Help Please...Suddenly Aggressive Senior Parrot

[flipperz]

Hello..I am really trying to understand what is going on with my Red Lored Amazon. He is about 40 now and I have had him with me for 38 years. He is my little buddy over these many years. He has always been the perfect companion until just the past two months or so. About two months ago he went through a week or so where he wasnt eating as normal but otherwise no behavioral changes. I had him to the vet and absent taking a blood sample the vet said he appeared fine. I began putting him back on Nekton S which I had stopped after switching him to pellets many years ago hoping it might stimulate his appetite. For just a couple of days I replaced the pellet diet with seed. His appetite did seem to return after a week or so on the Nekton and seed.. I should add that over the years he gradually began to not allow others to handle him where he had been friendly with most anyone as a younger bird. This to the point in recent years he has chased guests around the house, feathers flared. I didnt think of this as anything but the aging process. Over the last 2-4 months he has been aggressive to my ipad, my phone, even the TV remote when I have him close and am using these items. I have never had to keep him in the cage, he has always had free roam in the house. About the time this all began I had to stop always leaving him out of the cage as he began to go under a shelf and chewing on the woodwork. I have had to board up these shelves to prevent his access to the woodwork, now he chooses to chew on my "blocker boards". When he would go under the shelf, a darker area, he often would make "cooing" noises and seem to back up his behind on the wall. Still, never any aggression towards myself. About two weeks ago he was on my shoulder and I was looking at my phone and without provocation he just up and bit me hard on my cheek, of course drawing blood. Just today as I went to pick him up as he was walking on the floor he bit me two times and just hung on and wouldnt let go. After a few seconds he did let go and went to the floor but then flew up at me from the floor, while avoiding him he then began to fly at and chase me from the floor. I had to get a towel to corrall him and get him in his cage.
So I really don't know what to think or try. Reading posts from others of similar behavior it seems that maybe it is mating season or something is going on hormonally. I have never had him (or her) sexed and he has never gone through any similar periods at all with me in the 38 years I have had him, he has always been perfect so why now? Senior parrot dementia? It breaks my heart to keep him in the cage after all these years but at least or until this behavior passes I have no choice. Anyone with similar experience with a long owned senior parrot who might have suggestions greatly appreciated. Sorry for the length of this post and many thanks for any thoughts.

 

[ravvlet]

Seeds have more fat, and for those of us in the Americas it is “that time of the year” for hormones. The combination of an increased fat diet and the time of year may have triggered a hormonal response. Also, I assume if they have free reign of the house they are not getting 12 hours of dark/sleep!

Get them back on pellets if you can (slowly and carefully) and work on a routine where they do get at least 12 hours of dark and quiet. The chewing, digging, and presenting all sound like female parrot behavior, and the attacks may be because she is defending her nest. It may well be time to get them DNA sexed so you can be sure - it’s much more complicated for female parrots who become hormonal, as they run the risk of starting to lay, which opens them to a whole host of complications.

In the mean time, provide shredding toys and wooden chewing toys as more appropriate targets for their activities, in the cage where both they and you can do a soft reset on your relationship. It’s never too late to “start over”.

 

[flipperz]

Seeds have more fat, and for those of us in the Americas it is “that time of the year” for hormones. The combination of an increased fat diet and the time of year may have triggered a hormonal response. Also, I assume if they have free reign of the house they are not getting 12 hours of dark/sleep!

Get them back on pellets if you can (slowly and carefully) and work on a routine where they do get at least 12 hours of dark and quiet. The chewing, digging, and presenting all sound like female parrot behavior, and the attacks may be because she is defending her nest. It may well be time to get them DNA sexed so you can be sure - it’s much more complicated for female parrots who become hormonal, as they run the risk of starting to lay, which opens them to a whole host of complications.

In the mean time, provide shredding toys and wooden chewing toys as more appropriate targets for their activities, in the cage where both they and you can do a soft reset on your relationship. It’s never too late to “start over”.

Thanks so much for your input. He had only been on seed for about a week and going back to the pellets was no problem. I wonder if I should stop the nekton? Again, not sure if he's a male or female, never laid an egg and has never had this behavior in 38 years. As old as he is could this really be hormonal when such behavior has never been present previously?

 

[texsize]

It sounds like hormones to me also.
Why this is a first time is mysterious.

I am not willing to go out on a limb with a gender ID from the little read.
Does he/she regurgitate often?
If yes I would suspect male.
The backing up to the wall is the only behavior that really makes me think female and not male.
Other way to check is dangerous for 2 reasons.
If you can stroke/pet your bird on the back and she likes it then your bird is more likely female.
Male birds don’t like to have their back petted .
petting your bird on the back if it is female can cause egg laying.
petting a male bird on the back can get you bitten.

