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Owned by a bird - questions...

KatelynDeanne

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Soo my husband and I have started watching American Horror Story in the living room for the month of Halloween :) Lucy has been hanging out in there on her playstand. She will fly down and go after stuff in our lap but mostly my husbands. She also goes over and pecks his head and bites his head. She has done this to me before. She will also just start biting the chair, biting the blanket, after the computer mouse . She keeps flying to the back of both our chairs but mostly his. (side by side chairs) Does this mean she likes him? What should we do? He will shake the chair hard to knock her down but she always comes back as if shes picking on him. His theory is he thinks she likes the attention he gives by telling her NO and making a scene. I just sit there most of the time. If this is going to get her to "like" him, should I make a big deal out of it to? Or do you think she doesnt like him and this is something else? We REALLY need her to like both of us and I know thats not always possible, given our past situation but its getting on his nerves her messing with him and im not sure what to do.
 

Mizzely

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Birds love drama. The more reaction he her, the more fun it is. I'm not sure there is anything you can do... Birds like who they like. You can try being the sole treat giver for a while
 

KatelynDeanne

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Birds love drama. The more reaction he her, the more fun it is. I'm not sure there is anything you can do... Birds like who they like. You can try being the sole treat giver for a while
Right. She seems to like both of us I think. So far it's been more of her after things that were holding or eating, etc.. when we had chloe it was obvious she liked my husband. This one just picks on him and me both. Lol she has stepped up for me on occasion, but he asked her to step up and she bit him. So this is interesting. I think your right tho it's the attention she likes. When we had chloe, she would literally come to him crouched down demanding a head scratch etc.. none of that with Lucy so far. Time will tell. :) in her previous home, she liked everyone, the young boy was just her person. She still calls his name in our home. It makes me sad. I think it will be an adjustment for her. Although, she ain't shy when it comes to being a mess! Just the step ups and affection will take time. Lol
 

sunnysmom

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I don't think I would shake the chair. She may see this as aggression. You may have to try teaching her to stay on a t-stand or play gym if he doesn't want the interaction. Or put her back in the cage. I think likely she wants you to be paying attention to her and not watching TV.
 

cassiesdad

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Lucy has to be taught that your husband's head (and shoulders) are his "personal space"...and biting is NEVER allowed in that space.
His theory is he thinks she likes the attention he gives by telling her NO and making a scene.
He is correct...birds love drama and attention. IMO, birds should NEVER have "shoulder privileges"...too many things could go wrong, too quickly.Teaching a bird about personal space can be challenging...if they try to get there, they must be redirected away, immediately...every time!

Ever watch birds in the wild? One could be sitting on a branch...then you see another perch next to the other...neither one really does anything...but if one gets too close to the other...a beak flashes out...most of the time, an actual bite is not inflicted...just the threat of one is enough...one bird is telling the other, "go away, you're too close..you're invading my space"...so it must be if you don't want a bird in your "personal space"...
 

Fergus Mom

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I'm wondering if you tried switching chairs what would happen? I wonder if the same behavior would be exhibited. Worth a shot?
 

Teckechick

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What does she have to do while you two are watching TV? Does she interact with anything on the play stand? I know with our little Jenks if he doesn't have several things to occupy him he uses us to occupy himself and if we have something he wants I have to redirect him to things that are his. Not sure if Greys are the same but you could find more things for her to do maybe to keep her occupied.
 

KatelynDeanne

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I don't think I would shake the chair. She may see this as aggression. You may have to try teaching her to stay on a t-stand or play gym if he doesn't want the interaction. Or put her back in the cage. I think likely she wants you to be paying attention to her and not watching TV.
Okay, I will tell the hubby what you said about the chair. She is definitely an attention hog. LOL
 

KatelynDeanne

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Lucy has to be taught that your husband's head (and shoulders) are his "personal space"...and biting is NEVER allowed in that space.

He is correct...birds love drama and attention. IMO, birds should NEVER have "shoulder privileges"...too many things could go wrong, too quickly.Teaching a bird about personal space can be challenging...if they try to get there, they must be redirected away, immediately...every time!

Ever watch birds in the wild? One could be sitting on a branch...then you see another perch next to the other...neither one really does anything...but if one gets too close to the other...a beak flashes out...most of the time, an actual bite is not inflicted...just the threat of one is enough...one bird is telling the other, "go away, you're too close..you're invading my space"...so it must be if you don't want a bird in your "personal space"...
Wow, I never thought of it like that with birds in the wild, yet I HAVE seen that. Yeah, we wont be doing shoulder privileges here either. We are trying to give her things she can have to play with to redirect her. Thank You for your reply :)
 

KatelynDeanne

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I'm wondering if you tried switching chairs what would happen? I wonder if the same behavior would be exhibited. Worth a shot?
I think we may try that today! Good idea. What we did so far is the objects he had on his chair, we put on my chair (remote, phone, mouse, keyboard,drink) and she came to my chair. Looks like us switching spots is worth a shot too.
 

KatelynDeanne

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What does she have to do while you two are watching TV? Does she interact with anything on the play stand? I know with our little Jenks if he doesn't have several things to occupy him he uses us to occupy himself and if we have something he wants I have to redirect him to things that are his. Not sure if Greys are the same but you could find more things for her to do maybe to keep her occupied.
We have here 2 toys on there hanging. One is a forager. She doesnt really know how to play with bird toys yet. The previous owners never provided her with them. Slowly learning :) I usually hand her paper, she loves that! :)
 
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