Bella and my Wife

texsize

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Oct 23, 2015
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As some may know Bella has chosen my Wife to be her person.
She is still going through puberty.

The problem.

My Wife is scared of Bella and her beak. She is afraid she is going to get bitten in the face.

When Bella sits with my wife for scratches it does not take long before she starts regurgitating for her (and that also thrills my wife).
I know you can't reward that behavior but what can be done.
Put her back in the cage? She will be wanting out right away.

Bella also keeps walking up closer and closer to my wife's face until my wife panics and sits up trying (mostly unsuccessfully ) to dislodge Bella and make her fly away.
Normally myself or my Son has to come and pick up this terror bird and move her.

Bingo tends to this sort of behavior. Getting close to my face when sitting with me. Despite the danger Bingo has never done me an injury when cuddling up to me next to my face. The only real problem with Bingo is he sometimes goes into play mode next to my face. that can get ticklish in all sorts of ways.

I am glad my Wife has a bird that really likes her, I just wish there was something I could do to get my Wife to chill out. Bella is one of the friendliest parrots I have ever met and she is not giving the bird a chance.
 

SailBoat

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Jul 10, 2015
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Not easy to train Humans, but it can be done.

Place you effort into having the three of you fairly close together and as Bella steps thru her interactions, explain what and why she is doing whatever. Teaching you wife to with care touch the top of Bella's beak will go along way to developing a comfort of the beak being around. The more interaction the less fear. Very easy to say, much harder to get someone else to believe it!

The downside is that the Human has to want to interact!

Regurgitating is difficult to eliminate as it is a hardwired response.
 

LeaKP

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Aug 11, 2014
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Greys can really benefit from playtime and training, especially during puberty and hormonal seasons. Lots of tips on YouTube (a great trainer there with a grey named Smokey has tons of training videos) on working with them.

It’s a total game changer.
 
OP
texsize

texsize

Supporting Member
Parrot of the Month 🏆
Oct 23, 2015
3,900
Media
5
4,796
so-cal
Parrots
1 YNA (Bingo)
1 OWA (Plumas R.I.P.)
1 RLA (Pacho R.I.P.)
2 GCA(Luna,Merlin) The Twins
1 Congo AG (Bella)
5 Cockatiels
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  • #4
I have not so far found a way to play with her.
The closest thing I have found that she responds to with a playful attitude is a towel.

When I dry off after taking a Red Butt Shower with Bella we have a little routine.
As I dry I use the towel and "dry" her beak off. She expects this and can get a little playful, like tug of war.
Aside from that she hardly ever sits with me and when she does I can hardly move without making her fly away. And yet my wife can stand up practically wearing Bella and she wont leave.

I have only had Bella for just under 5 years so I am not completely in tune with her.
I have found that she treats each member of the family in a different way. I can push her into the danger zone (feathers all standing up) and I know just where the line is and I don't get bitten.
If my son dose the same thing he will get bitten.

I just feel bad that my wife keeps rejecting her desire to be close to her.
But I like the idea of sitting close to my wife when Bella is there.
Being close by should put something of a damper on her affection.

stay tuned for a Bingo video .
 

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