 

[JinPicaJest]

Hi! I'm new to the forums and certainly don't hold myself out as an expert, but thinking about behavior, when we see a sudden change it can be useful to look for an environmental cause first, followed closely by health/medical. So perhaps think back over when the changes in your bird's behavior started 2-4 months ago -- did anything big happen in the house, or to your routines/ daily life? Change in household members? Rearrange the furniture or redecorate? I see your bird has a lot of freedom, but was there a change in the cage or placement of the bird cage? Anything at all like that?

Also, consider you may have two separate issues -- the appetite changes and the behavior changes - OR they could be related. There's a lot to tease out.

Like ravvlet said, the secluding in dark places, chewing, and cooing do seem like hormonal/nesting behavior -- but as you said, your bird is 40 and that seems late in the game to see these changes for the first time. But, still a possibility. Akin to human menopause, maybe???? As in, hormonal fluctuations related to middle/older age rather than adolescence???

At your vet visit, did you talk about possible subtle things like mild arthritic changes? Pain manifests itself in so many ways, especially milder, chronic pain as opposed to acute pain. It could certainly make a bird irritable, not want to be messed with and therefore prone to retreat, touchy/ready to bite at your ipad, etc. Maybe re-visit the vet if anything like that seems possible, and/or get the bloodwork to rule out things like liver issues, etc. And you could check with the vet again about whether to continue the Nekton supplement.

Good luck! You've clearly been a dedicated caregiver to your 'zon with 38 years and counting, and you're obviously very in tune with your bird's well being. I hope you find some answers.

 

[flipperz]

It sounds like hormones to me also.
Why this is a first time is mysterious.

I am not willing to go out on a limb with a gender ID from the little read.
Does he/she regurgitate often?
If yes I would suspect male.
The backing up to the wall is the only behavior that really makes me think female and not male.
Other way to check is dangerous for 2 reasons.
If you can stroke/pet your bird on the back and she likes it then your bird is more likely female.
Male birds don’t like to have their back petted .
petting your bird on the back if it is female can cause egg laying.
petting a male bird on the back can get you bitten.

Thanks so much! He does regurgitate often when he is on me, he always has. He loves to have his head rubbed but not his back, not in the least.

 

[texsize]

Thanks so much! He does regurgitate often when he is on me, he always has. He loves to have his head rubbed but not his back, not in the least.

My RLA Pacho (assumed femal) liked having her back petted… too much. She would mate with my OWA and was always on the bottom. I know this is no guarantee even in the animal world.

My YNA DNA male will tolerate back petting but not for long and it took years to get him to that point.

I think my Pacho passed away at the approximate age of 40.
She was a rescue so exact age was unknown.
Would love to see pictures of your baby.

 

[flipperz]

Hi! I'm new to the forums and certainly don't hold myself out as an expert, but thinking about behavior, when we see a sudden change it can be useful to look for an environmental cause first, followed closely by health/medical. So perhaps think back over when the changes in your bird's behavior started 2-4 months ago -- did anything big happen in the house, or to your routines/ daily life? Change in household members? Rearrange the furniture or redecorate? I see your bird has a lot of freedom, but was there a change in the cage or placement of the bird cage? Anything at all like that?

Also, consider you may have two separate issues -- the appetite changes and the behavior changes - OR they could be related. There's a lot to tease out.

Like ravvlet said, the secluding in dark places, chewing, and cooing do seem like hormonal/nesting behavior -- but as you said, your bird is 40 and that seems late in the game to see these changes for the first time. But, still a possibility. Akin to human menopause, maybe???? As in, hormonal fluctuations related to middle/older age rather than adolescence???

At your vet visit, did you talk about possible subtle things like mild arthritic changes? Pain manifests itself in so many ways, especially milder, chronic pain as opposed to acute pain. It could certainly make a bird irritable, not want to be messed with and therefore prone to retreat, touchy/ready to bite at your ipad, etc. Maybe re-visit the vet if anything like that seems possible, and/or get the bloodwork to rule out things like liver issues, etc. And you could check with the vet again about whether to continue the Nekton supplement.

Good luck! You've clearly been a dedicated caregiver to your 'zon with 38 years and counting, and you're obviously very in tune with your bird's well being. I hope you find some answers.

 

[flipperz]

No significant changes in furniture or cage placement. I will see how things settle out in coming days and then likely go get blood work done. Thanks so much for your thoughts

 

[PrimorandMoxi]

So sorry you are going thru this.
I have a twenty year old RLA and he is a perfect little gentleman.
Even when he is in season he is never bitey.
He is so sweet and if he changed suddenly like this I would know how you feel!

Hope its just harmones you get your buddy back.

 

[flipperz]

So sorry you are going thru this.
I have a twenty year old RLA and he is a perfect little gentleman.
Even when he is in season he is never bitey.
He is so sweet and if he changed suddenly like this I would know how you feel!

Hope its just harmones you get your buddy back.

thanks, I'm hopeful this will pass, I can't imagine him not being my little buddy and having to keep him in the cage, it would break my heart after all these years.