Need help calming/training bird

[godzilla24]

Hi I need help with my bird. She's a yellow collard mecaw who isn't the most well behaved. She screams a lot despite my attempts to give her attention or address what I think may be causing it. She always tries to bite my hand whenever it comes nearby. I've tried approaching her with fruits such as apples to act as some sort of treat but she either backs away from my attempts to feed them to her or won't eat any if I put it in her food bowl. I want to try and get her under control and give her the attention and care she deserves before my mom becomes too fed up with her and resorts to dastrict measures. Any advice at all would be welcome. Also if anyone could suggest a bird specialist somewhere in the Atlanta area that would also be wonderful. Thank you

 

[Greylady1966]

How old is the bird? How long have you had her?

 

[godzilla24]

How old is the bird? How long have you had her?

About 12ish years

 

[Greylady1966]

Did you just get her?

 

[godzilla24]

Did you just get her?

No we've had her for about 12 years she's probably just as old maybe a little older

 

[expressmailtome]

You can search this website for professional behaviorists: International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants . Some work in person with the animal, and others will work with you over the phone/internet.

Another option is to watch behavioral videos such as those by Barbara Heidenreich: Parrot Digital Media | Online Parrot Media or Parrot Training DVDS | Good Bird Training DVDS . She is highly respected and trains with major zoos internationally. Her DVDs are sold at many bird stores and websites such as Amazon and EBay.

 

[Monica]

My questions would be.... what is her current diet?

Fresh food should not be a treat but rather a part of a varied, healthy diet.

Does she have any preferences in food?


Does she have a large cage? (picture of cage would help - since people's opinion on cage sizes can vary) Does she have a lot of toys she plays with? And foraging opportunities?

 

[godzilla24]

My questions would be.... what is her current diet?

Fresh food should not be a treat but rather a part of a varied, healthy diet.

Does she have any preferences in food?


Does she have a large cage? (picture of cage would help - since people's opinion on cage sizes can vary) Does she have a lot of toys she plays with? And foraging opportunities?

We mainly feed her pellets, Pure Fun ZuPreem.
She really like sunflower seeds but that’s it. I’ve tried giving her apples, oranges, and bananas but she won’t touch them. She has a medium size cage and one toy by her perch. For foraging opportunities, I don’t really know what you mean. If you mean leaving her cage, she’ll do it sometimes but my mom doesn’t like her on the floor anywhere.

 

[Monica]

At best, that is a small cage. I honestly would not house a healthy conure, let alone a cockatiel, in a cage that size... but that's me! I would view that cage as nothing more than a sleep cage at best. (I disagree with the cage sizes recommended for birds)

Can you get her a larger cage? Nothing smaller than a 32x23 cage, but I'd recommend 30x30 or larger. If you have the space for it, a 40x30 or larger would be fantastic! (one of the reasons why I don't own a large parrot is because I don't have the space for a large cage - and I've got a walk in aviary for my little birds! )

Ideally, she should have a minimum of 6 toys, but more is preferred. This is partly why a larger cage would be beneficial! More toys! And more perches!

Have you tried feeding her nuts? Nuts should be a part of her diet. Walnuts at least... perhaps some macadamia nuts, almonds, pistachios, etc. Pine nuts may also be enjoyed. Here's some ideas on getting her to eat a more varied diet.

Converting Parrots to a Healthier Diet - Tips

A healthy parrot starts with a healthy diet. Although the perfect diet is controversial, many parrot enthusiasts and experts agree on one thing; a seed only diet is a diet that is lacking in essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Studies have shown that adding fresh foods and pellets to a...

forums.avianavenue.com

Does she may have a play stand or gym she can go on away from the cage?


You can either buy or make her foraging toys. There are toys with slats and holes drilled into them that you can stuff food into. You can cover the food dish with a paper towel (with a large hole initially) so she has to rip through the towel to get to the food. You can wrap food up into mini cupcake holders. You can fill a container up with some smooth rocks (too larger to eat) and mix food into that.


As far as training goes.... there's a lot of resources I've gathered in this thread.

Free Training Resources

Someone recently told me that there was only one trainer on the internet that had free training advice. This is, quite simply, false. This “trainer” they spoke of is an amateur that has taken advice from salesmen who market themselves as bird trainers. Not to say that they don't enjoy helping...

forums.avianavenue.com

It's a lot to take in, and I'm sorry you are put in this position. I don't know how old you are, so I don't know what you can afford to get. You can always look at getting used cages and disinfecting them before use. Of course, you need to be careful that the cages are 'bird safe'. There are many cages out there that are not safe for birds. Those with scroll work, "v" shaped wires, open top cages, "v" shaped legs, etc.

