Why does he attack my mom!!?

[Raz]

Have the vet clip his legs, too. (Being facetious to reinforce my stance on wing clipping 😬)

Loll im strictly against wing clipping too unless it’s an extremely dire situation , so there’s no way I’ll be doing that

 

[Raz]

@wrench13, are you saying I should have asked my landlord before I did that conversion. ;]

Yes, I give thanks daily for being as fortunate as I am. (And, I work hard to stay so fortunate.) I got this house thinking family gatherings, which lasted about 3 years. After that subsided, a Timneh "picked me" on my first visit to the local parrot rescue, and I thought, "He could make use of the vast empty space in my house." :]

I think wing trimming has extremely limited use, and I am not convinced this is a good case for it. It can give a false sense of security, to the person, and it can make the parrot more fearful. Nothing is free. I've seen parrots with short clips make quite a flight if they really want to (fear). It is a serious situation though. I know too well the "flash" of an attack parrot coming at my face; it happens so fast, even when you think you're expecting it.

Building trust through cage bars or aviary mesh is good. Target training is a good trust-builder, too. My attack-Senegal (Fletcher) was abused at his first home, but I don't know the details, and I don't think I would want to. However, he totally trusts me through bars and mesh. I suppose he feels safe. I can pet him through bars/mesh and he leans into it. He will sit on a mesh-mounted perch and press his head against it if I come near, prompting me to pet him. If I open the aviary door, he may just come out after me, when he realizes I'm not paying full attention. Perplexing.

The main theories are "resource-guarding" (environment, food, his pal Charlie, and his girl Georgia) and "PTSD". He flies around frantically over the slightest sounds sometimes, if they were unfamiliar to him or unexpected. One of my main points, that I did not make crystal clearly is that I only engage with him when I can give him my full attention. It is just too risky to let him out of the aviary, or go into the aviary, otherwise. It's not just the risk of him hurting me--but, the risk of reinforcing the attacks by letting him try, especially if he lands on me. Prevention compounds for us. I can earn the ability to tend to the room without caging him. Letting him try to attack me is an even bigger setback for us.

Absolutely, taking away the one thing that makes a bird a bird is cruel. It’s my job as his owner to train him.

 

[HeatherG]

Well, maybe your parents should wear safety glasses or sunglasses until you get your birds trained to stop biting at their faces. It’s cheaper than building your birds their own aviary.

 

[LeeC]

Absolutely, taking away the one thing that makes a bird a bird is cruel. It’s my job as his owner to train him.

I agree wholeheartedly, @Raz, about taking away flight from a bird.

I generally agree with it being our job to train them, but I have learned that is not entirely the case. I would add that it is my job to "manage their environment" and to train them. Some of the biggest progress I've made with troubled, rehomed parrots has come from managing the environment, versus training them. I have come to view training as the second or third resort. I find that to be empowering, because training can be challenging.

It takes time to train them, and even more time to get the desired result, if we get it all. With managing the environment, we can get immediate results, or nearly so. The caveat is to not let it end there, if appropriate. Adding that aviary mesh-wall to my dining room was managing the environment--however, it does not fully solve the real problem. It is a step along the way.

Trust-building is huge, and learning not to erode trust is, too. For my Timneh, he is extremely dish-territorial. I can erode trust by putting his favorite treat (a sea-salted, organic, macadamia nut) into his food dish if he sees me do it. I can hand him that same macadamia nut, and he will take it gently from my fingers. Parrots are complex! :]

 

[LeeC]

Well, maybe your parents should wear safety glasses or sunglasses until you get your birds trained to stop biting at their faces. It’s cheaper than building them their own aviary.

@Raz, please don't put your parents in their own aviary. 😁 Be like me, and make the entire house one big aviary for everyone to share. (Fletcher's aviary within the whole-house aviary is a temporary exception.)

 

[Rolly]

This is a recap:
My male jenday attacks my mom for no reason. He’s flown from one room to another to attack her, dived from walls and tried to attack her eyes and hands. Additionally, he’s tried to bite my dads eyes. I thought it was because of me, so I experimented without me there, but kept a close eye. Today he attacked her 5 times. She’s covered in scratches and he’s drawn blood. Why does he do this? They don’t have a bond but she hasn’t done anything to make him hate her. She’s even given them treats.
Also , he’s got a habit to just bite and nip for no reason , he does it to me too sometimes, but never had hurt me that bad. Will this escalate?


