sometimes the bite itself is the reward and I avoid it at all costs. I always make Primor think it is his choice to step up and on the occasion that he seems super bitey I'll trick my partner into getting him or grab a stick.

My Blue and Gold Max bites, without any warning, for the extreme pleasure it gives him.

When our beloved birds "bite the hand that feeds them" don't you sometimes wonder why we keep birds at all?
They are a lot like children in that respect. I frequently wonder why people would want to have kids.

 

[aebttny]

When our beloved birds "bite the hand that feeds them" don't you sometimes wonder why we keep birds at all?
They are a lot like children in that respect. I frequently wonder why people would want to have kids.

I went for the bird because my cat died after only 5 years. I wanted something that would live longer. We're both kind of prickly.

 

[PrimorandMoxi]

I went for the bird because my cat died after only 5 years. I wanted something that would live longer. We're both kind of prickly.

That sucks. About the cat. Yeah I cant have a dog for the same reason.

Where'd you get this 21 year old Amazon?
Have you posted photos?