POI Madness continues...........

[KatherinesBirds]

It started off sane enough this morning but something like Jekyl and Hyde happens around 1pm during POI Madness breeding season. I returned home as usual from shopping for treats for Wiggles (my Meyers for those who have not been following the madness) and used the short stick for a nice step up to the playpen. Wonderful. Next thing I know my clipped bird hops/glides to my shoulder and bites my earlobe. I ended up not screaming but just slowly taking off my sweatshirt with which I wiped the blood away and setting Wiggles gently to the seed catching tray around his cage. What to do now.......? I let him calm down. After awhile he started down the side of the cage and went for my bare toes. I always wear sandals. I then did something I haven't been able to do since high school. I jumped up on the kitchen counter and swung my legs over and landed gently on the floor on the other side.....none the worse for wear.....I then grabbed a three foot dowel perch that I had left in the corner of the dining room. I noticed my moccasins right next to the dowel and I was ready for anything! They don't have emoticons with screaming and running. I watched as Wiggles puffed up and stretched his neck out and made a loud clicking noise with his beak wide open several times. Then he strutted over to my leather sandals which I had left in the kitchen and "fed" them. Gee, I wished he had chosen the black rubber sandals instead. He proceeded to run after me and instead of retreating more than a couple of feet I stopped him by putting the long stick right in front of him and he stepped up. I praised him as he tried to race back down the stick towards me looking quite crazy. I put him on top of his cage. He came quickly back down so I made a game out of it placing him up on top of the playpen each time and acting like it was a game. He got it I think. He is back on top and calming down now. I am bandaged and calming down in my recliner.
I use a walker with wheels. Now I am keeping that 3 foot dowel sitting in the basket like a shotgun (excuse me) and will keep it with me through this wonderful hormonal phase of Wiggles life. I am only using the stick as a friendly, fun sort of thing and NOT a threat. I have to be careful how upset I get and not let it show too much. He can't help it.
I love this little demon. How freaking long will this last? Give me hope.......
Katherine

 

[KatherinesBirds]

Come on all you POI lovers.......! My ear is killing me.

 

[KatherinesBirds]

suggestions welcome............

 

[Shade]

You are doing good by keeping the stick close - I have a few perches around to move the more "difficult" ones, specially in these times. In fact, I won't trust Zuri on my hand lately as he's notorious at doing the "bait and switch" nowadays - be all sweet and cuddly and then wham - nails you! For the same reason, he has no shoulder privilige.

It should calm down

 

[KatherinesBirds]

Thanks Natacha. I now have one long dowel in my walker. One in the livingroom by my recliner and computer area. That should do it and, oh yes, a pair of shoes that cover my toes. Head Scritches are still possible. I don't do it for very long though. I watch the eyes!

I really hope reading this doesn't discourage anyone from owning a POI.
Natacha, you've had your birds for awhile, how long does the hormonal stuff last?? Is it usually over by January?

 

[Shade]

Thanks Natacha. I now have one long dowel in my walker. One in the livingroom by my recliner and computer area. That should do it and, oh yes, a pair of shoes that cover my toes. Head Scritches are still possible. I don't do it for very long though. I watch the eyes! I really hope reading this doesn't discourage anyone from owning a POI.Natacha, you've had your birds for awhile, how long does the hormonal stuff last?? Is it usually over by January?

You get better at reading body language with time. How long it last?...I think by mid-november my guys start snapping out of it. But it might differ from bird to bird. If he gets to be too much, put him back in his cage for a few minutes to calm down. Does he have a toy to tak out aggression on? Mine generally have a toy they reserve to shake and release extra energy, for a few of them it's a noisy toy. Do you pet him all over? I'd stick to the head

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

You really did handle his ear attack very well and did all the right things. If Hobbs jumped back down and chased me a second time he wound up in his cage for a time out. Once he was calm again, he was allowed out. The only thing you can do is react consistently by showing him he cannot be aggressive with you and come out on top. You are boss bird and will brook no aggression and if he cannot follow the rules, he does not get to interact with you.

Good reactions, kiddo.

 

[KatherinesBirds]

You get better at reading body language with time. How long it last?...I think by mid-november my guys start snapping out of it. But it might differ from bird to bird. If he gets to be too much, put him back in his cage for a few minutes to calm down. Does he have a toy to tak out aggression on? Mine generally have a toy they reserve to shake and release extra energy, for a few of them it's a noisy toy. Do you pet him all over? I'd stick to the head

The whole thing lasted no more than 10 minutes at most. He looked just like a wild Meyers I saw on youtube protecting his nest with all the body language. I don't pet him all over. I think he was never used to it and ruled the house. I still give head scratches. Under the wing, Not possible. He likes to chew and 2X3x1/2 inch blocks seem to be what he likes best. Tried all kinds of other things. Things that shake. No, he likes the wood. I must find a cage for the other room for total darkness. THAT is a real problem I must solve. I'm just kind of sad this happened.

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

Yeah, we can't help but take it personally and feel sad, but the thing to remember is he is not singling you out deliberately, he is just reacting to hormones YOU happen to be the one present at the time the hormones hit. I bet your were the only thing available to take his aggression out on when he attacked your ear; otherwise he would have never attacked mom!

Start looking for those flashing eyes, crouched posture and slicked back feathers of a bird about to pounce; which are all signs he is going to attack. When you see this beginning, distract him; yell, sing loudly, make a loud noise: anything to break his concentration and change the hormonal balance. Remember fight or flight hormones ALWAYS superseed breeding hormones and I do not know how many times deliberately startling a bird with loud noises saved me from a bad bite with those Amazons. I love the loud clang an empty metal food bowl makes when dropped on the tile floor and it works each and every time!

