Hi all,
Despite what the title reads, this hasn't happened to me. Bobby, the parrot I've received two nights ago though has an extensively aggressive history of attacking people. One of the common behaviours he would do would involve lowering his head towards the bars, seemingly in the impression of wanting his head scratched. But if anyone got close enough he would quickly turn around and bite their fingers. His previous owner said it often felt like he was luring them into the attack.
I have yet to even attempt to pet him since receiving him, though I have been hand feeding him some fruit and treats and he is surprisingly delicate about picking seeds out from between my fingers. He's very clearly aware of his bite control through what I have seen. Tonight, he approached me at the bars of the cage, and when I offered a treat, he instead bowed his head, seeming to do the offer for a head scratch. I of course ignored the behaviour, not willing to test it out just yet. After a pause he decided to take the offered treat instead.
So, to those who have had similar experiences, how do we read the invitation towards scratching a parrot's head? I don't want to rush into things and bring out his known previous behaviour, although he is already acting much different than his old owner has described of him so far. I would ultimately like to be able to give gentle wanted head scratches in the future, but how does one tell apart a genuine desire from their parrot vs the 'luring'-like behaviour he has shown in the past? What sort of precursor in this behaviour could warn me of a potential bite threat if I were to attempt in the future?
Despite what the title reads, this hasn't happened to me. Bobby, the parrot I've received two nights ago though has an extensively aggressive history of attacking people. One of the common behaviours he would do would involve lowering his head towards the bars, seemingly in the impression of wanting his head scratched. But if anyone got close enough he would quickly turn around and bite their fingers. His previous owner said it often felt like he was luring them into the attack.
I have yet to even attempt to pet him since receiving him, though I have been hand feeding him some fruit and treats and he is surprisingly delicate about picking seeds out from between my fingers. He's very clearly aware of his bite control through what I have seen. Tonight, he approached me at the bars of the cage, and when I offered a treat, he instead bowed his head, seeming to do the offer for a head scratch. I of course ignored the behaviour, not willing to test it out just yet. After a pause he decided to take the offered treat instead.
So, to those who have had similar experiences, how do we read the invitation towards scratching a parrot's head? I don't want to rush into things and bring out his known previous behaviour, although he is already acting much different than his old owner has described of him so far. I would ultimately like to be able to give gentle wanted head scratches in the future, but how does one tell apart a genuine desire from their parrot vs the 'luring'-like behaviour he has shown in the past? What sort of precursor in this behaviour could warn me of a potential bite threat if I were to attempt in the future?