Overly attatched to one person

[Eleanor J]

My Amazon Chomsky is not a one person bird but he has a very strong attachment to my dad. If my dad is in the room Chomsky will fly to him, if he puts him back a perch he will fly to him again. He get quite nippy my dad just puts up with it really. He doesn't paticularly want it.
Is there any way we can stop this or reduce it?
I usually end up having to go out of the room with Chomsky to give my dad a break.

 

[ArowanaLover]

Birds do attach to people, Nigel gets angry when i leave (does this to no-one else) and whenever i perch him on someone else he tries to get back to me. We also used to have a white eyed conure that did the same thing with my dad. My advice would be to get your dad to stop socializing so much with the bird (do not try to do this suddenly as the bird could pine) and you try to come in as the new handler.

 

[Wolf]

As with most things parrot, this could simply be a matter of persistence and patience, My Senegal thinks that I am the best place to perch and would perch on me exclusively if I allowed it. I have spent a great deal of time getting up and taking her to other perches until she finally understands that sometimes I don't want her on me, usually because I need to spend time with another bird or I need to do something that her presence would be a distraction and create a problem. Or it could be as simple as putting on something that is new to the bird. I bought one of those collar things that are supposed to help keep bird poop off of your clothing, but if I put it on none of the birds will even come near me.

 

[JLcribber]

He obviously likes your dad. Nothing you can do about that.

I usually end up having to go out of the room with Chomsky to give my dad a break.

That is pretty well what you're going to end up doing. Dad has to be out of sight to be out of mind.

 

[Eleanor J]

I am Chomsky's main care giver, I feed him, train him etc. He will rarely just perch on me, he'd rather be on the back of the sofa or something. He'll bite or lunge at whoever is nearest if he can see me dad and wants to get to him.
Overall, he's rather be with my dad than anyone else which sometimes can be upsetting for me because of all the effort I put into rehabillitating him after I adopted him.
I can deal with it though, he's still a lot of fun to be with.
My dad does play a bit more rough with him than I do, I'm still a bit nervous touching him.
Sorry for the rant!
Thanks everyone for your replies.

 

[Wolf]

Birds don't care who their main caregiver is, or who puts the food and water in their cage or even who cleans it. I think that the just attribute to the normal actions of room service and is their right to have all this done for them. And I don't think that anyone has ever figured out why they choose one person over another for their favorite human. For the person who goes through all of this effort for them, this fact can be very frustrating, so I understand you needing to let it out now and again.

 

[ArowanaLover]

Our old parrot hated girls and liked guys (the bird itself was a guy), my new parrot likes everyone but it is amazingly clear that it prefers me greatly to everyone else

 

[EvaBird]

Hmm, our new parrot looked at me and fell in love..but she looks at my son and goes wings up must get to him to bite him. I have never been with my son, I am always on the floor son on my bed. Will Eva learn to stop trying to go after our son? Or is the one person attachment The reason she reacts this way?

 

[JLcribber]

Hmm, our new parrot looked at me and fell in love..but she looks at my son and goes wings up must get to him to bite him. I have never been with my son, I am always on the floor son on my bed. Will Eva learn to stop trying to go after our son? Or is the one person attachment The reason she reacts this way?

If you "flirt" (showing affection, paying attention to the child at the expense of the birds attention) with this child in front of the bird, In bird speak/world you are committing "adultery" which is a big no no. Don't do those things in front of the bird or you will fuel this behaviour.

Give this a read for insight to the behaviour.

Sex and the Psittacine (Parrot)

 

[EvaBird]

Oh dear.... thank you!

If you "flirt" (showing affection, paying attention to the child at the expense of the birds attention) with this child in front of the bird, In bird speak/world you are committing "adultery" which is a big no no. Don't do those things in front of the bird or you will fuel this behaviour.

Give this a read for insight to the behaviour.

Sex and the Psittacine (Parrot)

 

[Clueless]

I just read a few paragraphs of that article. Secret is trying to drive everyone away with that posturing? Hmmmmmm.

Me thinks I adopted a parrot that wants to be a hermit.

 

[LuvMyBirds]

Thanks John for reminding us of that article. I re-read it and realized that there are a couple of things I need to change with the new fellow in the house. Just a couple of minor issues that I should have known better. Rowdy, CAG (or as we have come to think of him, Petey) has chosen my husband as his person. He is only 18months and does allow me to handle him. I have twice now hugged him before putting him up for the night. Whoops.

 

[Bokkapooh]

A gentle hug before bed probably wont encourage any nesty or mate-bond behaviors. And for african grey species, it may be a good idea to get him used to handling. Cockatoos are too easy to handle and lift their wings and examine feet. BUt I think with African Greys they become less touchy-feely as they get older, which may make vet work hard to do. So a gentle "hug" may help the vet in the future hear his breathing with the stethoscope or such. I dont think its a bad thing to touch and handle birds all over their bodies, but excessive amounts are not good either.

 

[Wolf]

I think that you need to touch your bird all over on a regular basis so that they will accept the handling, but I don't do it too often and I don't pet them other than on the head and neck. Like you and me they now the difference in how it feels to be examined and being petted.