 

[godzilla24]

At best, that is a small cage. I honestly would not house a healthy conure, let alone a cockatiel, in a cage that size... but that's me! I would view that cage as nothing more than a sleep cage at best. (I disagree with the cage sizes recommended for birds)

Can you get her a larger cage? Nothing smaller than a 32x23 cage, but I'd recommend 30x30 or larger. If you have the space for it, a 40x30 or larger would be fantastic! (one of the reasons why I don't own a large parrot is because I don't have the space for a large cage - and I've got a walk in aviary for my little birds! )

Ideally, she should have a minimum of 6 toys, but more is preferred. This is partly why a larger cage would be beneficial! More toys! And more perches!

Have you tried feeding her nuts? Nuts should be a part of her diet. Walnuts at least... perhaps some macadamia nuts, almonds, pistachios, etc. Pine nuts may also be enjoyed. Here's some ideas on getting her to eat a more varied diet.

Converting Parrots to a Healthier Diet - Tips

A healthy parrot starts with a healthy diet. Although the perfect diet is controversial, many parrot enthusiasts and experts agree on one thing; a seed only diet is a diet that is lacking in essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Studies have shown that adding fresh foods and pellets to a...

forums.avianavenue.com

Does she may have a play stand or gym she can go on away from the cage?


You can either buy or make her foraging toys. There are toys with slats and holes drilled into them that you can stuff food into. You can cover the food dish with a paper towel (with a large hole initially) so she has to rip through the towel to get to the food. You can wrap food up into mini cupcake holders. You can fill a container up with some smooth rocks (too larger to eat) and mix food into that.


As far as training goes.... there's a lot of resources I've gathered in this thread.

Free Training Resources

Someone recently told me that there was only one trainer on the internet that had free training advice. This is, quite simply, false. This “trainer” they spoke of is an amateur that has taken advice from salesmen who market themselves as bird trainers. Not to say that they don't enjoy helping...

forums.avianavenue.com

It's a lot to take in, and I'm sorry you are put in this position. I don't know how old you are, so I don't know what you can afford to get. You can always look at getting used cages and disinfecting them before use. Of course, you need to be careful that the cages are 'bird safe'. There are many cages out there that are not safe for birds. Those with scroll work, "v" shaped wires, open top cages, "v" shaped legs, etc.

We had a bigger cage but when we went to get her wings clipped one time, the person suggested a smaller cage to make her less aggressive and my mom took to that immediately because cleaning her old cage was a hassle. She doesn’t want to get a large cage at all and I doubt I could change her mind.

I’ll certainly look into nuts as any chance of finding another treat she likes will help me. I’ll also look into buying more toys for her.

she doesn’t have a play gym or stand and I doubt we can get one, along with money we also have a housing issue as I live in a town house and we don’t have a lot of room.

thank you for the advice and I’ll look into the resources you’ve provided

 

[Monica]

Ugh... so sorry! Smaller cages can actually increase aggression in birds because there's less space so they feel more confined. With no way to "escape", if put into a fight or flight response, and unable to escape, they'll go to fight. Some small cages can also make birds feel "broody", so they'll want to protect their "nest".

You can still work with her, without a doubt... just... ugh... so sorry!

 

[godzilla24]

Ugh... so sorry! Smaller cages can actually increase aggression in birds because there's less space so they feel more confined. With no way to "escape", if put into a fight or flight response, and unable to escape, they'll go to fight. Some small cages can also make birds feel "broody", so they'll want to protect their "nest".

You can still work with her, without a doubt... just... ugh... so sorry!

It’s fine and thanks for the help. I’m trying to encourage her to leave her cage more but it’s hard to juggle with several other pets, two of whom may attack her. But I’m working out solutions

 

[malibu]

I agree with Monica, small cages, clipped wings, and small amounts of enrichment are all key things that contribute to behaviour issues.

If I were you I would try to feed at least 50% fresh foods and give her a bunch of toys to keep her busy (check out planet pleasures or some vendors here).
I would also let her fly so she can release pent up energy.

Assuming you have cats or dogs could you maybe just let her out in your bedroom or something so they don't come in contact?

 

[malibu]

If shes a strong flyer maybe get some perches that you can attach to the walls so she has places to fly to that other animals can't reach

 

[godzilla24]

If shes a strong flyer maybe get some perches that you can attach to the walls so she has places to fly to that other animals can't reach

I’ve luckily stopped my mom from considering wing clipping so that’s fine and we don’t have enough money for a bigger cage sadly. I’m trying to find ways to close off the area where her cage is when she feels comfortable with coming down from her cage but any slight movement towards her scares her off and causes her to go back to her cage. I think one of my biggest issues is she doesn’t trust me and tbh, I have trouble trusting her to as she’s tried to bite me multiple times so it’s hard to get over that.