I’ve got two jenday conures a male and a Female. For some reason my male jenday keeps attacking her. She doesn’t even do anything, she could be sitting down and he’d come swooping down front the wall to attack her. Today he flew from the other room just to attack her. It’s true that they don’t have a bond, but she occasionally gives them a treat. Before it was because I was there, but now he’s attacked without me being there. ( Leaving for a split second, I’d never leave my birds unattended! ). She’s terrified that he will hurt her eyes, which he’s shown to do. ( he pounced directly on her eyes once, and ran to attack my dad’s eye as well. I love them a lot, and don’t wanna use the thaw as a punishment , so my only option it to shield her using my arm (today I had to use a book! )

Try to pay attention to what is happening right before he attacks. There might be some triggers that makes him attack. Also, some birds may give out some kind of body language before attacking like a cat hissing or dog growling. My bird gets puffy and when I see him get puffy, I just walk away because 1) I don't want to get bit and 2) he usually calms right down.

 

[MykaMom]

Not everyone is so fortunate to be able to build an indoor aviary, considering space. cost and perhaps the landlord (who usually take a very dim view to unauthorized modification to their rental property). And I agree, close observation of the parrot pre-attack can yield hints of what is the trigger and trying to avoid that. However - as Heather pointed out, Moms and Dads take a very big objection to pets that randomly attack them and their kids, so I feel that in this instance, time is of the essence in getting control of this kamikaze parrot. THat means a MILD clip. Have your vet do whats known as a show clip. the very outermost feathers are left alone, and a few of the inner primaries are trimmed back. THis should allow your parrot to glide to the floor and not gain altitude. Too short and he will drop like a stone and that is definitely not what you want.

Exactly what I was just thinking. Glide control means safe landings. My first parrot(sun conure) was brought in clipped. He would drop like a stone from about 3.5' to the floor. Over time, he split his skin open and required stitches.

 

[Ryled1]

This is a recap:
My male jenday attacks my mom for no reason. He’s flown from one room to another to attack her, dived from walls and tried to attack her eyes and hands. Additionally, he’s tried to bite my dads eyes. I thought it was because of me, so I experimented without me there, but kept a close eye. Today he attacked her 5 times. She’s covered in scratches and he’s drawn blood. Why does he do this? They don’t have a bond but she hasn’t done anything to make him hate her. She’s even given them treats.
Also , he’s got a habit to just bite and nip for no reason , he does it to me too sometimes, but never had hurt me that bad. Will this escalate?


I’ve got two jenday conures a male and a Female. For some reason my male jenday keeps attacking her. She doesn’t even do anything, she could be sitting down and he’d come swooping down front the wall to attack her. Today he flew from the other room just to attack her. It’s true that they don’t have a bond, but she occasionally gives them a treat. Before it was because I was there, but now he’s attacked without me being there. ( Leaving for a split second, I’d never leave my birds unattended! ). She’s terrified that he will hurt her eyes, which he’s shown to do. ( he pounced directly on her eyes once, and ran to attack my dad’s eye as well. I love them a lot, and don’t wanna use the thaw as a punishment , so my only option it to shield her using my arm (today I had to use a book! )

First of all it is YOUR responsibility to control your bird. If the bird is allowed to fly, dive bomb people, tear at their face, scratch them, another bird, its all on you. 1 time is 1 time to many. Why are you letting it happen more than 1 time to more than 1 person? Why is that bird allowed to menace everyone???
That bird should be caged when anyone else is around period. For their safety and yours. If that bird were a dog,would you let the dog attack different people more than once? No you wouldn't.
It's obvious the bird needs to be brought down a peg. Wings clipped, and perches lowered in the cage. The bird should be safety in a cage when anyone visits. Period. No exceptions. No matter if they want to see the bird. It is too dangerous.

