Chester had some experience ...

[Jan]

So almost two weeks ago, I took Chester and Gabby (female Coral Bill Pionus) who is Chester's buddy and one day I put them out in the Pionus aviary where I had a large space at and was a cage that I previosly had a pair of Blue Fronted Amazons at before they had sold. I had ended up leaving them out there for the whole night. They were both that first night and doing fine in the early evening when I checked on them and Chester was settled and calm. The next day, I had discovered like 4 of Chester's tail feathers laying on the floor of the wire cage.

Just to back up a bit, last year I always put Chester & Gabby in this other cage out back but on the other side of the yard. He never had shown any signs of problems or stressing over anything...

So now back to the current problem - so by the end of Chester's 2nd day out there I went to put him and Gabby in the small cage to carry them back into the house as it was a bit cooler and did not want to leave them there for the night, Chester came to me just fine as he always does as so did Gabby. They stayed the night in the house.

So the next day I went to get Chester so I could take him and Gabby back out to the Aviary for the day. He did not come to me like he normally does and was being a bit timid about going into the little cage for some reason. I did not think much about it and he did go in.

So later that day by the time it was about 6:30 pm I was going to bring both Chester and Gabby back into the house because again it was a bit too cool to be out ther efor the night. I went to get him and he started freaking out... he ran from me and was trying everything in his power to keep me from getting him. Gabby came to me just fine and was easy going as she always is. Chester, kept running from one end of the cage to the other end and there is no way I could get him when he would do that. So I thought I'd wait until it would turn almost dark then go back out and get him then he would be sure to come to me. But nope, when I went back out he was not cooroperating with me at all.

So I had to keep up until he would but then he jumped out of the cage and to the floor in which then I got him to get on me but he was like totally freaking on my hand. I could not believe how he was being with me.

So I take him in the house and he like was so very skitterish and he come scurrying out of the little cage quickly and ran from me. I just left him alone.

So the next day I was going to take him and Gabby back out but he ran from me, then he jumped down to the floor and was literally running from me and running under the cages so I could not get him. I just could not beieve my eyes on how he was acting. I could not get him for a while and I would try to coax him but finally when he ran out I got him and was going to put him in the little cage but he was just totally freaking out... so I put him on his cage.

So, my guess is because there were 4 of his tail feathers on the cage floor from that first over night stay that something must have really upset him terribly and is freightened to be out there. He associates the little cage with having to go out there, but still as of today he is running from me and freaking with me... so I must be also associated with it because I am the one who took him out there. There was no blood from him from that first night nor was their blood from any other bird out there. Gabby is not afraid of me at all - so it must be somethign that just Chester got very upset about in the aviary. The cat jumps and climbs up the wire often she she may have done that through the night scaring him.

I feel horrible over this. My hubby says trying putting him in the outside cage he is use to being in from last summer but I honestly wanted him in the Pionus aviary where he is a bit more secure and more protected.

Chester does take hand outs from me when I walk up to him with food but I notice I have to be a bit more careful when walking up to him to do that. Sometimes when I walk up to his cage when he is sitting in it with the door open I see his stress coming on. Ugh ... I feel bad because I have not done anything wrong to him myself and have always been good with him. I admit I did do wrong in leaving him out in the aviary over his first night of being out there as he had never stayed in that aviary before until that time. All he sees is other Pionus and Pionus he is use to seeing anyway here in the house and they are not loud or unruling birds out there.

I hope this does not last for a long time on how he is acting towards me. Time will tell I guess.

 

[Jan]

By the way, this is a photo of the cage he was in... this cage is like 8 feet long x 36 inches wide by 36 inches high.

 

[TITANIS]

That is certainly peculiar, Jan. The thing that comes straight to mind is a predator, but it's practically ruled out if the Pionus flock was undisturbed, unless it came only for Chester. Strange indeed.

 

[Birdlover]

Oh I am so sorry I have read other accounts of hawkheads acting fearful/phobic when they have gone through something stressful, particularly if they felt chased in any way (even if that wasnt the act or intent we see, they may feel threatened). I would think to just give him some time and letting him come to you on his own and let him jut process what happened. I hope it doesnt last too long

 

[Saemma]

So sorry for you and Chester...

 

[Jan]

Thanks guys for wishing him well. I do hope in a short time he will over come it at least with him not thinking I am evil towards him. I just will not take him out there again. I will however take him out in the other cage that he was more familiar with later on once I know weather will stay warm. Hopefully, he will do okay there.

His freight of whatever could have been as simple as say like one of the other birds in the aviary falling or maybe one of them had ruffled their feathers through the night... who knows really but what ever it was, he was not a happy camper later on. Oh, also I was just thinking and wondering too that you know, the cage he was in out in the aviary is so, so much larger than what he is use to in the house and I was even wondering if it could really be something as simple as an insecurity as his cage here in the house is not really all that big but he seems to love his cage. He may feel excessively vurnable being in that large cage. But not sure that sort of thing would make him want to run from me. Not much makes sense to me as of this time.

This evening I had a bowl with some ice cream so I walked up to him as he was sittiing on his cage door and he loves ice cream so I let him take a few bites of it and he seemed a little hesitant but he stayed calm and went for the ice cream. He's always been a chow hound for food but other than that he seems to not want me too close. I notice he tends to stay in his cage a lot even with the door wide open and even before this all came about he has been wanting to stay in his cage. He will give me kisses once I have him on my hand.

 

[TITANIS]

Maybe a big insect creeped him out? Birds are much more phobic than other animals and even something like a large spider or other nocturnal bug could have frightened him. It would also explain why the other birds were not affected. People have posted threads about their birds really freaking at the sight of very small bugs inside their homes at night, I could just imagine out doors if one got into his cage...

 

[magni]

sending lots of hugs for both of you, given time I think he will get over it

 

[Crazy Bird Lady]

You know it is funny I had a strange experience yesterday with Zoey. I was on my lap top and she was standing next to it as she normally does trying to pluck the keys off . I pet her and push her away, it is kind of a game. Yesterday I went to pet her and she took a bite out of my hand. I tried again and she bit me harder. She flew to her play stand and I left her be for a bit. I had a very colorful jacket on, one that has similar colorings to a HH and it has big floppy sleeves. I took it off and approached her after she was distracted playing on her stand. She acted fine and has been absolutely normal since. In fact as I sit here and type she is trying to pluck my keyboard and I am pushing her away. All I can figure is the jacket kind of scared her

 

[hawkygal]

Just a thought but was there any micro earthquakes around where you are that night? I know that would totally do it for our guy. And a little three pointer or so might not wake us up but would totally be noticed by him.

 

[Jan]

Just a thought but was there any micro earthquakes around where you are that night? I know that would totally do it for our guy. And a little three pointer or so might not wake us up but would totally be noticed by him.

Yes, actually I had thought of that too, hard to say if it was the reason but ya never know.

He's been staying here in the house still yet and I am not trying to win him over at this time... he still seems a timid when I come near. This whole thing just puzzles me because he had always been fantastic with me and never before has shown any signs of fear around me. It's probably me plus something else so he puts the two together making it hard for himself. I'll just have to ride it out and see.

 

[Jan]

Here is an update on Chester - he has gotten over that part where he would lunge out of his cage to run under a cage to stay clear of me and I had not ever seen his react like that at all until this whole thing started. He no longers goes running under a cage now, which I am glad about. He is now accepting my hand to step up on it when I ask him to.

I still have not taken him back outside and will have to rethink on where I want to place him at outside for the summer months. I'll probably put him and Gabby in the cage they stayed in last summer which is not the cage where this problem had started.

 

[Birdlover]

I am so glad to hear he is coming back around!