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Post by siobhan on May 13, 2015 21:29:50 GMT -5
I do not understand this about Clyde. When I take food into the birds' room -- people food -- and everybody comes running to get their share, for some reason that turns Clyde's mood straight to El Groucho. He takes some, but then he throws it and squawks and wants to chomp. The others are gathering around and very happy to have a communal munch, and he gets militant. Why not just eat and be happy?
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Post by Jan and Shah on May 13, 2015 22:44:00 GMT -5
He may want to be the "only" bird so he can have 100% of your attention. Little stinker!
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Post by biteybird on May 14, 2015 2:36:39 GMT -5
"Why not just eat and be happy?" - Why not, indeed? I believe Jan may be right...he could be resentful of not having your 1:1 attention and food.
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Post by easttex on May 14, 2015 4:25:00 GMT -5
Makes me think of something someone said about Puritanism: the haunting fear that someone, somewhere might be happy. Maybe Clyde has a streak of that.  |
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Post by siobhan on May 14, 2015 8:08:10 GMT -5
I think you've got it. He's a Puritan!
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Post by aaron on May 14, 2015 12:21:32 GMT -5
I think Jan nailed it on the head... he wants dinner with just you  |
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Post by julianna on May 14, 2015 13:36:41 GMT -5
All of the above sound correct to me. With Clyde being full of hormones he does not want to share anything.
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Post by siobhan on May 14, 2015 13:45:56 GMT -5
But he doesn't want the food. He just wants the attention. He doesn't even want ME to eat the food. He was particularly honked that I gave Jade some. Jade is his mortal enemy.
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Post by Jan and Shah on May 14, 2015 16:12:33 GMT -5
It is hard to know what to do. I am not even allowed to speak to the cockatiels without His Majesty throwing a fit. But I am trying the advice given by someone else to praise him when he is behaving (think it was Easttex). I started it last night - still got bitten a number of times but not enough to break the skin (for a change). Dont know if it would work on Clyde but probably worth a try.
How's Benjy these days? And little Trixie?
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Post by Jan and Shah on May 14, 2015 16:20:28 GMT -5
Just had another thought. While I realise it is hormones in play, does Clyde ever see you with Rocky? Obviously Clyde is aware that Rocky is in the house. Do you think it could be related to your "relationship" with Rocky? I know Shah gets very jealous if I touch the cockatiels (Pippin likes head scritches) - even if he cant see me do it, he knows I am up to something which deserves a beak bashing. All this week he has demanded that he supervises me when I am cleaning out the cockatiels' cage - just so he can see what is going on. I dont dare touch Pippin while Shah is supervising.
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Post by easttex on May 14, 2015 19:12:29 GMT -5
But I am trying the advice given by someone else to praise him when he is behaving (think it was Easttex). I've never had a bird that was very food-driven, so am a big proponent of "praise the good and ignore the bad", but you're probably remembering Aaron's recent account of how he turned Cupcake around partly by using lots of praise. |
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Post by aaron on May 14, 2015 19:19:57 GMT -5
It worked for us. I recommend praising them specifically for being calm and relaxed. I feel like that helped a lot. It's a way to tell them how you want them to be. But you can't stop... Cupcake's behavior slips whenever I start to get lazy about praising her when she is good |
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Post by Jan and Shah on May 14, 2015 19:29:53 GMT -5
Sorry Aaron for not crediting you with the suggestion. I have high hopes that it will work with Shah |
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Post by siobhan on May 14, 2015 22:26:49 GMT -5
Clyde has seen Rocky, but only briefly the first week and at a distance. He probably knows and disapproves of my relationship with him. And I've been working brutal hours this week and have hardly had any time to spend with any of them. I haven't been home before 8 p.m. a single night this week. That doesn't make me popular, either. Benjy is fine, but I had to catch Trixie and clean poop off of her tonight. I haven't done that for about a week and it was a mess.
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Post by aaron on May 15, 2015 7:39:10 GMT -5
No worries Jan! I hope it works for you too.
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