If the birds wings were clipped it knocks him down a peg so to speak. I have to do it to my bird. He gets very bossy to me and everyone in the household. When his wings are trimmed, he's a sweet bird. Some birds you have to do that to. I don't like getting bitten, so I do it. I can't have him flighted. Some birds you can, and other birds its a matter of safety.
I never let my bird go after anyone's feet if he is on the floor. Bad behavior is not allowed, back in the cage. If he really acts up screaming, I have a cage in another room. He gets a time out. I have to do that very rarely. He's only kept there for maybe an hour if that. Just until he calms down and stops screaming. Lights are always on in the room, and he has food and water. He wants to be with people, so he behaves. And he comes back out.
You have to treat a bird like a little kid.
You would have boundries to teach a child. Same with a bird. Your bird is running the show, you aren't. The bird should never be allowed flight because he is a mean dangerous bully. Too bad. Your bird is no angel and has already hurt people. He cannot be trusted out of the cage when people are there. You have allowed that bird to attack people. That is your fault after the 1st time.
Trim the wings and that will take some of the bully out of him. If he screems bloody murder when people are there, he goes in a time out cage. They learn to behave. No dark room ever. Food and water in cage. Not for hours, just until he calms down. He will learn if he doesn't behave, he doesn't see people. Do not let him out of his cage to hurt anyone. Some birds are 1 person birds. My African grey was.
Your bird is jealous and territorial and dangerous. You need to be the leader, and keep the bird and guests safe at all times! That is your job. I'm surprised anyone comes to your house after being attacked. The bird is not safe to fly ever. He lost that when he attacked another bird and family. In the wild another bird would put him in his place.
My bird is a very loving snuggly bird when his wings are trimmed. A joy to be around. When he is fully flighted, he is a bully, and I have gotten bitten really bad. I make sure he is fed before he is allowed out, and wings are always clipped. I got bitten when he was frustrated and hungry. A bird with a full crop is happy bird wanting to hang out and digest. You need to be the leader and take care of everyone including how your bird is allowed to behave. Because one day he will decide to attack you, if you don't get a handle on this.

 

[LeeC]

If the birds wings were clipped it knocks him down a peg so to speak. I have to do it to my bird. He gets very bossy to me and everyone in the household. When his wings are trimmed, he's a sweet bird. Some birds you have to do that to. I don't like getting bitten, so I do it. I can't have him flighted. Some birds you can, and other birds its a matter of safety.

@Ryled1 So, you're saying you took the easy way out and still have not addressed the underlying issue. Birds don't understand "pegs". They do know when the are punished (wing clipping) to the point of being vulnerable for their own safety. Nature gives them fight or flight. Take away flight, and they are left with fight. That runs counter to trying to get them to eliminate combative behavior.

In your dog analogy, how do you handicap the dog as you would your bird? You tie the biting dog's legs together so he can't walk? Or, do you work with the dog, or get a trainer to, to address the actual problem?

 

[Terry57]

First of all it is YOUR responsibility to control your bird. If the bird is allowed to fly, dive bomb people, tear at their face, scratch them, another bird, its all on you. 1 time is 1 time to many. Why are you letting it happen more than 1 time to more than 1 person? Why is that bird allowed to menace everyone???
That bird should be caged when anyone else is around period. For their safety and yours. If that bird were a dog,would you let the dog attack different people more than once? No you wouldn't.
It's obvious the bird needs to be brought down a peg. Wings clipped, and perches lowered in the cage. The bird should be safety in a cage when anyone visits. Period. No exceptions. No matter if they want to see the bird. It is too dangerous.

