Beat up by Bonkers (hormonal?)

[Tycos_mom]

I find when these little birds are like this its way scarier because they're small and really quick with the bigger birds you get a bit of warning before they actually bite but the little ones are all over the place in seconds you just get your hand up to push them away and they are all ready biting somewhere else they could do allot of damage really quick. I covered every mirror in my house now because thats what seems to trigger Raja is when he sees himself in the mirror. I can pet him and hold him and he's ok again but I don't dare let him see himself or I'm a goner silly bird can't tell the difference between a real bird and a reflection.

[BaxtersMom]

"the little ones are all over the place in seconds:

 

You got that right Pat:laugh:

 

I think it would be funny to have the tape rolling when Bonkers was out with me. All you would see would be all hands and elbows me trying to get away as I'm running and a crazy little bird on me every step of the way:laugh:

[judygram]

A fly on the wall just for a few minutes, thats all I ask, poor Erika, it must be traumatic to be chased by a small bird, thankfully Sunny has never been that way but she can be a handful sometimes but not like that.

[BaxtersMom]

:laugh: It wasn't fun going through it but I bet it would be hilarious to watch.

 

I tested bonkers a few days ago and it didn't go so well. My husband let him out in his room to be out for awhile and I wanted to test his reaction, but me being a little gun shy, I grabbed a towel for protection when I went in the door. It's a good thing I did too cuz he seen me, threw his head down and headed straight for me!!! I held the towel up out in front of me and he pounced right on it and started climbing up it towards my hand. I just let the towel go and quickly stepped back into the hallway. I barely made it through the doorway. Thank goodness I had my handy dandy towel ready. On a good note, he did let me pet his head through the bars today so maybe a little progress is being made. I hope he goes back to normal, I'm really worried that he will stay this way.:unsure:

[judygram]

No he won't Erika, when the hormones subside he will go back to his normal self or at least that is what we have been told by those who have been thru it before and then all will be well again until those hormones rage again.

[she]

I must agree that the little birds are so much harder.Cracker can be a right demon.My hands have been torn up by him on more than one occasion. He is not too bad at the moment though.When he decides to have a go at me he means it.The same bird will sit cuddled in to my neck and beg for head scratches,it is so strange.I have to put it down to hormones,I cant find another reason.

[BaxtersMom]

Ok, heres an update on Bonkers. He has been hormonal since the middle of last month...so it's been a good month now. I was hoping for some improvement but it's no where in sight. I will not even give him food and water anymore. Had to make hubby do that chore now because he will attack my hand when I go to get his bowl out. I have been trying to give him treats through the bars so he knows' "I'm a friend" and he will act like he wants to take them and be friendly back but then sucker punches me. For example, Today I gave him a slice of kiwi. He gently grabbed the tip I had stuck in and acted like he was going to be sweet but then lashed out to bite me. It was a planned attack.

 

My husband lets him out in the room still for excercise for several hours a day and I won't go in because I'm afraid he will get me. My husband still has no problems and he acts like his sweet normal self with my husband UNLESS I am in the room with him. He was in his cage the other day and I was in the room attempting to give him fresh food but he bit me so I had my husband do it. I think Bonkers was still mad at me being near and he lunged at my husband when he tried to feed him just because I was standing there. We've noticed the only time he is cranky with my husband is if I am near.

 

It's like he can't stand the sight of me anymore and is angry when ever he sees me. Sigh...

 

So, it's been a good month. I am really wondering if he will ever like me again. My husband was always the favorite but we got along fine. I am beginning to think our relationship is going to be totally ruined from here on out. He is in his cage most of the time now (but doesn't seem to mind) and he is being kept away from the other flock members because we don't let him loose in the living room.

 

2 questions now....does it really take 2 months for them to get through this?

 

Is there a chance we will never get along again?

 

I feel like this is an unfair lifestyle for Bonkers.

 

Need help, advice, truth, facts or reassurance if you all are sure it will get better.

 

I'm really bummed out about this.

[Azzie]

I'm sorry to hear Bonkers hasn't settled down yet and how badly this is affecting you.

 

Firstly though, don't blame yourself. It's nothing you've done wrong. This is just nature doing its thing. See it like an extreme case of PMS - think of all the sexist jokes about females with PMS, and I'd say that's probably close to the truth for birds!

 

Secondly, it WILL pass.

Remember I told you my lorikeet Sam turned into a hellish little bird? She is still settling down. There is still some nest making with the newspaper (can't remove it unfortunately, lorikeet poop is so liquid and runny!)

Sam climbed on top of Kip the other day and mated(gender of either bird unknown, and I've seen Kip on top of Sam so go figure). Sam is a lot calmer now, but still not quite back to normal. Still lots of very runny poo, nest making, aggression towards me at times. Sam is less vocal now and the aggression has lessened, but Sam still acts territorial when I go into the cage to change food and water. However, I did have them both out yesterday and Sam was very sweet, licking my ear, grooming my hair and being playful.

 

Is it possible that Bonkers has now decided your husband is his/her mate, given the level of jealousy and aggression shown when you are there with them both?

