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Black capped caique

Klaybird

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Hello I have a black capped caique named finn...hatched 1/7/ 2017. He is the live of my family's life. Just today he got mad at me for ignoring him while I was talking to somebody he does not like out on our patio. He was trying to get to me through the glass door and my daughter wouldn't let him come out because he would attack the person I was talking too. when I came in he flew and attacked me and bit me four times. I had to have my husband help me get him off of me. I have not been able to go near him since. My heart is breaking. I've read all kinds of things on this great forum and decided to join. I've read people's posts and there had been some great outcome with caiques demon behavior. Thank you. Any advise is great appreciated.
 

iamwhoiam

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Welcome to AA. Sorry that Finn attacked you. Sounds like he was jealous and felt that you should be paying attention to him rather than to the person you were talking to. He will probably get over it. Hopefully someone who has a Caique will reply to your post.
@Laurie
@Irishj9
@WendyN
@saroj12
@finchly

@rockybird
Probably forgot a few people.
 

Klaybird

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Thank you...I just tried again. I fed a treat thru the cage and he grabbed ahold of my finger and wouldn't let go. Peirced it and Drew blood. Never in life have I ever been bit that hard by a parrot. I hard to believe 3 hours ago he could live without me holding him.
 

Dona

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Gosh Kelly I'm so sorry. I wrote my story in the Good, Bad and Ugly section about my caique pair. I hope Finn comes around and you have a better outcome than I did. Hopefully the other caique owners can offer some ideas.
 

Laurie

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I am sorry to hear this. I think it is important not to demonize his behavior.

One never knows what is going through a birds mind so there is really no point in guessing. Whatever it is that he is thinking he actions seem to indicated that he doesn't want you to be by him right now, again, I don't pretend to know why. Bird's don't generally bite if they want you to stick around.

I would give him more time and keep him at a safe distance until he calms down.

With biting, there is always a reason though it may not be apparent to us. You do not want to reinforce it or set a pattern, I know you would never do anything scary or mean in response to a bite. On the other hand, there is nothing positive to be done either (you don't want to reinforce the behavior by following it with something your bird likes or wants), unfortunately just quietly stepping away or leaving might be exactly what he is trying to get you to do so every time he bites you may be inadvertently reinforcing it. Reinforced behaviors increase with each incident so the very best thing to do is AVOID THE BITE. Sorry for the caps but it's that important :)

Whatever you need to do to avoid getting bit in the short term is what you need to do. Have someone else in the family take care of him if needed. Whatever has changed (even if only in his mind) may take some time to adjust too. Watch his body language, if it is saying back off then step back, not forward. Let him know that you understand what he means and that he doesn't have to bite to show you. If all indications look safe then you can offer a treat, maybe put it in a dish or use tweezers. It may be possible to hold it in such away that he can only reach the treat and not your fingers from inside the cage.

I know it hurts. Basically, my advice is to start over in building trust as if his actions today where his actions from day one. Try to win him over. Any negative reactions are a setback and the quickest way to win him back is slow and cautious, take nothing for granted, pushing will make it take longer. As he mellows and his body language says come closer then do so with caution.

I hope all this makes sense and most of all I hope it is helpful.
 

Cynthia & Percy

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welcome
 

Irishj9

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Your Jealousy guess is correct. You belong to HIM.

Your daughter should have distracted him instead of reinforcing his anger by restraining him in full view of his human.

She is now on the hit list as well.

In your situation I take the bird with me in a small cage. Everyone is happy.

For now. Bribery and attention works. Also lots of patience
 

expressmailtome

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Welcome, and enjoy the site!
 

finchly

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Welcome! I’m sorry this happened to you. I adopted a 2 year old male that had been doing this with previous owners so I never had a chance. Opening his cage meant he ran, flew, or jumped at me and latched on — and didn’t let go.

I rehomed him to a family and he adores them.
 

Klaybird

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Thank you, everyone, for the quick responses. Every day since I wrote my post about Finn he has been a dream bird until about 1 pm when my teens come home from school. I have learned to study his body language after several times being bite so hard it has taken two people to gently pry is beak away from my arm. He bites like he is fighting for his life. I had to get stitches from one attack. Family and friends that have witnessed the attacks are totally amazed I can grin and bare the attacks and not totally get angry with him. I know the anything beyond ignoring the behavior would make things worse. The only thing we do is put him in his cage (which he doesn't like ) only because he chasing me around the kitchen trying to attack me again and again. It is heart-wrenching for the family to see this happen to me especially since I have always been his favorite. I never even tell him NO or raise my voice with him. I take him on hikes twice a week in a bird backpack, he is always with me when I have home (which is 90% of the day).

Thank goodness he adores everyone else in the family so he still gets enough attention. I am wondering if this will ever change? It breaks my heart. I would be willing do anything it takes to change the behavior. I wish I could find a parrot behavior specialist.
 

WendyN

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:welcome2:
How is Finn doing?
 

Klaybird

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Thank you WendyN. It is day by day. He is awesome until i leave the house. Just an hour ago I was making a bit to eat on one counter in my kitchen and he jumped off his cage to come to see what I was doing on another counter. I told he had to wait until I was done. He went back to his cage and sat quietly. When I was done I went over and asked him to step up and his eyes dilated and he jumped on my arm to attack me. He was mad because I ignored him while I was making a bit to eat. This happens daily when he doesn't get his way. He doesn't do this with anyone else. He breeder told me that he is in his terrible two's and he will get over it. Sigh!
 

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It also is hormones.
When Joey does
-eye pinning
-heart wings
-moving his body side to side really fast
-or whipping his head abruptly from side to side
I know that he will attack.
Learned best to leave him alone or
to snap him out of it by showing him a treat, then give a command (dance or take some spins) to redirect him. When his mind switches to responds to the command, I click the clicker and give him the treat.
 

Klaybird

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Thank you WendyN. CLicker does work. We have determined that Finn is so dependent on me being home most of the day. He is absolutely just like himself and so fun and loving until I leave the house. He is in total panic mode and when I return, it is all over nothing snaps him out of it. He is just furious with me. I have to stay away from him. At night he goes to sleep and forgets about it the next morning. This is repeated daily. not sure what to do? I really hope he grows out of it. I am going back to work in the few weeks and it will be a huge adjustment for him and I am afraid of how he will react. Thank you again for your help and advice!
 

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