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Post by jessicaalex112 on Jun 1, 2015 21:32:59 GMT -5
![]() Hello all! I hope this post finds you all well, I have a Quaker parrot named Kiwi, he is a sassy and very cuddly boy when he wants to be. I got him from a woman who no longer wanted him or had the time. He should be around 13-16 years old now, as I was told he was around 10-13 when I got him. I have had him more then a few years now an I absolutely adore him, but we have some problems and I was hoping for some advice. My boy has a very strong bond with me specifically and often throws tantrums when I leave (ie. flying around the house, screaming, and banging on his cage door if its been closed) but he absolutely refuses to socialize with anyone else. Ive tried many different tactics including having them do feeding and treats. He still refuses. He is stubborn, to say the least. Kiwi is also prone to attack my other animals and people who enter my room/bed area and has actually flown at them to chase them or bitten down on the closest thing he could get his beak on. As you can probably imagine this has made him pretty unpopular which continues to isolate him to me. However he will also lash out at me with "punishment" bites if I am focusing on another person or thing for too long. I worry about leaving him alone as he tends to pick his feathers around his neck, chest and the place where his wings meet body. I give him lots of toys and activities as well as leaving him with the tv on when i go out for long periods of time but he seems uninterested. I continue to rotate toys and try different things but i have yet to find anything he will even take notice of. I can tell he is bored but I am just at a loss for what to do with him. I want to be happy and fulfilled with enrichment but hes just so set in his ways. Also, is it safe for him to eat chicken? The woman who gave him to me told me that it was his favorite and so far he wont stay out of my plate when I have some.
Thank you for whatever help you can provide, I really want to help make him happier. I apologize if this post is a jumble, I just wanted be sure to get everything I could into this post.
Jessica & Kiwi |
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Post by easttex on Jun 2, 2015 6:29:39 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum, jessicaalex!  What you're seeing with Kiwi is not terribly unusual in a parrot. You're trying a lot of the right things, and maybe just a few tips would help get things started for you. It's possible that things are especially bad now, in breeding season. (Assuming you're in the U.S.) Have you noticed any seasonal differences in his attitude? While I am not a big fan of wing clipping, in your situation, you might want to consider it as a temporary measure. If not, I think you need to find some other way to restrict his territory until you can change his behavior. If he has access to the whole house it might be hard to find the appropriate space, but it is best for others to try to interact with Kiwi in neutral territory. If you have someone still wiling to try, perhaps take him to someone else's bedroom, leave him there for a few minutes and then let them come in to "rescue" him. He may be more willing to get to know others if he can begin to feel some dependence on them. I'm sure others here will have some ideas for you. A little chicken is okay for Kiwi, though as a vegetarian it pains me to say so . I wouldn't give him skin or fried. |
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Post by aaron on Jun 2, 2015 10:30:25 GMT -5
Greetings and welcome to the forum!
Easttex has given you good advice. I will add that our QP, Cupcake, was initially a one person bird, and is now affectionate with all of the three adults in our house. It took many months to make this transition, but it's definitely possible.
The rescue tactic that Easttex mentions is a good one. Also, if you have a willing participant, have the bird spend extensive one on one time with someone else. Have them sit and talk quietly to Kiwi while he is in his cage. Continue having them give him treats. The key with this stuff is persistence and patience... and also having willing and engaged participants to help you socialize your bird, that are, frankly, ready to get bitten a few times without pulling back and reacting. An initial step is showing Kiwi that he cannot get these people to leave by biting them.
We do institute a sort of punishment for Cupcake when she displays aggressive behavior. If she attacks, even if the bite doesn't land, she is immediately caged, for about 2-3 minutes. I have been suggesting 5 minutes to people but I am actually starting to think that is too long. The key here is to emphasize the cause and effect. If they are in the cage too long, they will forget what's going on and the point will be lost. You also want to let them out quickly to give yourself more opportunity to demonstrate the cause and effect repeatedly. However, it is important not to let them back out if they are making a fuss or yelling, as you don't want to reinforce that behavior. I usually only wait for Cupcake to be quiet for 15-30 seconds or so, and that's good enough to let her back out.
Clipping wings may help you get the upper hand. We did not have to resort to this measure with Cupcake because she never flew at anyone in an aggressive manner, but if that sort of behavior is prevalent, clipping will help. Bear in mind that when birds are clipped properly, they can still get some distance.
You will probably see an improvement in his behavior if you minimize hormonal triggers-- if he has any locations that he can access that he might perceive as a nest, you should not allow him to access them. Make sure he gets 12 hours of darkness per day. Cut back on soft, warm foods. Don't pet him anywhere but from the neck up.
Chicken is okay, but like Easttex suggested, don't let him pig out on it. It should be an occasional treat.
Good luck with your little friend! Please keep us posted on how things go and let us know if you have any other questions!
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Post by cnyguy on Jun 2, 2015 19:50:52 GMT -5
Welcome to you and Kiwi. You've received some good suggestions up there. Regarding playing with toys, have you shown Kiwi how to play with his toys, and how much fun they are? That often will help get a parrot interested in playing. My QP Ralph likes chicken too, and gets a small serving of it when I'm eating chicken. For Ralph, I just bake the chicken without any seasonings. |
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Post by kalipso2 on Jun 3, 2015 14:50:41 GMT -5
I agree...clipping his wings will put him in his place really fast.
I'm not a fan of clipping and Cricket has had full flight for most of his 10 years but this spring his hormones are raging and I needed to show him who was boss...
I'll let them grow back in and hopefully next spring is better!
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Post by jessicaalex112 on Jun 6, 2015 11:13:48 GMT -5
We do institute a sort of punishment for Cupcake when she displays aggressive behavior. If she attacks, even if the bite doesn't land, she is immediately caged, for about 2-3 minutes. I have been suggesting 5 minutes to people but I am actually starting to think that is too long. The key here is to emphasize the cause and effect. If they are in the cage too long, they will forget what's going on and the point will be lost. You also want to let them out quickly to give yourself more opportunity to demonstrate the cause and effect repeatedly. However, it is important not to let them back out if they are making a fuss or yelling, as you don't want to reinforce that behavior. I usually only wait for Cupcake to be quiet for 15-30 seconds or so, and that's good enough to let her back out. How did you get her into her cage for punishment? I find if I try to cage him his aggression gets out of control. |
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Post by aaron on Jun 6, 2015 18:57:53 GMT -5
Generally when she is going in the cage as a result of aggression, I don't have her step up, I literally scoop her up in my hands and put her there. She has always been easy to get in the cage for me, so I guess our cases differ in this regard. Even when Cupcake was aggressive toward everyone else, I have always personally been able to grab her and put her in the cage. If his aggression goes out of control when you try to cage him, I'd say there's a good chance this technique won't work as well.
Aggressive behavior is largely promoted by hormones, so I would recommend doing everything you can to minimize hormonal responses in him-- if he isn't getting 12 solid hours of darkness every day, that would be a really good place to start. How much sleep is Kiwi getting and what kind of sleep conditions does he have?
What happens when you put Kiwi in a room with someone else without you there? Have you tried this for an extended period of time?
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