Baby parrot lunging?

[Kaya]

Hey everyone, I finally got my Alexandrine yesterday. I've never had any birds besides parakeets before, and I've never raised anything from an age this young. Hes only 7 weeks old and I'm still spoon feeding him. Hes the most adorable cuddly little guy, but sometimes when I open his box too fast he lunges out at me. He also did this when I put a stuffed toy with him in his box I'm worried because I didn't know birds this young would show aggressive behaviour.
Is this natural?
Is he just abit frightened of his new home?
Do you think he will be an aggressive bird or will this behaviour stop as hes older?

 

[lene1949]

He's just frightened... As soon as he gets to know you it'll stop... You can give him a warning (saying 'hello), just before you open the box. Please do not act negatively to the lunging... It's only self preservation on the birds part...

Congratulations and enjoy...

 

[Featheredsamurai]

He's probably very scared, your a completely new person to him and he doesn't understand why. Don't react to the lunging and just be patient, try calling the breeder and see if they had any soothing words they would use with him that he'd know.

 

[antoinette]

Your bird needs time to adjust, everything is new to him.
If you force him out, it is going to create a negative impact, in the long run
Leave the box open, and let him come out when he wants to.

 

[Kaya]

He's fine with coming out, I think I must have just caught him in the middle of a nap and spooked him. After spending most of the day with me he seems very happy, he already seems to be trying to talk back to me and copy what I say. I've been trying to introduce him to different objects and things and he seems to have a fear of the colour purple. Its quite funny actually xD (The stuffed toy that I originally showed him was purple, hes fine with his new blue one though and started chewing on it a little).

 

[Kaya]

Just thought Id show you guys a photo of my pretty little baby ^_^

 

[kc_y0]

Nawwwww he is so cute!!

 

[antoinette]

Absolutely beautiful picture..... your baby is AWESOME SO CUTE
Mishka also has colour preference, he loves purple and red

 

[Kaya]

Just out of curiosity, did your birds react this way when you first got them?
How long did it take them to grow out of it?
He was attacking some foot toys today xD
Do you think he might be to young for toys?

 

[kc_y0]

Kaya, my bird definitely lunged at me when I first got her, lots of biting, fluffing up and lunging. It took her quite a while to settle down, I would say about 6 weeks until that all stopped. It went pretty fast though. Some birds never do it and feel comfortable right away, others take much longer to settle in.
At 7 weeks old, I would keep a watch on him while he's playing with the toys just so he doesn't hurt himself.

 

[Kaya]

How old was she when you got her?
I wasn't expecting this till the 4 month bluffing stage

 

[kc_y0]

She was just under 3 months when I got her. I really think its just fear of being in a new place and new faces.

 

[Eloy]

Just out of curiosity, did your birds react this way when you first got them?

No, I give them space and take one step back if I see that the bird are scared or unsecured with me. The bird are the one to take a step to me, not conversely.

How long did it take them to grow out of it?

A cupple of days if you early show/prove them that you are a sweet and kind family member. (and give them good food too)

He was attacking some foot toys today xD
Do you think he might be to young for toys?

Yes, because of his react. He is protecting himself, he is not aggressive.

 

[Kaya]

No, I give them space and take one step back if I see that the bird are scared or unsecured with me. The bird are the one to take a step to me, not conversely.

He cant really walk very well yet, he mostly relies on me to carry him around. And I need to feed him so its not like I can just stop picking him up.

A cupple of days if you early show/prove them that you are a sweet and kind family member. (and give them good food too)

He isn't eating by himself yet so all I can give him is spoon feeding formulae... (Although hes starting to show interest in millet)

He was attacking some foot toys today xD
Do you think he might be to young for toys?Yes, because of his react. He is protecting himself, he is not aggressive.

I know its purely defensive but I'm worried that if I don't introduce him to new things now he will be scared when hes older too so I figure its better to socialise him at a young age?

 

[coral3]

Just PM'd you Kaya

 

[Kaya]

I think some people are getting the wrong idea here. Aslan seems really comfortable around me, he lets me pick him up, open his wings, put him on his back, touch him everywhere, hes happy being fed and carried around and always cuddles up to me. He even tries to copy the sounds I make. This is why I'm so confused as to his strange and very spontaneous lunging behaviour. It seems almost like its an instinct and he doesn't really know hes doing it. His body language goes back to relaxed seconds after he does it.

At this point I'm guessing hes just never seen much of anything, being so young and spending most of his life in a box, which explains his reactions to new objects (The breeder pretty much only took them out to feed them).

Although he seems to be alot more defensive when hes in his box which I don't have much of an answer for other than the opening being above him, so it might be a predatory bird defence reaction. (Also, darker and more confined).

 

[kc_y0]

I don't think his reaction to the toy is abnormal in any way, my bird attacks all her toys, thats how she plays. Sometimes she will just chew on them and other days she'll go crazy and re-enact a mini bird war with her toys lol!

Its very good that he lets you pick him up and touch him. He would probably be bonding to you faster as he knows seeing you means he gets fed lol! He would still be a little anxious even if he isn't always showing it, hence while he'll lunge if you catch him by surprise.

Don't worry, in time he will calm down and he will learn to trust you 100%. He is still unsure, it takes time, sometimes it can take months or years to build a strong bond. I've had my bird for 1 year now, and I would say in the past two months our bond has been strongest, and she is so much more comfortable around me.

As you said, he's been in a box most of his life, so he will be scared of things he doesn't know. This will lessen over time when he gets put into a cage and can see the daily going-ons of the house hold and get used to normal house hold sights and sounds.