Bird attack

[Apple71354]

Why is my formerly sweet natured bird attacking me? She’s a Blue Quaker Parrakeet about 3 and 1/2 years old. I give her time outs and she’s better for a while, but then bites my really hard and screams at me.

 

[sunnysmom]

Welcome to the forum. How long has this been going on? She could be hormonal. It's that time of year for a lot of birds.

 

[Apple71354]

Just lately, maybe a week. What do you mean by hormonal? Is it like being irritable during your period? What I do is put her in her cage for a while till she seems calmer. Once she bites hard, I try to get away from her and then she just gets really crazy. I have to get her off me so I just sweep her off with my hand and then I have to throw a cloth or blanket so I can put her in her cage. If Idon’t use a cloth she bites me really hard. I’m trying to stay calm and be as gentle as possible. Any advice?

 

[MauiWendy]

Is she clipped or flighted?

 

[Apple71354]

She’s clipped but she’s molting and right now she’s flying around the house so I need to clip her again soon.

 

[nu2birds]

Maybe she is crabby from molting? My guys get irritable when they are molting and they are molting now, too.

 

[Feather]

Clipping can cause extra aggression as it removes the "flight" option from a bird's flight-or-fight response and can teach the bird that the only way to have her space respected is to bite. Modifying the environment to suit a parrot is far more productive than modifying the parrot to suit the environment.

On top of seasonal hormones, it may well be that your bird is reaching sexual maturity and essentially going through her "terrible twos" or "rebellious teenager" phase, if you will. If this is the case, it will pass in time. Be patient with her, ride it out, and rebuild a new relationship with her.

 

[Cynthia & Percy]

welcome

 

[Apple71354]

I understand about not clipping, but my previous bird, that I had for 9 years, got out and was killed by a hawk. He had escaped before and a hawk chased him. He flew down and hid in a trucks wheel well. I swore after that I would clip him. But I knew he would be upset, so I didn’t. I so wish I had. Also Frodo got out once and when I found her she had a broken breast bone and pneumonia. I took her to the vet and she recovered nicely but I can’t bear to lose another bird that way again. I tried to be careful, but when birds are flighted they seem to, one way or another, get out. And for these birds the outside world is so dangerous. I still haven’t forgiven myself for my green cheeked conure’s death.

 

[Apple71354]

I’ve had Frodo for almost 4 years and this is the first time she’s been so volatile. I think you’re right Feather, I think she’s hormonal. I’ve been trying to be patient with her, and instead of yelling,”Bad Bird and No Biting”, I’ve been talking to her in a calm soothing voice and only if she keeps biting I pick her up gently with a towel and put her in her cage for about twenty minutes until she calms down. I f I leave her locked in her cage for longer she just gets angry. So it seems to be working. Thank so much everyone for the advice. It’s nice to be able to talk with other bird lovers.

 

[Sylvester]

I understand about not clipping, but my previous bird, that I had for 9 years, got out and was killed by a hawk. He had escaped before and a hawk chased him. He flew down and hid in a trucks wheel well. I swore after that I would clip him. But I knew he would be upset, so I didn’t. I so wish I had. Also Frodo got out once and when I found her she had a broken breast bone and pneumonia. I took her to the vet and she recovered nicely but I can’t bear to lose another bird that way again. I tried to be careful, but when birds are flighted they seem to, one way or another, get out. And for these birds the outside world is so dangerous. I still haven’t forgiven myself for my green cheeked conure’s death.

Welcome to the site!

Okay, first thing is to find out why your birds are getting out and try to fix that.

Second: I am probably one of the few people on this site who is okay about clipping a bird in certain situations, like when they are attacking and biting the H E L L out of somebody. It is not like declawing a cat, where the cat is actually maimed because her knuckle is being broken. Feathers do grow back.

Hormones: She is going into heat (for a better lack of word) and she is frustrated.

 

[Apple71354]

I got mixed up, thank you Sunnysmom. I think she’s hormonal.

 

[Apple71354]

Thanks Sylvester. I try to be careful, but I can’t take a chance on Frodo meeting a brutal, horrible death. Just talking about what happened to Frodo upsets me so much. I blame myself for not copping him and for not being careful enough. I don’t think I’ll ever get over it. So, although I don’t like to clip my bird I would be devastated if something terrible happened to her because I didn’t. she never attacks while she’s flying, just when she’s with me and she gets worked up somehow.

 

[Apple71354]

Frodo is doing much better. I figured out that I wasn’t paying enough attention to her and she was angry, so I just let her vent (scream and bite) and get it out of her system. I’m paying more attention to her.

 

[Dartman]

Sometimes they just don't know the proper way to ask a human for something so get frustrated and bite when what they want doesn't happen after they they thought they made it clear to you what they wanted. Lurch kept biting my neck when he rode into the bathroom with me when I got home and went in to clean up. I couldn't figure it out and he started loosing shoulder privileges. One day I decided to try something and put my hand down on the vanity sink. He ran down immediately and started drinking and playing in the running water from the faucet. After that I always asked him if he wanted to play with the water and he waited patiently for me to finish and offer. I never got bit in there again because we reached a understanding and he knew that he would be allowed to do what he wanted to begin with.