Joolesgreyuk Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 I don't know if it is the time of year or the house being nice and warm but Argyle is vicious atm, even more so than usual if that is possible. Yesterday he lunged at me and hung on to my baby finger, causing a bruise and drawing blood. His reason for biting? I was putting food in his cage! I won't mince my words, I am sick of getting bitten! I'm wondering if it is hormonal, I have recently seen him flickering his wings. Does anyone know what this body language means? I've never seen Beau do it but Argyle does it sometimes. Anyway I'm thinking of changing his name to Sid as in vicious! Maybe I should give him the "Tiggs treatment". Seriously though I aint laughing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Julie, my 10+ eclectus was hormonal a few months ago. He started running his tongue over my arm and trying to latch on. Luckily I was able to distract him as I have a bleeding problem. Sully would pin his eyes and lunge and nip at me every time I came near his case. Dave007 was a total blessing for me with some great advice. Thankfully after awhile this too did pass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joolesgreyuk Posted December 23, 2009 Author Share Posted December 23, 2009 Thanks for the reply Janet. Well I'm either being largely ignored or no one knows the answer...;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Julie, I am sorry that you haven't gotten any answers to your question, guess everyone is busy with the holidays but it is probably hormonal in nature. You can always pm Dave for some advice but he will tell you to keep a safe distance from him when he is like this. Just hang in there Julie for the time being. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jamalbirdbiz Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Once parrots grow up and r no longer small they tend to really come into their own and that means they want there independence and 1 way they try to get it is by biting. we have to change our attitude in terms of keeeping them around in R homez Most wild animals are good pets up until the hormones kick in and that is when the reality of having a wild parrot as a pet seems to become glaringly evident. other wild animals can B let loose at this age - but not R parrots. the perils they would face in the reel world wuld probable B 2 much for them and they cuold very likely die out there in the world. I have excepted the biting as just a part of having a longterm parrot pet. i no that if beeing bitten often) is a part of it - well i guess so B it. life will go on. i wont give Molly to anyone because i doubt they wud respond to her behavur in a very under standing way. :evil: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Char Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Sorry to hear that you are having problems. It probably is hormonal. Give him more dark time and shorter days. That will help quiet the hormones down. If if is hormones it will pass. Watch the body language carefully during this time and try not to invade his space unless you have to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joolesgreyuk Posted December 23, 2009 Author Share Posted December 23, 2009 I guess it must be hormonal then. I have done my very best to stay away from him and only put my hands in his cage when feeding him and I have been covering his cage 2 hrs earlier than Beau's. I don't see what else I can do tbh. Many thanks to everyone who replied and Merry Christmas to all. :kiss: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 Julie, did you PM Dave? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joolesgreyuk Posted December 24, 2009 Author Share Posted December 24, 2009 No Janet but I'm thinking of pming Pat as she has macaws. What do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 I think you should pm Dave or email him, he might get it quicker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 Julie, both Dave and Pat are very knowledgeable about parrots. Hopefully both will answer your post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
she Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 I hope you get to the bottom of this Julie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 I think time will take care of this one Shelia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joolesgreyuk Posted December 27, 2009 Author Share Posted December 27, 2009 I'm happy to report that Argyle was in a good mood yesterday, he came out and sat on Steve, nestling under his chin, allowing Steve to scritch him and preening himself. He still doesn't like me - I can live with that so long as he isn't vicious, that episode lasted for about two weeks but does seem to have eased in the last 2-3 days. Argyle is moody, that isn't about to change but I had trouble coping with the was he had been behaving lately. I'm very reluctant to have him on me as he will attack my face but we do need to get along to a certain extent as I am the carer. Thanks for the advice, I'm still waiting to hear from Pat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernova Posted December 27, 2009 Share Posted December 27, 2009 Julie I know I have said Ben has never bitten me, this is true, but I can tell when she is going to, and have managed to avoid it. If she is having a moodie she will raise her feathers a little and look at me with what I can only say looks like a frown, if I spot this I frown back and walk away. Seems to work. By the way she hates everybody else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 