Most Challenging Foster Yet

[OutlawedSpirit]

So I have a new foster again. Willow, the quaker, found a wonderful home where she is spoiled and adored like a little queen. My newest foster is Jax, a white-cap Pionus. He is said to be 3 years old, although with rescues you take what you're told with a grain of salt. I am unfamiliar with the species and the Pionus group as a whole. I have a few questions, and while I know each bird is an individual, I also know that some generalities tend to be true for most members of a species as well.

How is the group, temperament wise?

Do they tend to be snuggle bugs, or are they more hands off when they are raised properly, or tame?

I am not sure if Jax is cage aggressive, or just overall aggressive, but he is out for blood. I am thinking it is more cage aggression, since when I took him out of the carrier, he stepped up without an issue. He did fly off my hand, but when I went to pick him up again, he stepped up with no issue, and stayed on my hand while I brought him to his cage. When he is in his cage, however, he is more than willing to keep everyone at arm's length. Even trying to open the door, he will come straight to the door and attempt to remove fingers. These are not warning bites. I am hoping I can get him back to being a wonderful pet, if he was ever there in the first place.

Overall, any advice on the species, or the Pionus group as a whole, is greatly appreciated.

 

[GaleriaGila]

No Quaker experience here, but...
I think you are an angel.
Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Anansi]

I know that Terry's (Terry57) Pisces is a WCP, so once she jumps on I'm sure she'll have lots to tell you about the species.

Seems like cage aggression to me, too, which you probably deal with quite often since so many fosters are left neglected in their cages before finally being surrendered. I hope you can get through to him as well.

 

[Piasa]

White caps are physically one of the smallest Pionus. The ones I've met have been very quiet, and I hear they tend to vocalize much less than other pionus, like the blue heads. Mine doesn't talk and has less than 5 whistles/noises she will do. She will contact call occasionally, and happy clicky noises that she will make, but otherwise is silent during the day.

Snuggliness, well, Jimmy my pi loves me to rub her nose, head, chin, and neck daily, sometimes multiple times a day. But it is on her terms, and when she was young she didn't want to be touched at all (except to sit on finger/shoulder).

She loves attention such as talking, singing, whistling, being closeby and making eye contact. She is VERY big on social eating. Sometimes when I am gone all day, she won't eat, but as soon as I come in, she fans her tail and runs to her bowl to eat with me.

She is very deliberate with her movements, and clear about what she wants and doesn't want. She's also incredibly stubborn and determined. When she is respected, she is very respectful and gentle. If someone pushes her, the aggression comes out. She doesn't suffer fools.

When you talk about possible cage aggression, I can kind of see hints of this with my girl. Sometimes, I get hissed at when I move the food bowls. Sometimes, she is resting and doesn't want to be bothered, and I get "the look". She's also picky about how I keep our surroundings. She's grumpy if I don't keep things to her standard of clean. But really, it's never anything more extreme than a hiss. She doesn't lunge or bite. I figure that is fair warning.

So I don't know if this helps or not, but maybe it will give you some ideas about what another white cap likes and doesn't. They are really exceptional parrots, very loyal and thoughtful, and I bet Jax will warm up to you as he gets more comfortable.

I hope to hear some stories about him!

 

[CDavis]

This may or may not be helpful but I have heard that the pionus are like Amazon lite so just treat jax like you are fostering an Amazon and do everything on his terms maybe just sit next to his cage and read or talk to him I hope you keep updating us on his progress im sure if anyone can turn him around it will be you!

 

[Terry57]

White caps are physically one of the smallest Pionus. The ones I've met have been very quiet, and I hear they tend to vocalize much less than other pionus, like the blue heads. Mine doesn't talk and has less than 5 whistles/noises she will do. She will contact call occasionally, and happy clicky noises that she will make, but otherwise is silent during the day.

Snuggliness, well, Jimmy my pi loves me to rub her nose, head, chin, and neck daily, sometimes multiple times a day. But it is on her terms, and when she was young she didn't want to be touched at all (except to sit on finger/shoulder).

She loves attention such as talking, singing, whistling, being closeby and making eye contact. She is VERY big on social eating. Sometimes when I am gone all day, she won't eat, but as soon as I come in, she fans her tail and runs to her bowl to eat with me.

She is very deliberate with her movements, and clear about what she wants and doesn't want. She's also incredibly stubborn and determined. When she is respected, she is very respectful and gentle. If someone pushes her, the aggression comes out. She doesn't suffer fools.

When you talk about possible cage aggression, I can kind of see hints of this with my girl. Sometimes, I get hissed at when I move the food bowls. Sometimes, she is resting and doesn't want to be bothered, and I get "the look". She's also picky about how I keep our surroundings. She's grumpy if I don't keep things to her standard of clean. But really, it's never anything more extreme than a hiss. She doesn't lunge or bite. I figure that is fair warning.

So I don't know if this helps or not, but maybe it will give you some ideas about what another white cap likes and doesn't. They are really exceptional parrots, very loyal and thoughtful, and I bet Jax will warm up to you as he gets more comfortable.

I hope to hear some stories about him!

I can't add much more to this, as this is exactly how Pisces is as well.
She is the quietest parrot we have, she doesn't talk, doesn't scream, but she has the cutest giggle ever. She also makes a sort of clucking noise when hormonal. She is not a cuddle bug, just likes neck scritches and to sit on your shoulder.
She is the most aggressive of all our parrots towards the other birds...she doesn't like anyone, and will chase them off their own cage.
She is also a bit cage aggressive, we let her come out on her own since she does not like us to take her out. She is easy to read as she fluffs up when really irritated and a bite is right behind that.
Good luck with Jax, I bet he will settle down and lose that extreme aggressiveness he is displaying once you have worked with him a bit. Pionus are one of my favourite species, they are such wonderful birds.

 

[VICTORYCC124]

I have Jewel, my Blue Headed, and Leo, my White Capped. Here's what I know...
Jewel is more reserves and timid, only really vocal during spring, and loves to cuddle.
Leo is very vocal all the time (as vocal as my CAG), aggressive, and prefers to not be touched due to previous abuse. He seems to hide any fear he might have with aggression, because he doesn't "act afraid" of anything.
Both of them can be cage aggressive, but only Leo will actually chase after you. I feel that my two Pionus' have very different personalities. Whether that is due to individual bird or the nature of each subspecies, I do not know.

 

[CeaCea]

LOL I just have 2 say u just described my boy & girl 2 a tee... my boy was very aggressive when "afraid" although he'd never show fear... Flight or fight...any offense he'd FIGHT! My girl is a bit more sensitive an prone 2 jerky movement when oooooh say a bug flies by... her own downfeather showers down upon her...

My boy only became aggressive and sometimes territorial after puberty (right at 2yrs for him) and off & on throughout the year.

I have Jewel, my Blue Headed, and Leo, my White Capped. Here's what I know...
Jewel is more reserves and timid, only really vocal during spring, and loves to cuddle.
Leo is very vocal all the time (as vocal as my CAG), aggressive, and prefers to not be touched due to previous abuse. He seems to hide any fear he might have with aggression, because he doesn't "act afraid" of anything.
Both of them can be cage aggressive, but only Leo will actually chase after you. I feel that my two Pionus' have very different personalities. Whether that is due to individual bird or the nature of each subspecies, I do not know.