If the birds wings were clipped it knocks him down a peg so to speak. I have to do it to my bird. He gets very bossy to me and everyone in the household. When his wings are trimmed, he's a sweet bird. Some birds you have to do that to. I don't like getting bitten, so I do it. I can't have him flighted. Some birds you can, and other birds its a matter of safety.
I never let my bird go after anyone's feet if he is on the floor. Bad behavior is not allowed, back in the cage. If he really acts up screaming, I have a cage in another room. He gets a time out. I have to do that very rarely. He's only kept there for maybe an hour if that. Just until he calms down and stops screaming. Lights are always on in the room, and he has food and water. He wants to be with people, so he behaves. And he comes back out.
You have to treat a bird like a little kid.
You would have boundries to teach a child. Same with a bird. Your bird is running the show, you aren't. The bird should never be allowed flight because he is a mean dangerous bully. Too bad. Your bird is no angel and has already hurt people. He cannot be trusted out of the cage when people are there. You have allowed that bird to attack people. That is your fault after the 1st time.
Trim the wings and that will take some of the bully out of him. If he screems bloody murder when people are there, he goes in a time out cage. They learn to behave. No dark room ever. Food and water in cage. Not for hours, just until he calms down. He will learn if he doesn't behave, he doesn't see people. Do not let him out of his cage to hurt anyone. Some birds are 1 person birds. My African grey was.
Your bird is jealous and territorial and dangerous. You need to be the leader, and keep the bird and guests safe at all times! That is your job. I'm surprised anyone comes to your house after being attacked. The bird is not safe to fly ever. He lost that when he attacked another bird and family. In the wild another bird would put him in his place.
My bird is a very loving snuggly bird when his wings are trimmed. A joy to be around. When he is fully flighted, he is a bully, and I have gotten bitten really bad. I make sure he is fed before he is allowed out, and wings are always clipped. I got bitten when he was frustrated and hungry. A bird with a full crop is happy bird wanting to hang out and digest. You need to be the leader and take care of everyone including how your bird is allowed to behave. Because one day he will decide to attack you, if you don't get a handle on this.

I completely disagree with this attitude and advice.. Raz is here asking question about what they can do, and did not deserve all the criticism included in your post.

I also want to add that all my birds are not happy and ready when they have a full crop. Birds are individuals and should be treated as such.

While we say that parrots are like toddlers, they do not understand things in the same way that children do. Lowering his perches along with a clip just seems like a punishment that lasts for weeks/months, and they have no idea why they are being punished. I would suggest that you start learning your birds body language, because clipping is the easy way out and everything else should be tried first.

I also disagree with a bird staying clipped because they attacked someone.
I am not against clipping, it does have it's uses. I have had 2 of my birds divebomb me over and over when they were hormonal and draw blood on my face. I did a light clip on both.

Both stopped the behaviour after the clip once their wings grew back.
I will try anything I can before clipping, but I'm not going to have a bird who gets less out time because they attack when hormonal.

I also wanted to mention that unless birds legs grow back, comparing that to a wing clip is apples and oranges.

Raz, there is hope. You are asking questions in trying to figure out what to do, and I'm sure you will make the decision that is right for everyone.

 

[Stitchthestitch]

Im not very experienced with difficult situations like this , and i preface by saying : i am a novice bird owner and the only experience i have is with Albie.

But

Have you and your family tried going back to basics with him and basically treat him like hes a brand new bird in your home ?

Have your mum/who ever sit by his cage and read to him in a soft gentle voice (it can be anything , just read out loud in a very soft soothing tone ) and she puts a high value treay in his bowl when he shows any positive response towards her ,any negative response needs to be totally ignored , as its to build up trush that she isnt scary or going to steal his nest or eat him or anything . Once hes responding to your mum favorably , move on to target training through the cage to build up on that tust and to build a relationship. But have every do it in short bursts so you dont over whelm him eventually you progress to training outside of the cage .

We did this with my mother in law as albie hated her ,now he tollerates her and has some level of trust with her . Granted, his behaviour was no where on the level of your birds is.

Ive not seen any one mention his diet ,so Whats his diet and sleep routine like ?

A lot of sugar in his diet with less than 10-12 hours of dark can make for a really really cranky bitey bird .


Im sorry you are dealing with this

 

[LeeC]

A lot of sugar in his diet with less than 10-12 hours of dark can make for a really really cranky bitey bird

I heard this general advice a lot, when I first got a parrot, about 10 to 12 hours of sleep for parrots. As with most things, it is more complex. Here is a link to an excellent article about it.

The Real Truth: Sleep Needs in Parrots

“Parrots need between 10 to 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night!” How often have you heard this? In researching this subject, I found this statement repeated ad infinitum on a g…

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