Hang in there and keep trying.

 

[KatherinesBirds]

I like what you said about distracting him. I have a metal bowl that I need to put in a corner on the counter. So much to learn.

 

[KatherinesBirds]

With protective footwear and a long stick we have survived another day! Things went quite well as I have started making a game of being picked up with the long stick now. I slid a half of a liter bottle over the stick to protect my hand and it works like magic! He doesn't even consider biting me now. I do so miss kissing little Wiggles on the back of his soft head like I used to. I wouldn't be foolish enough to even try right now. He did get to the floor once today and I watched him as he strutted to his reflection in the black refrigerator door and then went right over to my sandals and regurgitated onto them. Thanks Wiggles. He is bonded to me. He loves me I am sure. Isn't love great!
I have discovered that if I roll the stick in my hand, he will step off of the stick onto his cage instead of trying to run back up and nail me.
I am learning all sorts of things. I thought I knew so much! HA!
Katherine

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

Hang in there, Katherine, you will kiss the soft back of his head again in a few months. This is a phase.

You are doing great with him.

 

[gibsongrrrl]

He did get to the floor once today and I watched him as he strutted to his reflection in the black refrigerator door and then went right over to my sandals and regurgitated onto them.
Katherine

awww, , that is too funny/cute. hope all is well with you and Wiggles today

 

[KatherinesBirds]

Thanks everyone! Things continue to go smashingly here in POI HORMONE CENTRAL. Wiggles is spending most of the day strutting around on the Bottom of his huge cage throwing toys around for a change! I made him a Wild Man from a clothespin with natural fiber hair and some leather arms and legs. Poor Wild Man took a beating today! This is exactly what Wiggles needs. He seems a bit more relaxed tonight with bedtime coming up in 15 min so he gets his 14 hours of darkness and his owner and best friend (ME) gets her 14 hours of quiet sanity.
New words are learned every day. I now call him Einstein often. He picked up a child's screaming and a little dog barking today. Nice! Also he repeats "Let go, let go, let go" from our little finger biting experience earlier in the week. Charming! He watched a lot of Sesame Street the other day and does "Wacka, wacka, wacka! " ALSO, "Kermie, kermie, kermie". Needless to say, Wiggles is entertainment in a very pretty, charming package.
I look forward to being able to have him on my shoulder again without fear of bodily injury. The dowels are strategically positioned around the house and I am always wearing protective footwear.
Will keep you updated my friends!
Katherine

 

[ncGreyBirdLady]

 

[KatherinesBirds]

I need to let you all know that giving my Meyers 14 hours of darkness has not only helped him but has helped ME too! I mean, I get to watch tv in the bedroom and generally fall asleep sooner. Wiggles, my Meyers had started already to change his attitude. I am noticing less frantic walking back and forth on the bottom of his cage. Less noise!! He was doing nothing but loud whistling and less clicking of his beak and pinning of the eyes. He is still trying to roam the entire house when let out which was something new when this hormonal period started. He isn't attacking the stick anymore but seems to be having fun with it. His vocabulary is astounding! I was making myself a ham on rye at the kitchen counter and didn't realize how closely I was being watched. When I said "Oh, yummy rye!" He immediately repeated "Yummy Rye!". This morning I was pouring cereal and he said "Yummy Rye!" I don't give him the rye with the seeds although. It is said to be dangerous and they can get stuck in the crop. The coming weeks should show more improvement. I still would not trust him on my shoulder.

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

Glad to hear he is becoming more like his old self. You will find he will revert back to his loving self but also be a little more independent of you for interactions and ideas. He is becoming an adult and learning he has a mind of his own and ideas of his own which he will pursue. You just have to show him what limits he has to follow in his self determination.

Therein lies the mature and happy pet parrot.

 

[KatherinesBirds]

My Meyers parrot Wiggles is responding to the 14 hours of darkness each night. He is now quieter than usual especially in the mornings before I uncover him, he is not showing any of the wild and frantic preening activity either. He is not pinning his eyes when I approach him most of the time and he is not going for my fingers when I give a head scratch. He is closing his eyes about 50% when I give head scratches. He is not spending all day pacing back and forth in the bottom of his cage and piling his toys up in one corner. I am still using the stick and will continue for a couple of months. I think that letting him know who is setting the limits is a good thing. He is not biting the stick anymore either. I have eliminated the cheese and nuts from his diet and am giving him some pellets instead. He is not showing a lot of interest but did eat some this morning. I am really encouraged by his progress so soon. I really believe that the extended darkness hours is the key. It is hard to give him the total darkness he needs since I still need to find a cage that can go into the birdroom.
Katherine

 

[gibsongrrrl]

awesome!

 

[KatherinesBirds]

Yes, POI MADNESS is in full swing this November 6th. I am journaling all of this for future survivors of the trial by fire! This whole thing is forcing me to constantly work on ways to make our relationship blossom even in the middle of insanity. Wondering how much crazier can this get with visions of Wiggles chasing me around the house snarling....just kidding. I am sitting here listening to Wiggles shell a few seeds and fiddle around with his toys in the darkness. I am right beside his cage with my face pressed to the thick blanket that covers him so he gets a lot of dark. I can talk to him and he comes closer and closer until I am sure we are face to face. I say "I love you forever and ever and ever and ever" and he is starting to say "ever and ever and ever".
Patience is a virtue indeed!
K.