Cage Aggression

[Deanna]

Mojo has become cage aggressive due to lack of attention while I owned my business. We are working diligently on this issue. But, tonight, again, he nailed me: not once, but twice (once on each hand).

I had a system that any time I worked with him in or on his cage, I used his step-up-stick (but, the cats stole the stick from me, then the dogs stole the stick from them and now it is in toothpicks). So, I need to get another good diameter step-up stick to use (Cottonwood or Aspen ... Dan is supposed to be looking for one for me).

Anyway, almost assuredly, if Mojo is HIGHER than me, he will bite. I can fake him out by getting on my tippy-toes and raising my arms high and that works *sporadically* and helps me to get him into a step-up and away from his cage. Sometimes, I can give a "scritch-scritch" command and he will lower his head and retract his dominant stance, but tonight I read him wrong and got hammered.

It is discouraging, but Dan says I am being impatient. We had such a good day today on the hammock ... playing and frolicking ... then WHAM, right into my knuckle. Phooey.

post note edit: Moj melts in my hands when away from his guarded cage

 

[indigo]

Serenity is exactly the same except she has not like being handled since she had babies. Although today I did kinda save her life. She flew and landed on my headboard which is a series of twisty bits and got her head slightly wedged in a "V" shaped part (why I never let them fly around without supervision). I offered her my hand and she stepped up onto it, I lifted her and she flew to safety (well, more safety than being head wedged - she landed on a little basket thing i have remotes and that kind of junk in). All is well now and she seems to not have anything wrong at all (thank gawd!). Anyways, she chops at me whenever I do anything to her cage when shes in or on it. Makes putting her babies back tricky at times. She tends to relax when the nest box is taken out (between clutches) but when there are eggs or babies - watch out. When she was a baby (and right until Pix came to live with us) she was a snuggle bug; she loved getting right into my hair and hanging there, napping for hours and not doing a thing but hanging out (literally), occasionally nibbling my neck and hair (tickled when she nibbled my skin). She's 18 months on august 14th. I think the change in her was due to her growing up (the babies crawl up into my hair as well - well Jade does, Tango tries to but is too little to actually haul himself up that high).

 

[Peta]

Bucc's was very cage aggressive at one time, since having Kito that has all changed.

The worst times used to be cleaning his cage, he hated that with a passion and would even come down to nail me. Now he just glares at me from Kito's cage, making sure I do a good job. Before Kito came the way I would get Bucc from the top of his cage was recall, I'm always working on that one. And he comes to me 95% of the time, the other 5% he just sits there and blows raspberrys at me. :04:

 

[Eclectica]

Wow, rather you than me, i had a biter a few years back and it was a budgie, ouch. Good luck on the cage aggression, i hadnt had any experience on that before, so cant give any ideas or tips. Hope all works out for you and Mojo!

 

[indigo]

Serenity is a biter. She craves flesh, I think shes a zombie bird and figures she can eat all the way through to brains the way she gnaws (sometimes she gnaws, other times she just pinches real hard)

 

[Deanna]

Wow, rather you than me, i had a biter a few years back and it was a budgie, ouch. Good luck on the cage aggression, i hadnt had any experience on that before, so cant give any ideas or tips. Hope all works out for you and Mojo!

Thanks Eclectica ... actually my Senegal is a vice-grip biter; Moj isn't as lethal, but does draw blood and get my attention post haste.

His cage aggression is lessening now that I do not work the insane hours that I had been working. Now it is sporadic -- but that makes it a challenge as I have to be totally on top of reading his behavior and know when to proceed and when to back off. A step-up stick is wonderous (if my hubby would get on the ball and get me an appropriate one). He will not fight a stick to step-up on to get him out and away from him cage. Sometimes (without having the stick) it is a game of power ... "who will chicken out first" ... it's an even 50/50 ratio with that. But, again, last night he nailed me good, twice. I just was not on top of the situation.

Speaking of getting hammered while cleaning a cage ... golly jeepers, I was changing out Cecil's (Senegal) papers one morning and she was on her top perch and she did a flip-d-flop dive bomb (still maintaining a grip on her perch) and nailed me smack dab in the middle of the forehead. The little booger! Hurt like hell too, to say the least. I had to have Dan (at that time, Cecil would not let me handle her -- now, we've made friends, but she still pulls my hair and TRIES to get my forehead), anyway, had to have Dan come and get her so I could finish cleaning her cage.

 

[indigo]

*checks for scars*

 

[Peta]

Speaking of getting hammered while cleaning a cage ... golly jeepers, I was changing out Cecil's (Senegal) papers one morning and she was on her top perch and she did a flip-d-flop dive bomb (still maintaining a grip on her perch) and nailed me smack dab in the middle of the forehead. The little booger! Hurt like hell too, to say the least. I had to have Dan (at that time, Cecil would not let me handle her -- now, we've made friends, but she still pulls my hair and TRIES to get my forehead), anyway, had to have Dan come and get her so I could finish cleaning her cage.

Oh yeah Bucc got me once on the top of my head, I was home alone, and I knew if I tried to get out of the cage, he was gonna get my face, so I stayed put, (Well I did stick all my head in the cage) Luckily he got fed up and moved I got outta there pretty quick, by this time I had blood dripping all down my face Bucc looked at me all innocent like as just said "What you done" If it hadn't been so funny I would have strangled him. :04:

Now he's fine he just glares at me until I come out then gives me kisses

 

[indigo]

Serenity will 'defend' even Bonnie's cage lol. I never ever clean Bonnie's cage when serenity is out - I get bitten and hard then. Serenity is always in her cage when Bonnie's gets done and Serenity is OUT of her cage when it gets done. Sometimes its good they are so darn cute.