Attycakes
Meeting neighbors
- Joined
- 9/19/17
- Messages
- 32
- Real Name
- Jessica
Hi all! So those of you who have read my past thread on Joey, my male senegal parrot, know a lot of the background already with him having territorial and aggressive behaviors. For those not informed, basically I have taken over the care of two bonded senegal parrots from my parents and while the female is bonded with me, the male gives me trouble.
So here's the newest development in Joey's world. We have been getting a little closer with target training and positive reinforcement, he lets me scratch his head and loves when I whisper-sweet talk him. However, there are still a lot of moments where he will come clear across the cage to sit on a perch close to me and get angry that I am in his area. There have been a few times where I have been in a seat and he has come as close as possible just to growl at me even though I am just silently reading or on the laptop. When inside his cage he will lunge at the bars if I am near (ex. putting the sheet on top for the night) but I get that it's his territory, he can defend it.
But here is where my mind now has been drawn to a long line of what the...
A few days ago, my fiancé came over to pick me up for a day on the town. He entered my room / the bird room temporarily and this man... he walked right up to Joey and said Hey Joey! a scritched him back on the head and coo'd and Joey fluffed right up and the little bugger let him love all over him I felt SCANDALIZED!! All my hard work with him and this is what I get? Betrayal!! (Not really, but I was mad jealous) Keep in mind, my fiancé has never interacted with Joey before other than once or twice maybe Joey hearing his voice in another room or seeing him in passing.
And then today, my dad walks into the room and first is startled by the changes (I set up a perch by the window with tons of toys, ladders, etc. a month ago. He apparently never came in the room since the initial set up). He asked if I wanted to take a ride with him and I said sure, let me get the birds in the cage. Atty stepped up, went right inside. But I mentioned Joey would be tricky as I had to target him to the cage. My dad laughs, walks right up to Joey, says "Hey Joey" and starts cooing at him, rubs his head, and offers his hand. And the cheeky little brat STEPPED RIGHT UP WITH NO HESITATION!! I am just in disbelief watching this.
All this time I thought it was behavioral directed to everyone and now I learn that the little booger has been selectively angsty against ME. And I am the one who has been giving them everything, healthy foods, treats, activities, training, etc. and someone who hasn't seen him in a month walks right in and shows me up lol!
Obviously this is in half-joking rant, but seriously?!? When my mom walks into the room, he will go into a growling and screeching fit until she leaves. Some days (like today) he is more tempermental with me, others calm and easy. I am at a loss!
How do I overcome this if it is directed at me? I realize that trust takes time to build up but I honestly feel kind of hurt that I have been working with him for a month now and someone he has never met walks right in and does what I have been working so dang hard to do!
So here's the newest development in Joey's world. We have been getting a little closer with target training and positive reinforcement, he lets me scratch his head and loves when I whisper-sweet talk him. However, there are still a lot of moments where he will come clear across the cage to sit on a perch close to me and get angry that I am in his area. There have been a few times where I have been in a seat and he has come as close as possible just to growl at me even though I am just silently reading or on the laptop. When inside his cage he will lunge at the bars if I am near (ex. putting the sheet on top for the night) but I get that it's his territory, he can defend it.
But here is where my mind now has been drawn to a long line of what the...
A few days ago, my fiancé came over to pick me up for a day on the town. He entered my room / the bird room temporarily and this man... he walked right up to Joey and said Hey Joey! a scritched him back on the head and coo'd and Joey fluffed right up and the little bugger let him love all over him I felt SCANDALIZED!! All my hard work with him and this is what I get? Betrayal!! (Not really, but I was mad jealous) Keep in mind, my fiancé has never interacted with Joey before other than once or twice maybe Joey hearing his voice in another room or seeing him in passing.
And then today, my dad walks into the room and first is startled by the changes (I set up a perch by the window with tons of toys, ladders, etc. a month ago. He apparently never came in the room since the initial set up). He asked if I wanted to take a ride with him and I said sure, let me get the birds in the cage. Atty stepped up, went right inside. But I mentioned Joey would be tricky as I had to target him to the cage. My dad laughs, walks right up to Joey, says "Hey Joey" and starts cooing at him, rubs his head, and offers his hand. And the cheeky little brat STEPPED RIGHT UP WITH NO HESITATION!! I am just in disbelief watching this.
All this time I thought it was behavioral directed to everyone and now I learn that the little booger has been selectively angsty against ME. And I am the one who has been giving them everything, healthy foods, treats, activities, training, etc. and someone who hasn't seen him in a month walks right in and shows me up lol!
Obviously this is in half-joking rant, but seriously?!? When my mom walks into the room, he will go into a growling and screeching fit until she leaves. Some days (like today) he is more tempermental with me, others calm and easy. I am at a loss!
How do I overcome this if it is directed at me? I realize that trust takes time to build up but I honestly feel kind of hurt that I have been working with him for a month now and someone he has never met walks right in and does what I have been working so dang hard to do!
