Attacking

[Vivien77]

Hi, my bird flew over yesterday and tore a big chunk out right below my neck. I think he was trying to land on my shoulder but missed and grabbed onto my skin but not sure . He’s done it to my husband also but not as bad. I can’t read his body language because my back was turned to him. I am so afraid now that he is going to fly at me every time I turn my back. We got him 6 months ago from a rescue and he’s never been a cuddly bird at all which is fine. He is out all day, has toys, perches. Eats chop in the morning, gets 12 hours of sleep upstairs away from everyone. We take him for walks in a backpack. I thought we were doing everything right. He’s fully flighted but never goes crazy. I basically just let him be a bird and don’t try and force him to be cuddly because that’s not how he is. He was fine just hanging out with us but he’s done this a couple of times. I really am scared to be around him because it is a very bad bite. Now I’m to the point I’m afraid he’s going to go for my face as he’s landed in my hair before. . Any advice??? Please help!

 

[Cottonoid]

I have a ringneck that uses his beak like it's a hand pretty much all the time, and once when he fell he was grabbing everything around him with his beak - so I can imagine him biting hard while grabbing onto me.

I don't have experience with biting as a behavior so hopefully others will chime in, but I wonder how he'd do with training him to fly to a particular spot? It might be a fun game for him (and you) but it could also help him practice going to a perch/back of chair/couch arm first and then stepping up gently onto your arm instead of just trying to land on his people.

 

[Vivien77]

I have a ringneck that uses his beak like it's a hand pretty much all the time, and once when he fell he was grabbing everything around him with his beak - so I can imagine him biting hard while grabbing onto me.

I don't have experience with biting as a behavior so hopefully others will chime in, but I wonder how he'd do with training him to fly to a particular spot? It might be a fun game for him (and you) but it could also help him practice going to a perch/back of chair/couch arm first and then stepping up gently onto your arm instead of just trying to land on his people.

Thank you! Actually he doesn’t even step up on me, only on a perch. I’ve worked with him but he just bites when you ask him to step up on your finger or arm.

 

[Cottonoid]

Oh, gotcha! Maybe training him to always land and step up on a perch for now so that he doesn't have the chance to practice biting. And then start training him how to be gentle - I met birds in a pet store that were all trained to "touch" instead of bite and it was really neat.

I'm on my phone so can't type as much but searching for bite pressure training or target training might give you some ideas.

 

[Laurasea]

Welcome to the forum!
GCC do have needle beaks that hurt plenty!

Sounds like you are providing lots of great things fir him .

Feeding a treat ( safflower seeds work well) by hand lots and lots of times a day can start helping winning then over.

This is a great article I share a lot

Pet Bird and Parrot Behavior – Pet Birds by Lafeber Co.

Pet bird and parrot behavior information.

lafeber.com

 

[Vivien77]

Welcome to the forum!
GCC do have needle beaks that hurt plenty!

Sounds like you are providing lots of great things fir him .

Feeding a treat ( safflower seeds work well) by hand lots and lots of times a day can start helping winning then over.

This is a great article I share a lot

Pet Bird and Parrot Behavior – Pet Birds by Lafeber Co.

Pet bird and parrot behavior information.

lafeber.com

Thank you and safflower is his favorite.

 

[Vivien77]

Thank you and safflower is his favorite.

Before this happened I was thinking of rescuing another bird but after this, I was like no! But now I’m wondering if that would help this if he had another bird to bond with. Or I could end up with two shitheads!

 

[Laurasea]

I think working through your guys trust issues should be first.

Its always so frustrating to start where you are. And its hard to guide from afar. Because its such an individual fluid thing reading them and adjusting.

But they are so socially driven , they crave the connections with flock( you guys) . Green cheeks are vulnerable to flattery ( like all parrots but even more so I think!) They also can be bribed. And they are so smart and curious and want to be evolved in everything. So those are all things you. An use to your advantage.

Even after years of loving relationships, some parrots and fir sure my green cheek can develop sudden fear if hands or loss of trust. sometimes for known or unknown reasons. I've had to bribe and earn back my girls trust. We had a brief time of her charging and bite me and otherwise wanting nothing to do with me. I had a big conversation with her apologized ( something does get across) then I started going and giving a seed and bragging on her when she took . ( like 50 times a day) I talked and explained stuff to her. We got back to her being a sweetheart.

Really try to have a routine and ritual. Use the same words and phrases to explain things. Make sure to make a special time fir them when first wake up and before bed. Always go and say hello and give treat when you return home always go and tell them you are leaving and give a treat. Those seem simple but they go a long way in a birds world.

Shape behavior. Moving towards you for a treat. Shape behavior in small steps. Move out if cage to a perch attached on the outside for a treat. Then ask them to go to tge top of the cage for a treat , while you clean and change food. Lots if verbally praise as well.

I have some more links I will add thst might be helpful.

