Rorschach has a Girlfriend

[Butttaxi]

From what I have read here and other sites a lot of parrots seem to pick one favorite person. Rorschach has picked me as his favorite but I have noticed that he has a “type”. He prefers short females and I fall in that category.

 

Friends and family have come to visit and for the most part they sit back check him out. I warn them that he can bite so they fear that (probably not a good idea if I want to socialize my bird but I don’t want anyone to be taken off guard if they do decide to hold him) About a month after we got Rorschach my friends Lisa and Christa came over for a bit before we ventured out again, as I was in the bathroom Rorschach stepped up on Christa (she must have been standing a little close to the cage) When I came out she was standing there all tensed up and looking completely freaked out. I could only laugh really; I mean how funny it is that these little fellas can intimidate someone. When she relaxed a bit she snapped a few pictures and actually got to scratch his head. This was the only other person other then me that he just stepped up on without being asked and even David wasn’t allowed to scratch his head yet.

 

Last Monday Christa and I made plans to go for coffee, so she met me at my place before going. Rorschach was in his cage when she showed up; when she started talking to him he started flirting with her by dropping his wings and looking handsome. I have never seen him do this to anyone but me so I was a bit excited that he would be attracted to someone else. I did let him out so he could be included in our conversation and he decided to fly to her, get all up in her hair and undid her hair clip. When I would try to get him to step up, because she wasn’t that comfortable, he would take my fingers in his mouth and push them away. I finally got him off and onto his perch, when I tried to scratch his head he would bite me… showing off for Christa. It was pretty cute and funny, I wonder if it would be a good idea to have Christa over more to help him get socialized with more people beginning with someone he likes.

 

This makes me feel a bit bad for David because he is with Rorschach all day every day and he is just starting to be allowed to scratch his head. Him and I share the feeding, clean up and quality time with Rorschach. I know Rorschach trusts him because when I’m not home he will fly over to the back of David’s computer chair and chill with him all day until I get home. When I get home it’s a whole new ballgame, he will then fly to me and not want anything to do with David. He even bites him and has drawn blood, only when I’m around. Does this sound like a territorial issue?

 

Since I am posting this I wanted to ask a question on behavior. Rorschach will not step up when I ask; if David asks he will step up every time. If I want to get him into his cage I have to ask David to put him in or if he is on the cage I walk out of the room so he will fly to my hand. I can’t get him off my shoulder unless David gets him or I can distract him onto the top of the cage. Does anyone have any advice on how I can take control again? He wasn’t always like this I did something that now makes him in control. It’s cute but can be very frustrating when I am either trying to leave for work or put him to bed at night.

[judygram]

Rorschach definitely likes females better and that is cute he is giving someone else besides you the hot and bothered routine, poor David has to take a back seat but greys pick who they like best but at least he gives David the attention when you are not home but then as soon as you show up he is ignored, better learn to live with it.

He even bites him and has drawn blood, only when I’m around. Does this sound like a territorial issue?

Yes, he looks to you as his favorite and is warning him to stay away for even though he gets along good with him when you are not there as soon as you come in he wants nothing to do with him any longer for he only has eyes for you. You could talk to Rorschach at these times and explain that his behavior is not acceptable for they understand more than what we give them credit for.

I am afraid I have no ideas on what to do to get him to step up onto you but he knows he has the upper hand and uses it to his advantage, maybe some of the other members will have some suggestions to help.

[Shelly Yokum]

Looks like he has you right where he wants you. Your husband probably don't take his crap, or show that he is afraid of the bites. My b/g doesn't let me get him off my shoulder very easily. So for a while when he would take up to my shoulder I would stop him and take him to the cage. Wait just a little and go back to get him. I did this over and over. Then I went to letting him up there, and then try to get him off, if he wouldn't let me I would get close to his cage and he would get on the cage and then I would put him back in. When I got him to where he would let me get him off my shoulder, I gave him praise and a treat. now I don't have a problem.

[thenabrd]

my peach front conure flirts with my husband quite a bit! she talks in a higher, softer kind of voice and lets him scratch her on her head, which i can't do at all. she plays with her toys in a different way, showing off and she makes a different kiss sound for him too. but let me come in the room or if she's out of her cage and i'm in the room, it's a whole different story. she "warns" him off with the "i'll bite you" lunge. at first he was confused but i explained to him, that in her little birdy thoughts, i'm her "mate" and she's protecting me from the "big, bad man", lol!!!

 

our grey, well we've only had her for about a month, but she does this whole (i'm guessing at what the behavior actually is) "baby" thing with him, more so than she does with me. its cute and he's flattered.

Edited March 14, 2011 by thenabrd

[Butttaxi]

thanks guys for your comments and advice.

He really has put me in my place and the sad part is I read about this before the behavior started. I just got so carried away with how cute it is that he would want to be with me so much. Since he started getting more comfortable with flying he won't let me out of his sight for one second... if I walk down the hall to the bathroom he is right there.

 

He was just on my head and I asked him to come "up" onto my hand and he always steps up when on my head. The I put him on my shoulder and asked him up. I put some enthusiastim in my voice to encourage it and he , like always, grabbed my hand. So I continued to cheer him on and then I could feel he started shifting his weight to my hand and then eventually stepped up. He only did it twice and then started to use my hand as a chew toy. I think it may be a height thing too, if he is lower then me like on the couch and I am standing he will step up fine.

 

David thinks it's funny and calls Rorschach a traitor when I get home. He is pretty cool with it I think the only thing that really upset him was when Rorschach bit him bad enough to break the skin, I said it was because he pulled away causing him to bite harder and the sharp parts of his beak sliced. David does have more authority when it comes to Rorschach it's like as soon as he gets up Rorschach stands at attention lol he has often ran around my head to get away because he is afraid he is going to be taken away from me. He will also give David a kiss EVERY time he asks which he didn't do for me... he does now. I am also lucky enough to get random kisses which are the best kind.

 

I am super glad that he is bonding with David though, it was a slower process then it was with me but it's coming along nicely. David usually gives me a daily update when I get home. He was very excited when he was allowed to scratch his head and he can do this even when Im home and in the room now. A few weeks ago the flying after him started, so now if I'm not home Rorschach will fly after David when he leaves the room.