• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

Hormones? Mourning? What's going on?

birdashes

Walking the driveway
Joined
2/21/16
Messages
155
Location
U.S.
Real Name
Ash
Hi,

I'm having some difficulties with my RB2 Val. I can't understand these new behaviors or where their coming from. Well- it's more where it's coming from.

Val showed signs he was in love with me ( trying to mate, regurgitate , chasing off others and getting aggressive at other people + generally being sweet to me) and was heading into hormones - starting to be a bit of a brat. But this was all 'normal' behavior for him.

About two weeks ago one of my cockatiels passed. He was an old guy ( 20s ) and our vet suspects it was heart failure.

Around ( I'm not sure if the above really is related or if I'm grasping at straws) the same time Val's behavior took a huge turn

He is now attacking me ( divebombing + lunging ) and when he isn't his behavior is ... I don't want to humanize his behavior but it's like he's completely apathetic to me. I can't touch him. He ignores me. For a while he was turning his back to me but he's just stopped that now. The attacking has started to calm down.

BUT in his cage, through the bars he acts the same was as before which is throwing me off ( excited to see me, talking to me, no aggression, will 'hold my hand' - this was a 'trick' I taught him, will preen my finger) . There's also a newish/reoccurring behavior now. Often when I go into the bird room he runs to the bottom corner of his cage and tries to nest while looking at me.

His behavior towards other people remains the same as before.

I'll admit and I'm ashamed , before/around this behavior change I hadn't been spending as much time with him as before. ( I had class, holidays and then I was taking care of my tiel who ended up passing away - it's not an excuse , I was poorly managing my time)

My vet and one of the people I volunteer with at the rescue who works with cockatoos (I trust her a lot) I go to thinks it's a combo of hormones and he's upset at my absence. I trust these people but I just want to ask you all because I'm just really unsure.

Val just had a vet check up ( he's 100% healthy) and he's a month from being 2 years old. He never directly interacted with the cockatiel that passed but their cages were nearby and Val would often sit in places he could see their cage when he's out. Nothing I can think of has changed besides my cockatiel dying - unless you count new toys ? but he's playing with them so I doubt it.

Opinions? I'm just really confused. Is it all hormones? Him growing up? Was it me? Did my cockatiel passing affect him? All of the above? None of the above?
 
Last edited:

JLcribber

@cockatoojohn
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Shutterbugs' Best
Avenue Concierge
Joined
10/16/09
Messages
22,620
Location
Alberta, Canada
Real Name
John
Opinions? I'm just really confused. Is it all hormones? Him growing up? Was it me? Did my cockatiel passing affect him? All of the above? None of the above?
Yea I would say all of the above. Maturing into adulthood and hormones would be biggest driving factor. You being “mom” is not very attractive to a horny young bird looking for a mate (new blood). I’m surprised he hasn’t chosen someone else for that purpose.

Give this a read to get a handle on the hormone thing and ways to move forward.

Site Name - Articles - Behavioral - Sex And The Psittacine

As for the rest you have to start over.

 

Fergus Mom

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
11/23/17
Messages
5,099
Location
Texas
Real Name
Elly
Good grief - Ok... I'm trying not to 'humanize' behavior either, but I just have to say - sounds like he's blaming you for the old guy dying. There, I said it. Did he, by any chance see your take the old guy out of the cage after his passing? I'm so very sorry to hear of your loss.
 

jmfleish

Cruising the avenue
Vendor
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/19/09
Messages
13,323
Location
Madison, WI
Real Name
Jen
Hi,

I'm having some difficulties with my RB2 Val. I can't understand these new behaviors or where their coming from. Well- it's more where it's coming from.

Val showed signs he was in love with me ( trying to mate, regurgitate , chasing off others and getting aggressive at other people + generally being sweet to me) and was heading into hormones - starting to be a bit of a brat. But this was all 'normal' behavior for him.

About two weeks ago one of my cockatiels passed. He was an old guy ( 20s ) and our vet suspects it was heart failure.

Around ( I'm not sure if the above really is related or if I'm grasping at straws) the same time Val's behavior took a huge turn

He is now attacking me ( divebombing + lunging ) and when he isn't his behavior is ... I don't want to humanize his behavior but it's like he's completely apathetic to me. I can't touch him. He ignores me. For a while he was turning his back to me but he's just stopped that now. The attacking has started to calm down.