The crankiness displayed towards your husband when you are there could well be a displaced aggression. There's a wee blurb about that here:

 

http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=1ki1V0RmPHoC&pg=PA59&lpg=PA59&dq=parrots+displaced+aggression&source=bl&ots=dPNpqLEl8t&sig=yTr8rnd4NFGcx0zLyf5iol2MaCI&hl=en&ei=3N5bStnFH4P8tQOM2OWhCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1

 

Hang in there though. This will pass. I really do think you are suffering more than Bonkers is. Try to remember he IS a bird after all, and does not reason the way people do when we are feeling moody or cranky. Bonkers is acting the way nature has programmed him to, and it might not always make sense to us why our little friend has suddenly turned into a nemesis. It's not your fault (nor Bonkers nor your husband's) that you aren't the object of his affections, it's just "how it is".

 

Hang in there, be strong, don't blame yourself. Also, perhaps avoid close contact with Bonkers because it affects you so badly when he is nasty to you, and I wonder if it is damaging your relationship, because the more aggressive he is towards you, the more afraid and worried you become.

 

Good luck!

[BaxtersMom]

Thanks Azzie, you have given me hope once again. I had in my head it is going to take atleast another month (maybe more) but I still get those thoughts that say "What If?"

 

I know he has chosen my husband for his "mate" or favorite person. He has always been in love with my husband. It was love at first sight for Bonkers:laugh: My husband wasn't as thrilled as Bonkers was but he had no choice in the matter. He has always been friendly with me and never bit me before this but I always knew I was second best in his eyes but he had no problems sitting or riding on my shoulder and even come takes afternoon naps with me on the couch. Hopefully, we will be able to do that again.

 

Perhaps I will leave him alone more. I really don't do much with him these days except offer him treats every now and then. His cage is in the computer room so I am in here several hours a day...probably really irrating him too but it can't be helped.

 

I am not scared of him and his aggression. Even though I say he scares me, etc, I never show it and never will. I know how they can react when they see fear in someone.

 

I will hang in there and try and be strong. I will give updates on him, too and probably vent again when I'm at my wits ends. :laugh:

 

Thanks for listening.

[Azzie]

I hear that about the "what if". When Sam was at his/her worst I was starting to make plans to give my beloved lorikeets to a bird sanctuary. They have a massive outdoor walkthrough aviary there, and I thought if Sam doesn't settle, for his/her best interest and health they could go there. But as it turned out, Sam IS settling, though slowly.

 

I think it's probably good you are in the same room as Bonkers for extended periods of time. It's not direct contact, but he still has part of his flock there with him for company.

 

Feel free to vent = ) that's what we are all here for too!

[BaxtersMom]

Well, there are signs of improvement on Bonkers behalf. Could it be all this craziness is coming to an end???:side:

We tested the waters a couple time and let Bonkers out in the house to see how he would react to me and our little dog all being together in the same room (like we used to be) He didn't attack me or the dog which he would have done in just a few seconds a couple weeks ago. He still is not back to his old self yet but we might be on the right track. The second time we let him out he even stepped up for me. I gave him a couple sweet words and put him back down. I didn't want to push it but I think that was a major accomplishment. I didn't even get a dirty look from him this time. We still need more time but it's getting better. He is still very cage aggressive with me and most of the time he wants to attack me through the bars if I am offering him food but in the last week he has allowed me to pet the top of his head through the bars too.

 

It was funny how the other birds reacted to him when he was out. Before he would just fly to their cages and no one minded him at all. It was normal. The other day when he landed on both Baxter and Coopers cage, both of them seen him and headed right for him trying to get him off. It's like he is an outcast to them at the moment, too.

 

I just hope things continue to get better. This has been quite an experience for me. :woohoo:

[judygram]

Oh yes Erika things will get better real soon, just hang in there and you will soon get your sweet Bonkers back, this has been a learning experience for you and a lesson for us all, who knows who will be next on the "beat up" list.

[Tycos_mom]

Raja is improving allot lately although he still has his moments when those hormones rage its not constantly like it was. he is getting 14 hours of dark time every night and I think that helps I also took him off fruits because I think the sugars they produce make it worse anyway I just wanted to say there is hope I can see the end coming now also My Amazon was extremely hormonal a few months ago and now she is totally back to her old self again what a joy she is when she's not constantly trying to find a place to build a nest. So there is hope that Bonkers will be his old self again soon.

[Azzie]

Pleased to hear Bonkers is returning to his usual self! It does take time, and good on ya for hanging in there and weathering it.

 

Sam is just about back to normal also. She still does really large watery poops, but all the nest building and aggro has completely stopped. She's playing with her toys again. She's still a bitey bird, but that's her, because of the horrible things I had to do to her when she was a baby.

 

(She was sold way too young, she didn't even have all of her feathers when I bought her from a petshop. The second night I had her I noticed 2 huge bubbles on her neck, so took her to the vet and it turned out those were her airsacs. Airsaculitis as it turned out, and her chances of survival were not good the vet said. So I stayed up all that night, all the next day and almost all of the following night watching her, and giving her antibiotics and fluids. She hated every moment of it, and has not trusted hands or fingers since.)

[Tycos_mom]

Well Raja is getting back to his sweet loving self again wanting pets and being all kissy face I'm so glad it didn't take to long this is his first taste of being hormonal so mabie thats why it didn't last to long Fergie was hormonal for a good 4 months but she is 12 years old and its not horrible because I'm her intended mate so she thinks anyway. I hope Bonkers is getting back to his sweet self also. I really think the boy birds go through a much harder time the girls just want to nest but the think they must protect their nest at all cost. For Bonkers and Raja that means their cage sometimes I wonder if taking their cages away at that time might be better for them at least that way they wouldn't have anything the feel they have to protect with their lives.