I need some advise from caique owners! I have two 7 year old caiques. I bought Mico (female) at about 4 months, and later adopted Limon (male) when they were both about 2 years. They were a good match and became very good friends.
Limon had been living with unexperienced people and had probably been handeled a little rough as he was a bit on edge when he first came to us, but at the same time very trusting and curious. After around 6 months with us I saw a change in him and he trusted me. Since then he has almost never bit, but rather just given a warning if needed.
There has been periods when he is so eager to stay out of the cage, that he has become very difficult to handle when he understands that he will be put back in the cage. This means holding on very tight on to anything and biting aggressively when I try to get him on my hand to go in the cage. I have usually handled this with a towel. This is not great, but manageable.
The real problem has begun recently. He has become fixed with pulling my glasses off my head. Aggressively. He can be on my shoulder for a few minutes relaxed, and then suddenly he will just pull my glasses off, and sometimes he even dive after them if they are on the floor to 'get them'. This is not easy to handle. He will even get on top of my head and pull them from there. If I leave the glasses off, he can try to pick on my eyes from the top of my head.
I don't understand why he started this behaviour. He has been with us for 5 years and there has been no particular change in the household or environment. He also started picking fights with Mico in the cage this week, so I have put inn the partition. I have never used it before.
I have tried to train him by saying 'no' if I see he wants to try for the glasses, but he will only listen as long as I am watching him.
I don't know what to do! I am now anxious to let him out as he could actually hurt my eyes.
Does anyone have any similar experiences and any advice for me?
Limon had been living with unexperienced people and had probably been handeled a little rough as he was a bit on edge when he first came to us, but at the same time very trusting and curious. After around 6 months with us I saw a change in him and he trusted me. Since then he has almost never bit, but rather just given a warning if needed.
There has been periods when he is so eager to stay out of the cage, that he has become very difficult to handle when he understands that he will be put back in the cage. This means holding on very tight on to anything and biting aggressively when I try to get him on my hand to go in the cage. I have usually handled this with a towel. This is not great, but manageable.
The real problem has begun recently. He has become fixed with pulling my glasses off my head. Aggressively. He can be on my shoulder for a few minutes relaxed, and then suddenly he will just pull my glasses off, and sometimes he even dive after them if they are on the floor to 'get them'. This is not easy to handle. He will even get on top of my head and pull them from there. If I leave the glasses off, he can try to pick on my eyes from the top of my head.
I don't understand why he started this behaviour. He has been with us for 5 years and there has been no particular change in the household or environment. He also started picking fights with Mico in the cage this week, so I have put inn the partition. I have never used it before.
I have tried to train him by saying 'no' if I see he wants to try for the glasses, but he will only listen as long as I am watching him.
I don't know what to do! I am now anxious to let him out as he could actually hurt my eyes.
Does anyone have any similar experiences and any advice for me?