• 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

Newly adopted bird will let my roommate pet them - but not me

Bourbon

Checking out the neighborhood
Joined
10/27/20
Messages
1
Hello!

About two weeks ago I adopted a 3 month old Quaker Parrot, and they've been doing really well! Very social and will fly to me and sit on my hand or nap on my shoulder. Wouldn't let me pet him. That's fine, I thought, just needs time to develop trust. THEN today and yesterday my roommate comes in for a chat and the bird lets her pet its head!

She approached with knuckle first, stroked the beak and was able to move on to his head and neck with her finger. I try to do the same, and I get a chunk of skin ripped off faster than I could blink.

Not sure what to do besides sit around and wait for the bird to let me pet someday. I'm also concerned that if the bird bonds more with her the bird will develop behavior issues when they're separated once one of us moves out.
 

Maggiebird

Sprinting down the street
Joined
8/29/20
Messages
564
Location
Somewhere over the rainbow
Real Name
Sally
Quaker parrots can be one person birds. I have one and she won’t let me touch her when one of my friends is around. It takes time and you can try building a bond with the Quaker by training like target training or ask your roommate to let you and the bird spend more time with each other.
 

fluffypoptarts

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
11/15/12
Messages
6,883
Location
Florida
Unfortunately, birds will choose the person they want, regardless of who takes care of them. Hopefully your bird will still be attached to you as well, otherwise you might have a tough choice to make if someone moves!
 

Ember-Tiel

Jogging around the block
Joined
7/23/20
Messages
970
Location
Québec
I know the struggle, both my birds kind of hate me. You will just have to be patient beacuse they might like you in the future, but learn to live with their decision.
 

Ripshod

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
12/6/18
Messages
7,529
Location
UK
Real Name
Linden
It may be difficult (practically) but ask your roommate to stop interracting with your quaker. At least then they won't be building a bond and should give you a better chance. If your roommate 'rejects' your quaker it'll naturally look to you for friendship. Still won't happen overnight though.
 

budgieluv3

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
9/8/20
Messages
1,223
Location
Toronto
Real Name
Bear (It's a nickname)
Good Luck!
 

annoellyn

Walking the driveway
Joined
10/4/18
Messages
246
I can relate to feeling hurt by this. My bird seemed to like my roommate more then me, always flying to him and riding on his shoulders while we do chores. Then one day for no reason we can discern, my bird just attacked my roommates face and drew blood on his eyebrow. Then again a week later. So now my roommate absolutely hates my bird. She still tries to fly to him but he waves his arms around. So you never know, it may change!
 
Top