I like this one, because mistakes are made, adjustments, its good at showing the process, and importance of keeping sessions short and sweet

This is also a great article, kinda gets you inside how burds think . Observations, take time to do objective observation of the bird. Make nice of situations around bites. Video interactions so you can go back and look for non verbal cues you may have missed. Also talks about the importance of rituals and routine

Stress Reduction for Companion Parrots – Pet Birds by Lafeber Co.

To put it bluntly, keeping companion parrots is similar to trying to pound a square peg into a round hole. The fact that they do as well as they do is testimony more to their adaptability than it is to our husbandry efforts.

lafeber.com

 

[Vivien77]

I think working through your guys trust issues should be first.

Its always so frustrating to start where you are. And its hard to guide from afar. Because its such an individual fluid thing reading them and adjusting.

But they are so socially driven , they crave the connections with flock( you guys) . Green cheeks are vulnerable to flattery ( like all parrots but even more so I think!) They also can be bribed. And they are so smart and curious and want to be evolved in everything. So those are all things you. An use to your advantage.

Even after years of loving relationships, some parrots and fir sure my green cheek can develop sudden fear if hands or loss of trust. sometimes for known or unknown reasons. I've had to bribe and earn back my girls trust. We had a brief time of her charging and bite me and otherwise wanting nothing to do with me. I had a big conversation with her apologized ( something does get across) then I started going and giving a seed and bragging on her when she took . ( like 50 times a day) I talked and explained stuff to her. We got back to her being a sweetheart.

Really try to have a routine and ritual. Use the same words and phrases to explain things. Make sure to make a special time fir them when first wake up and before bed. Always go and say hello and give treat when you return home always go and tell them you are leaving and give a treat. Those seem simple but they go a long way in a birds world.

Shape behavior. Moving towards you for a treat. Shape behavior in small steps. Move out if cage to a perch attached on the outside for a treat. Then ask them to go to tge top of the cage for a treat , while you clean and change food. Lots if verbally praise as well.

I have some more links I will add thst might be helpful.

I like this one, because mistakes are made, adjustments, its good at showing the process, and importance of keeping sessions short and sweet

This is also a great article, kinda gets you inside how burds think . Observations, take time to do objective observation of the bird. Make nice of situations around bites. Video interactions so you can go back and look for non verbal cues you may have missed. Also talks about the importance of rituals and routine

Stress Reduction for Companion Parrots – Pet Birds by Lafeber Co.

To put it bluntly, keeping companion parrots is similar to trying to pound a square peg into a round hole. The fact that they do as well as they do is testimony more to their adaptability than it is to our husbandry efforts.

lafeber.com

Thank you so much!

 

[HeatherG]

I think working through your guys trust issues should be first.

Its always so frustrating to start where you are. And its hard to guide from afar. Because its such an individual fluid thing reading them and adjusting.

But they are so socially driven , they crave the connections with flock( you guys) . Green cheeks are vulnerable to flattery ( like all parrots but even more so I think!) They also can be bribed. And they are so smart and curious and want to be evolved in everything. So those are all things you. An use to your advantage.

Even after years of loving relationships, some parrots and fir sure my green cheek can develop sudden fear if hands or loss of trust. sometimes for known or unknown reasons. I've had to bribe and earn back my girls trust. We had a brief time of her charging and bite me and otherwise wanting nothing to do with me. I had a big conversation with her apologized ( something does get across) then I started going and giving a seed and bragging on her when she took . ( like 50 times a day) I talked and explained stuff to her. We got back to her being a sweetheart.

Really try to have a routine and ritual. Use the same words and phrases to explain things. Make sure to make a special time fir them when first wake up and before bed. Always go and say hello and give treat when you return home always go and tell them you are leaving and give a treat. Those seem simple but they go a long way in a birds world.

Shape behavior. Moving towards you for a treat. Shape behavior in small steps. Move out if cage to a perch attached on the outside for a treat. Then ask them to go to tge top of the cage for a treat , while you clean and change food. Lots if verbally praise as well.

I have some more links I will add thst might be helpful.

I like this one, because mistakes are made, adjustments, its good at showing the process, and importance of keeping sessions short and sweet

This is also a great article, kinda gets you inside how burds think . Observations, take time to do objective observation of the bird. Make nice of situations around bites. Video interactions so you can go back and look for non verbal cues you may have missed. Also talks about the importance of rituals and routine

Stress Reduction for Companion Parrots – Pet Birds by Lafeber Co.

To put it bluntly, keeping companion parrots is similar to trying to pound a square peg into a round hole. The fact that they do as well as they do is testimony more to their adaptability than it is to our husbandry efforts.

lafeber.com

Thank you. I read this article to refresh myself as Sr Willow and I had trouble connecting today. He was nippy. He’s been grouchy sometimes lately, possibly having to do with the diet-change business.

I decided to put him back in his cage instead of continuing to push him. He has the right to be in a bad mood or not want to snuggle. But I have been giving both birds tiny treats during the day and praising them for taking the treat nicely. I hope this is passing.