BUT in his cage, through the bars he acts the same was as before which is throwing me off ( excited to see me, talking to me, no aggression, will 'hold my hand' - this was a 'trick' I taught him, will preen my finger) . There's also a newish/reoccurring behavior now. Often when I go into the bird room he runs to the bottom corner of his cage and tries to nest while looking at me.

His behavior towards other people remains the same as before.

I'll admit and I'm ashamed , before/around this behavior change I hadn't been spending as much time with him as before. ( I had class, holidays and then I was taking care of my tiel who ended up passing away - it's not an excuse , I was poorly managing my time)

My vet and one of the people I volunteer with at the rescue who works with cockatoos (I trust her a lot) I go to thinks it's a combo of hormones and he's upset at my absence. I trust these people but I just want to ask you all because I'm just really unsure.

Val just had a vet check up ( he's 100% healthy) and he's a month from being 2 years old. He never directly interacted with the cockatiel that passed but their cages were nearby and Val would often sit in places he could see their cage when he's out. Nothing I can think of has changed besides my cockatiel dying - unless you count new toys ? but he's playing with them so I doubt it.

Opinions? I'm just really confused. Is it all hormones? Him growing up? Was it me? Did my cockatiel passing affect him? All of the above? None of the above?
I would say it's all hormonal. Both of my boys act like this. They are the sweetest little things ever when in their cage. I can scritch both of them very easily and they are just the sweetest little birds ever...as long as there are bars between us. If I let them out, they come after me, literally attacking my head and neck as well as anything they can sink their beak into. I can even open their door which has a platform perch on it and they will generally stand on it and let me pet them but I have to be more careful when doing that.

I guess I'm really surprised that Val is starting this so early. Kish and Fozzie didn't start this behavior until around 4 or 5. I'm guessing Val might have more testosterone seeping through him possibly? I talked to my vet about this crazy behavior and he thinks they don't realize they are parrots and suggested I house them together. We made that step and it doesn't seem to help the behavior any. I'm grateful that they have each other though and they preen each other, so they are close. My vet also suggested that I try Lupron to see if this calms them down a bit but I'd hate to go that route. I did by some Avicalm but haven't tried it yet. I have heard that it can make a difference. They will both be 8 in April. I'm really hoping that they eventually grow out of this. My D2 was the same way but not as aggressive and grew out of it around 12 years of age. Also, because my mated pair, Leo and Letti, are so sweet, I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Clicker training again is something that you should consider. We have a member here who also has a male RB2 who was really crabby and she made huge strides with him with clicker training. That's my best advice for you.
 

birdashes

Walking the driveway
Joined
2/21/16
Messages
155
Location
U.S.
Real Name
Ash
Thanks everyone

@JLcribber

I'll take a good read through that article, thank you. I've started changing my approach with how I interact with him , closer to how I interact with the 'too residents at the rescue I go to. Slower, Quieter, less eye contact, I guess the way I'd approach a new bird. I've also been playing with him before I let him out through his cage (with a toy). Seems to be changing a bit already...

@Fergus Mom

The cockatiel was actually euthanized at the vets after I found him unresponsive and ( I assume) in major pain. He didn't pass at home. But I do wonder if along side hormones if this is affecting him in some way.

Thank you, I have been missing my old tiel man a lot : )


@jmfleish
He always seemed to show hormones early on, I'm not sure why. Maybe his history? He went from breeder to 2nd breeder to original home to me after his original owner couldn't keep him. I dunno, maybe it impacted his emotional development.

My avian vet is very against Lupron injections- i actually brought it up with her with another bird ( chronic egg laying cockatiel ). She's found the success rate is very low. I actually use avicalm with my former plucker ( GCC). It didn't stop her plucking but it does help take the edge off, so to speak. I'd recommend it. Might try giving it to Val.

His aggression has actually started to dissipate, after I started making sure I was interacting with him better/ more. He still is 'ignoring me' but the aggression is weaning.

I do clicker train him :) just I have not regularly recently besides some minor flight recalling ( which he has picked up very well). But he knows a lot of trick related commands, currently. It's definitely something I'll continue with.
 
Top