How much food protectiveness is "normal"?

[Momof3litt]

Hi fellow conure peeps. My GCC (Argo) has just started having food aggression issues in the last few days (posted a thread in the budgie section) and I'm wondering how much of this is typical from conures?? He's young - 14 weeks - and was weaned quite early (8ish weeks?). This is also new behaviour since the budgies have been observing him carefully and getting more confident about "sharing" his food by the day, but it has also been directed at humans a few times, very unexpectedly. It has only happened outside of his cage (like getting snacks on a playgym). He has zero cage aggression. He is out of his cage 75-95% of the day depending on the day. He is in the cage for sure to eat and sleep, although he does not yet return there independently. The rest depends on the humans' schedule for that day. He spends nearly all of his "out" time with me, although he is well-soclialized with all the human members of our flock. The budgies are out all day too, but the birds are NEVER out together unsupervised.

He eats out of hands and takes training treats readily. He steps up, does excellent flight recall and a whole bunch of tricks. He does not nip me often and it is always to get a message across: hungry/thirsty/tired. The times when he has lunged at a hand that was near food have been unprovoked (i.e. the hand was nearby but not actually touching/taking the food) and a sudden, clear, full-body lunge with no warning that I could decipher. He goes immediately back to eating afterward. Our response has been for the person who he lunged at to immediately request a positive behaviour in the same location, and treat for it. We use the "put him down and ignore him" approach to discourage other behaviours, but this one seemed to call for a more active follow-up.

I need some help though - how much "food protecting" or food related aggression is typical of conures? Is it common for the species/how is it dealt with? Is he just testing baby boundaries?
Are we dealing with it using the right approach? Is there something else we could/should be doing?

 

[Wardy]

Hi fellow conure peeps. My GCC (Argo) has just started having food aggression issues in the last few days (posted a thread in the budgie section) and I'm wondering how much of this is typical from conures?? He's young - 14 weeks - and was weaned quite early (8ish weeks?). This is also new behaviour since the budgies have been observing him carefully and getting more confident about "sharing" his food by the day, but it has also been directed at humans a few times, very unexpectedly. It has only happened outside of his cage (like getting snacks on a playgym). He has zero cage aggression. He is out of his cage 75-95% of the day depending on the day. He is in the cage for sure to eat and sleep, although he does not yet return there independently. The rest depends on the humans' schedule for that day. He spends nearly all of his "out" time with me, although he is well-soclialized with all the human members of our flock. The budgies are out all day too, but the birds are NEVER out together unsupervised.

He eats out of hands and takes training treats readily. He steps up, does excellent flight recall and a whole bunch of tricks. He does not nip me often and it is always to get a message across: hungry/thirsty/tired. The times when he has lunged at a hand that was near food have been unprovoked (i.e. the hand was nearby but not actually touching/taking the food) and a sudden, clear, full-body lunge with no warning that I could decipher. He goes immediately back to eating afterward. Our response has been for the person who he lunged at to immediately request a positive behaviour in the same location, and treat for it. We use the "put him down and ignore him" approach to discourage other behaviours, but this one seemed to call for a more active follow-up.

I need some help though - how much "food protecting" or food related aggression is typical of conures? Is it common for the species/how is it dealt with? Is he just testing baby boundaries?
Are we dealing with it using the right approach? Is there something else we could/should be doing?

a
If they are feeling moody they are very food agressive however this can be addressed

I have Mojo with me when i prepare her food sometimes and its crazy but dealing with it.

I wouldnt be rewarding possitive( behaviout after a bite will bite more possiby potentillyr

 

[Wardy]

Hi fellow conure peeps. My GCC (Argo) has just started having food aggression issues in the last few days (posted a thread in the budgie section) and I'm wondering how much of this is typical from conures?? He's young - 14 weeks - and was weaned quite early (8ish weeks?). This is also new behaviour since the budgies have been observing him carefully and getting more confident about "sharing" his food by the day, but it has also been directed at humans a few times, very unexpectedly. It has only happened outside of his cage (like getting snacks on a playgym). He has zero cage aggression. He is out of his cage 75-95% of the day depending on the day. He is in the cage for sure to eat and sleep, although he does not yet return there independently. The rest depends on the humans' schedule for that day. He spends nearly all of his "out" time with me, although he is well-soclialized with all the human members of our flock. The budgies are out all day too, but the birds are NEVER out together unsupervised.

He eats out of hands and takes training treats readily. He steps up, does excellent flight recall and a whole bunch of tricks. He does not nip me often and it is always to get a message across: hungry/thirsty/tired. The times when he has lunged at a hand that was near food have been unprovoked (i.e. the hand was nearby but not actually touching/taking the food) and a sudden, clear, full-body lunge with no warning that I could decipher. He goes immediately back to eating afterward. Our response has been for the person who he lunged at to immediately request a positive behaviour in the same location, and treat for it. We use the "put him down and ignore him" approach to discourage other behaviours, but this one seemed to call for a more active follow-up.

I need some help though - how much "food protecting" or food related aggression is typical of conures? Is it common for the species/how is it dealt with? Is he just testing baby boundaries?
Are we dealing with it using the right approach? Is there something else we could/should be doing?

If Mojo doest want me to go near her food she sends a message

KiKI is a different story we are only now just learning about each other.

dont ever reward aggression he lunges when hands are near food however you say its unprvoked thats provoked surely ?

 

[Momof3litt]

I guess he sees it as "provoked", but it hasn't been a hand interacting with the food, just someone who is nearby. Also, he doesn't have any issue with us interacting with his meals or food bowls, it has only occurred when feeding treats in out-of-cage areas (and also only since the budgies have gotten braver about coming to new non-cage locations for snacks also).

If we wait until the behaviour is finished (i.e. he returns to eating) and then ask for a new behaviour and reward, are we rewarding both behaviours? What would be an alternative?