Cage aggression-wow!

[liltweets]

When we first brought Buddy home he wanted to bite when he was on us (especially on our shoulder) and we got that solved by not allowing him on our shoulder and putting him down when he bit and telling him "don't bite" then picking him back up.

Since his illness and he is feeling better, he has become *very* cage territorial. I know quakers can do this but I'm wondering how in the world I'm to get him out of his cage without him tearing my fingers to pieces? I could let him come out on his own, and most of the time I do, and he steps up from there, but lately he is wanting to stay in his cage (even with the door open) and play in the bottom with his foot toys. When I need him to come out, for his med, metamucil or to give him water/apple juice to keep him hydrated because of the med/metamucil, he wants to grab my finger and gnaw on it, pulling back like he wants to take a chunk of flesh. And he has almost succeeded on several occasions.

He is very hormonal right now, yesterday he was trying to "mate" with his millet spray.

I've tried bribing him out with his favorite treat but he reaches around it and lunges at me trying to bite. I've rearranged his cage, he gets plenty of sleep but nothing works.

I don't know how much of this is "normal" quaker attitude or from his past abuse/neglect. He is a rescue. He wasn't let out of his cage for a year in his previous home and we are at least his third home.

I have to get him out on schedule to give him the med/metamucil/water/apple juice....any suggestions?

 

[Renae]

They can get very cage aggressive. Have you tried getting him to step up onto a perch? that way he won't be able to rip flesh out of your hands.

I don't know about getting him to take he medicine once out though, does he usually just take it without you holding him or what? or do you need to hold him? if you need to hold him, maybe toweling him is your only option until his hormonal stage is over.

 

[liltweets]

They can get very cage aggressive. Have you tried getting him to step up onto a perch? that way he won't be able to rip flesh out of your hands.

I don't know about getting him to take he medicine once out though, does he usually just take it without you holding him or what? or do you need to hold him? if you need to hold him, maybe toweling him is your only option until his hormonal stage is over.

Hi Renae, I've tried getting him to step up on a perch and he bites at that and won't step up. I towel him after he's out of the cage to give him his med/water etc but this evening I had to towel him to get him to come out of his cage. I'm afraid that's going to cause him to not trust me.

 

[liltweets]

Also, once he is away from his cage he is fine, no biting. I towel him to give him his med so he won't try to get away. He doesn't seem to mind the towel then and doesn't try to bite when I towel him for his med.

 

[JLcribber]

This is my view on cage aggression.

http://forums.avianavenue.com/behavior-byway/9274-cage-aggression.html

This sticky will give you lots of ideas and options when medicating your bird.

http://forums.avianavenue.com/healthy-highway/817-orally-medicating-your-pet-bird.html

 

[liltweets]

Thanks for the links John. Very good info.

Since I can't do a bird proof room right now, maybe I could make his cage just his sleeping cage and remove it from sight until bedtime? I'm home most of the day everyday. He seems to enjoy the comfort/security of his cage. And since he was locked in his cage for at least a year before we got him, would it upset him more to just take it away like that, until bedtime? What do you think? I would love to have him cage free all the time. He acts like one PO'd bird when he's in there, even with the door open. I'm going to take his cage out of the room now and see how he reacts. Since wild quakers live in nests I'm wondering if it would be detrimental to take it away? Does this sound like rambling? lol

You have a very calming voice and presence in the video. For some reason I pictured you as wired for sound. I bet you can be when you're away from the birds.

 

[JLcribber]

I don't know if I would take it away completely if that is his safety spot unless he has a favorite place away from the cage where he can still feel safe. If he's out as much as you say, where does he hang out during that time? If he doesn't get himself into trouble when out then that is a larger secure place than the cage. As you said he's not like that when out of the cage so the less the cage is in the situation, the less of that behavior you will need to deal with. JMO

My TOOs are still cage aggressive with their sleep cages but they only see them in the mornings and at bedtime so I don't have to deal with that at any other time.

 

[liltweets]

He is in and out of the cage since I leave the door open. Lately he loves to play in the bottom of his cage. I tried taking the foot toys out and put them on the gym stand he still goes to the bottom of the cage to play. When he comes out he is on his play gym or on me. He stays on it or flies around a bit then back to it. He's really good about not getting into things, so far. I put his cage out of sight for a while yesterday and he acted like he was glad to have it back. I added a sleep tent to his gym so hopefully he'll try it out and use it when he wants to nap or needs to feel secure and hopefully once the hormonal phase passes he won't be as cage aggressive.

 

[Hankmacaw]

Glad to hear Buddy is better. Are you still finding foreign objects in his poop?

Sorry, no advice on the cage issue. John is far more qualified than I am.
ML

 

[liltweets]

Hi ML, thank you. He's a spitfire.

No, I haven't found anything that he has passed. Hopefully it's all gone.