Scarlets occasional aggressiveness

[Mambrose]

hi, I have a 4 yr old Congo African Grey that I have had for two years. I recently adopted a 24 yr old Scarlett Macaw, about 4 months ago. She is a super playful and friendly bird...most of the time.

If I am with her by myself, she acts so sweet, will sit on my lap for headscratches and just hang around playing games like coo-coo or peak a boo. Around my 13 yr old daughter she is even more gentle and playful. She will follow my daughter all around the house, she will never be more that 10’ away when she’s out of the cage. She will even stay under my daughters bed when she’s there.

Here’s the problem. If I am around when my daughter gets her out of the cage, she will charge at me with wings out and bite me. And she will
Not stop until I leave, even if I’m in the next room, she will charge in there at me. Further, if my daughter is in the room and I get Scarlet out, she bites my hand as soon as I get her out, and I mean hard. The first time around didn’t expect it and I ended up with 11 stitches! She didn’t always do this, it started about 1-2 months after we got her.

Does anyone know why she is doing this and what I can do to stop this behavior? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[expressmailtome]

It sounds as if she has chosen your daughter to be her person, and this is a hormonal response.

 

[Hankmacaw]

Many birds, macaws especially, will tend to choose their favorite person and defend that person from all others. That sounds exactly what your Scarlet is doing and that is what they do in the wild..

There isn't a lot you can do about it - it's the way they are built. Over the long term you can reduce the bird's aggressiveness by not showing your daughter any affection when you are both around the bird. When you are alone with the bird, be especially sweet to her and be the only one who gives her treats. It will take a long time - and she may never consider anyone other than your daughter as acceptable, but she should get better with time.

@JLcribber

 

[Mambrose]

Thanks for the response. We will give that a try and see what happens. I think you are right, from the beginning Scarlet loved my daughter. And this probably did start when my daughter started giving her food and treats. I am ok with my daughter being Scarlets favorite person, I just don’t want to go to the hospital over it

I’ll post updates as I see progress.

Mike

 

[JLcribber]

Hi Mike.

ML is correct. Anyone other than your daughter is an intruder/competition and something to be driven off.

Give this article a read. Explains it very well and gives some guidance in how to approach things.

Site Name - Articles - Behavioral - Sex And The Psittacine

You will need to limit your daughters exposure to her. When she is present you (everyone) will need to step back and keep that third eye on her. Never "flirt" with your daughter in her presence. Them's fightin words in bird world.

You can be friends. You must do this outside of your daughters presence. You do everything nice/fun. Your daughter does the bad stuff (back in cage. Towel. Etc). Time and patience. Probably a year or more realistically.

 

[Mambrose]

Thanks for the link to the article. It has a lot of information that I can definitely use!