Kind of at a loss...

[ECF10]

Kind of at a loss...Advice needed

LuLu, my IRN, seems to be taking steps backward as far as trusting us goes. We rescued her in July. She looks tons better than she did when I brought her home. My vet at her last visit said she was not the same bird she saw on her first visit (in a good way). She also complimented my wife and I for giving what was a previously neglected and seemingly abused bird a new and wonderful life.

There has been progress...lots of it. Her appetite great as is her willingness to eat a variety of foods that are good for her. Her repertoire of words hasn't grown but the frequency in which she makes happy sounds has increased. She loves taking baths. She and my wife have a morning ritual where my wife opens her cage and LuLu scurries down to her arm and up to her shoulder and then they go down to the kitchen. I'm sure there are treats involved but it takes me extra time to become conscious in the morning.

Where's the problem? She has been very cranky lately...lunges at anyone walking by her cage, she is more cage aggressive, and does not step up like we were working on.

Her out of cage time hadn't changed. She is out pretty much all day because she is content sitting on top of her cage watching what is going on outside or occasionally chewing on a toy. I can't let my GCC stay out because she will get into trouble and try to start trouble With LuLu.

I am wondering if I need to keep her away from her cage on a play stand. She seems to be much friendlier and less aggressive when she is away from her cage or at a lower height than her cage. I've noticed that when I take her cage off it's stand she has no problem stepping up for me because she is lower than my shoulders.

Any advice or thoughts on how to continue making forward progress would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,
Ted

 

[igors mum]

that could be the problem maybe the cage needs to be lowered. maybe try keeping her on the playstand and see if that helps. im not to sure about ringnecks even though i have a alexandrine they are soooo different .also if she is getting ready to go thru a molt she might be a bit more cranky. i know my alexandrine sure is.

 

[platinum]

Both of mine are cage aggresive on and off, it depends on the mood and their hormones. Rain has been hell for the last month.

I found that when Rain got really bad with her cage aggression, what helped was a new cage. I know that isn't possible most of the time, but when cage aggression is a problem changing the toys and perches around can help.

If I am trying to spend time with them, I take them where they can't even SEE their cages.

 

[jasminlana]

I think you should lower the cage. If her cage is up high she sees herself as superior to everyone below her. I think I saw this on a tv show once and the bird expert said this.

Maybe this is my problem with Zoey, a sun-- cage agression. Her cage is on a low table, but she squawks and runs from us most of the time, but she will come for treats. If I take her out the cage while she's in her hideout, she sweet as pie. We can pet her and she doesn't squawk at all.

 

[JLcribber]

She could be hormonal. All the right symptoms.

 

[Brigidt36]

Sounds like Lulu is hormonal. I do find that when my fids are hormonal they do better away from their cages on their play gyms. My guys get very cage territorial when their hormones are raging.

 

[GG.]

it's that time of the year and it sounds like her hormones are kicking in

the 'higher than you/superior to you' theory has been proven to be wrong for many years now

 

[Sparkles]

Ringo, my IRN is in her hormonal stage now...lunges at everyone, is cage agressive even though she normally isn't. She won't play with anything at all...crankiness non stop. Try to give her some shredders or balsa and occupy her with any kind of foraging.

 

[Chicklette]

Chiquita gets like that when she is horomonal and you just have to wait it out. Birds get VERY cranky when they are horomonal.