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| | From:  HiTez_ (Original Message) | Sent: 12/14/2006 10:16 PM |
Hello, I am new here but have found myself in a situation and i am seeking ANY advice I can get. My boyfriend has a yellow headed amazon, "Bingo". They have been together about 7-8 years, she is aprox. 25 years old, and thought to be wild caught. I understand she is well bonded to her human mate. Bingo has another issue I am really trying to deal with, she does not like women! All women are cause for an attack... not just me (at one point I thought she didn't like me because I was with her "mate") At first I was pretty scared of this bird flying at my head (still am a bit intimidated) She has hit my head but got caught up in my hair... Also after an attack she will land on the couch and laugh and laugh...I have heard laughing to a parrot after bad behavior can actually reinforce this behavior because the parrot loves to hear the laugh, thus conditioning it and rewarding it for bad behavior. Maybe she has this in her head, that attacking is ok, or she could be scared, maybe miss treated by a woman some other time in her life? She has never gone after a male. I have learned to either duck from her fly by, or hold my arm out and re-direct her attack so to speak, She has come at me and got my arm and I pushed her on the couch but she got ahold of my thumb and really put a dent and bruise in it! (thank goodness she had just gone to the vet for her beak and nails!) I don't want to fight with her, but I don't expect her to "love" me, just deal with me, I just dont want to be attacked, but I don't want to train her wrong or cause her to get nutts, or pluck or some aweful thing! My boyfriend is willing and we have talked about training her, working with her to get her to accept me. We do not laugh if she attacks (I tend to chuckle a nervous laugh when she comes at me, but don't anymore) And he will tell her no and put her in time out, but she still postures, pinoints and flairs at me, and I can tell when she will attack, and she is also good for stalking me on the couch, and this makes for a very difficult relaxing time... Any Ideas on how to work with her? Any links to other cool parrot behavior chats? I really want to work with Bingo, I am not afraid, and I am an animal person, I understand most behavior, and I had a blue headed Pionus years ago, but parrots are a bit different than dogs and cats and such :) much more complex, and I don't want to mix her up or fight with her....any help? |
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Basil, my Indian Ringneck, gets really feisty when she can fly around. When I get her wings clipped, she calms right down and is as sweet as can be. I call it giving her an attitude adjustment! lol Abby |
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| | | From: HiTez_ | Sent: 12/20/2006 5:24 PM |
I see the point of wing clipping...I kind of knew this all along really. He spoils that bird to the point of making her naughty and no fun to be around, except to him. I have a few dogs, and one I know can get nippy to strangers, I DO NOT allow this, it is not appropriate for her to bite, like it is not nice for Bingo to attack... I doubt he would clip her wings...before I came into thier lives Bingo and him coexisted perfectly, and not too active in the dating world so I guess they made a fine pair! :( ~my metaphor~ To elaborate about my dog, also I do not lock her up in a crate (although I have a few times) but normally I will leash her and keep her under control until she is properly inrtoduced and gets to meet the person slowly and then she is usually better, and not as inclined to bite. she bites in fear, and someone she dosnt know coming into the house too fast, without introduction provokes fear bites... Anyway point is a wing clipping is like a leash, and the bird would then have to depend on people for mobilizing and entertainment, and a bit of humbling...I totally understand the mental and phisical benifits. :) |
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Would your employer/vet come to your rescue with your BF? Maybe BF just needs to hear it from an expert that clipping is the best thing to do to try to calm Bingo down. BF needs to realize that if a dog bit him he wouldn't stand for it for a second. Same with a bird who attacks a friend. Shouldn't be tolerated. Birds do bite but an attack bird should be locked up just as a dog is if they are out of control. Annie |
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| | | From: HiTez_ | Sent: 12/21/2006 5:02 PM |
Well I guess Bingo is getting used to me, I still don't trust her, and have no intentions to try to have her step up or pet her head, but she did sit pretty mellow with minimal pin pointing and posturing at me this morning on her perch on top of her cage. She did not come at my head. early morning: as usual she claims "her man" if she can fly to him if I am standing too close or if we hug... LOL, jealous bird shheeesh. He had her on his shoulder and we stood next to the fireplace and watched TV she didnt seem too bothered, but she had to be on the side that I was on to keep her eyes on me...anyway, I wasnt attacked! thats what matters! :) Later morning: now that I think about it... she did leave his shoulder back to the cage and we hugged and said bye and she never swooped back onto him to claim him...that's good too, she is usually right there to intercept :) |
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| | | From: HiTez_ | Sent: 12/26/2006 11:29 PM |
Hi everyone! Well Bingo has been behaving better, but I know she would come at me if given the chance.But the past weekend I spent time over at BF's house and we played some video games (yea I like to play! LOL) Anyway Bingo attacked me from the back of the couch, I was giving her a chance to be nice and walk by me along the back, but she chose to get my head! Darn her! Well she got taken to time out and she seemed to get more grumpy after that, so I suggested a bath for her, and she had such a good time laughing and screaming OH MY GOD she is so funny, but that seems to settle her down, plus she cant fly when wet. That was one attack, but she seemed to be more chilled out after that, and she sat close to me on the other couch, but never came at me again. Maybe she is getting used to me, and we may never be "friends" but as long as she tolerates me, and dosent attack Im happy. :) |