 

[malibu]

I’ve luckily stopped my mom from considering wing clipping so that’s fine and we don’t have enough money for a bigger cage sadly. I’m trying to find ways to close off the area where her cage is when she feels comfortable with coming down from her cage but any slight movement towards her scares her off and causes her to go back to her cage. I think one of my biggest issues is she doesn’t trust me and tbh, I have trouble trusting her to as she’s tried to bite me multiple times so it’s hard to get over that.

Thats great that your mom is going to let her grow out her feathers! A lot of the times clipped birds end up being untrusting and lack confidence so hopefully you will be able to help her grow confidence.

If you can't get her a bigger cage I would just make sure she has lots of enrichment which can actually help with confidence and even possibly biting since she would have more mental stimulation. Maybe start with finding a treat she likes and just dropping say a nut into her food dish without directly interacting with her. Then as she gets a bit more confident with hands try offering it to her directly. Gaining trust on both ends will take a long time so its fine to take things slow. Its also important to move at her own pace.

I would also maybe just sit near her cage both when shes in and out and just talk or sing to her. You could also try target training with her while shes inside the cage to prevent bites. I would do this when shes comfortable with taking treats from your hand. This will build trust and confidence.

All you essentially have to do is while shes in the cage, get some treats and a bamboo skewer or chopstick and through the bars you basically reward whenever she touches the stick with her beak. as she begins to understand you can move the target to different perches and whatnot. Make sure shes used to the target and shes familiar with it so she doesn't get scared.

check out flock talk on youtube for a better tutorial on it

Good luck with your baby!

 

[godzilla24]

Ok so now I have a new issue, I’m trying to get her to accept treats but she won’t. How do I get her to do that. I got sunburst fruit treats to give her but she won’t eat them and actually seems scared of them. I tried putting them on her perch and she actively avoided that perch

 

[EmmaLeigh]

I have a scarlett macaw, shes New to our family and ill tell ya, my arm is covered in bites. BUT ive been doing target training with her. Literally all day every day. She began with attacking the chopstick and ripping it up. I stop and wait a moment, then get back at it. Any time she would gently touch it,(i use the word touch as well when she didnt instantly attack it). i would take it out of her mouth and give her a sunflower seed. She only gets sunflower seeds for training because she loves them and responds to them well. and WOW. The results so far. She lets me pet her beak, head and even lets me occasionally scratch her cheeks and neck. She stepped up willingly (actually asked for it) and without attatching her beak to my arm right after for the first time yesterday.and this has been a highly stressed bird to the point of being severely plucked. So i highly suggest doing some sort of training with your bird. Target training, if done consistenly with the emotion of not giving up or getting frustrated can build a lot of trust and is a great foundation for future training. Reward any good behavior. It can be accompolished, they desire connection so much. Goodluck

 

[Monica]

Ok so now I have a new issue, I’m trying to get her to accept treats but she won’t. How do I get her to do that. I got sunburst fruit treats to give her but she won’t eat them and actually seems scared of them. I tried putting them on her perch and she actively avoided that perch

First and foremost... she DOES NOT need to take the treat directly from you. If she'll take it after you set it down, offer it via a spoon or a cup, that's fine too!

Second... it's she her determines what is a treat, not you. So you need to listen to her and figure out what she finds rewarding! This could be dried fruits, sunflower seeds, millet, pine nuts, healthy nuts, or?

 

[godzilla24]

I have a scarlett macaw, shes New to our family and ill tell ya, my arm is covered in bites. BUT ive been doing target training with her. Literally all day every day. She began with attacking the chopstick and ripping it up. I stop and wait a moment, then get back at it. Any time she would gently touch it,(i use the word touch as well when she didnt instantly attack it). i would take it out of her mouth and give her a sunflower seed. She only gets sunflower seeds for training because she loves them and responds to them well. and WOW. The results so far. She lets me pet her beak, head and even lets me occasionally scratch her cheeks and neck. She stepped up willingly (actually asked for it) and without attatching her beak to my arm right after for the first time yesterday.and this has been a highly stressed bird to the point of being severely plucked. So i highly suggest doing some sort of training with your bird. Target training, if done consistenly with the emotion of not giving up or getting frustrated can build a lot of trust and is a great foundation for future training. Reward any good behavior. It can be accompolished, they desire connection so much. Goodluck

Thank you, I’ll definitely try this.