Julie that is great that Argyle is at least a little more hospitable to you the last few days but I don't think it is over yet, give him some more time but I know how frustrating this is when you want to be able to handle him and can't, this too shall pass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 When our fids get "biting" we look at them solemnly and say in a quiet voice, "I don't like that!" drop our heads and walk away...Takes time...Our amazons we give a direct "No"....The psychology of each species is different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 I am really happy for you that Argyle is working through his short temper. It feels bad to know you are getting bitten. You don't deserve it. I know it isn't personal and you are doing all you can to be patient through it. I hope you see your sweet boy a little more every day until he is back to being an angel, or as close to it as he is capable to get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joolesgreyuk Posted December 28, 2009 Author Share Posted December 28, 2009 LOL Thank you katana, I think he will always be "moody" but hopefully he will improve towards me in time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 Glad to hear things are better with Argyle. I hope all will be right as rain soon. Hang in there Julie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolz7 Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Hi Julie funny thing i am just now reading your post and i am in the same boat. My macaw keeps pinching me and it is really painful after a while. I am getting sick of being bruised all over. Hopefully this to shall pass right? I dont have any advice other than i feel your pain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joolesgreyuk Posted January 7, 2010 Author Share Posted January 7, 2010 Hi Carol, yes maybe it is a macaw thing but Argyle is a moody lil fella. I do love him to bits but unfortunately the feeling isn't mutual lol. He is kinder to Steve and Jordan but doesn't have much time for me. Much of the time he will be less than pleasant to the afor mentioned too so I just think it's the way he is. I have sought advice and it appears that there could be other issues going on with him: 1. Hormones, he is over 5 yrs old now and therefore has become an adult bird with all that that entails lol 2. He appears to be territorial - doesn't like (mine in particular) hands in/near his cage. I have acted on the advice given but there is only so much you can do. As I said before, as a macaw his behaviour will be different than Beau's (a CAG) who is a more placid bird and easier to "read". Argyle was also pre-owned and therefore had to adapt to us as an adult. When all said and done I love him and am willing to take the good with the bad, he is a beautiful bird and doesn't deserve to go to yet another household, it is up to us to accept him as he is. Hey, my husband is moody - I'd rather give him up anyday lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pearllyn Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Sorry Julie - don't know how I missed this, but I can def identify with you! When we first got Alfie (actually it was when she turned around 6 months) we gave her two names - Alfie for when she was being good, and Sid for when she was being not!! I have to say, for a while she was Sid more than she was Alfie! Sid has gradually subsided, but Alfie did go through a phase during the summer where she was very aggressive towards me - regularly biting and drawing blood. I followed advice from here to give her a time out every time she did bite hard, and other than that, not react to the bites! Thankfully it knocked it on the head. I have not had a malicious bite from her since, but I cannot put my hands in her cage unless I am offering her to come out. If I open her little feed windows I have to look out for sure cos she'll nail me if she get's the chance. I just see it as her space and respect it. She is a little hormonal at the minute too, but any bittes lately have been high jinx! Hopefully Argyle will get passed this phase too! I know it's horrible being bitten hard by a bird you love! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joolesgreyuk Posted January 9, 2010 Author Share Posted January 9, 2010 I think Argyle is hormonal. I have caught him lying on his two-pronged perch several times. Today I opened his cage door to allow him out, this particular door opens down flat, Argyle walked out onto the door and promptly lied down on it and stayed there for several minutes. Steve says he scritched him this morning and Argyle tried to "lick" him. Another sympton I forgot to mention was wing flickering (something Beau never does) he has always done this since we have had him (6 months) but he has gone from doing this to actually flapping his wings the last day or so. What do you guys think?<br><br>Post edited by: Joolesgreyuk, at: 2010/01/09 14:55 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JillyBeanz Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 Joolesgreyuk wrote: Hey, my husband is moody - I'd rather give him up anyday lol! Ha Ha! I bet all the women of this forum agree with you on that one!!! Sorry that Argyle isn't getting any better with you - but I admire the fact that you are accepting him for what he is - my cockatiel was the same. 17 years of viciousness - but I never once thought about giving him up. Whatever happened to "don't bit the hand that feeds you"!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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