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Dont give up. We have a 7 yr old Double Yellow Amazon we have had for almost 1 year now. He is a rescue. My hubby never gives up. I am the favorite person. Ozzy's wings are trimmed. If they werent there was a time when he would probably have flown after the hubby. He came to us as a 'mean' bird. He has come a long way. When Ozzy wants to come into the living room and its my hubby's turn to bring him out,most of the time Ozzy wants me. Well, hubby tries and if Ozzy is mean hubby goes away and then Ozzy yells for someone and hubby come to get him. Since Ozzy wants to come out,he gives in and lets hubby take him where he wants to go. I hope your B/F will trie this. |
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| | | From: HiTez_ | Sent: 12/28/2006 11:44 PM |
HEHE that is SO BINGO! looks just like her "posturing/pinpointing" at me when I walk in the room! Great pic! thank you! Good advise too, we have pulled a few "no BF" tricks on her (well not tricks but you know what I mean) He went into the room for a nap and I stayed up, we talked and he agreed to stay in and let me have some time alone with Bingo, about 15-20 mins total it was. She did a few loud screams and searched for her man, (I think she actually realized he did not go out the front door, therefore MUST be somewhere in the house, smart bird) but I stayed calm and talked soft, and gave her fave: a Frito, she seemed happy, well a bit nervous at first, but seemed to settle on her pearch and rest. Not attacking me is the key here, I don't need her on me or anything, I just want to sit on the couch and chill, and not be tense knowing she is stalking me. I did get one quick step up once, I gave her a frito and she cant resist, she cant let go of it, I told her step up and since she was on the back of the couch and wanted to her perch, she stepped up, cant bite cause she's greedy of her frito, HEHEHe, she stepped up and over and flew to her perch, but she did make contact... |
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HiTez, Christmas has come and gone but I think you need to give BF one more little gift. Get him a copy of Guide to a Well Behaved Parrot by Mattie Sue Athan. Read it word for word yourself ~ and discuss it together. Here's one quote that is so absolutely correct: "Both partners in this emotionally symbiotic relationship -- humans and parrots -- have a right to a happy life together. It is the responsibility of the humans to provide for the physical and emotional needs of the bird. Indeed, clear-cut human expectations contribute greatly to the parrot's happiness, for one of the bird's strongest drives involves understanding and securing an exact place in the pecking order." This book is available in book stores, pet stores, and online. It would be worth its weight in gold to you, if you are interested in working with both BF and bird to ensure happiness for everyone. |
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I forgot to say that I think gloves and catching the bird in flight are an idea to forget immediately. And I still think that caging the bird when he/she might be in a position to attack is an intelligent approach to the situation. |
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| | | From: HiTez_ | Sent: 1/2/2007 6:06 PM |
Well funny you mention that book, I own it and her 2nd book, and I dont own a parrot! :) I did years ago though. I have read paragraphs and methods out of it to BF, and he is very willing to work with Bingo and me in getting her not to attack. I totally understand the "pecking order" I also have several dogs and there is a sure pack order aswell, with me being the lead dog. Anyway, one thing is in Bingos eyes Drew (my bf) is her mate, for life, they have 7-8 long years together, and I, in just a few short months am stepping in, and on her toes so to speak. I do have some more progress to mention, and good news... Last night I was "working" with Bingo, talking to her and eating Ritz crackers, her fave, I know. She was on her perch, about 10 feet from the kitchen counter, and I was leaned on the counter talking to her, munching, she was very inticed, but I told her she had to come get one from me and I called her to the counter top, she came down and nicely took a small bite of cracker from me and went back to her perch and ate it. She was wanting more so once again I called her down for another piece, but this time she was headed for my shoulder, I froze, a little shocked but not scared, just not sure, she landed politely I heard her puff out her nose, maybe not too sure herself what she had just done, I didnt look at her, but raised my hand up and gave her the cracker, she took it and went back to her perch and ate it, happily. What do you all think? It is just one tiny step in what will be a long long walk, (and will probably always be working on somthing) but we did make some progress, and also I left it at that, a good ending for the night, I did not ask anymore from her, I told her good girl several times then we were done, she went to bed soon after, I think it went very well. :) She is also not being so threatening to me lately, more relaxed and isnt attacking me, there is hope! :) P.S. No I never tried the catching her thing, I felt it would scare her more than correct her, it was a bad idea, but it was just a thought for what seemed to be a desperate situation. Things have changed. |
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Count your blessings!! No amazon ever needs to be on the shoulder of a person to whom she has shown aggression. They can easily remove your eye, so discourage her from landing up near your face. I know her attitude seems to be changing now but you still must protect yourself. Annie |
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