I don't know what to do anymore

[mabdewn]

I have previously addressed this issue in another post months back. Since then I have tried dealing with it following the advice given to me, but to no avail. So while it is not my intention to hang about this forum moaning and complaining, it is the only place I know of where people have been able to give me some feedback. So here I am again, and will try to elaborate on what the problem is and has happened. Perhaps someone can shed some light and point out something that I am missing.

 

Charlie is 3 years old now. I bought him when he was 4 months old, and relationship was great until I got married a year and a half ago, when he started acting weird. Inside the cage he would be resentful towards me, and outside the cage there is a strong hesistance to approach me. At times he would be on my shoulder (I would have with patience let him step on my shoulder), then he will suddenly go apeshit and jump off my shoulder, and become scared.

In February I bought another CAG, Amanda, to be his companion, which has resulted beautiful in terms of Charlie's well-being. Charlie used to chew his feathers, which now fortunately has stopped. However the problem persists. Charlie is still scared of me outside the cage. In fact, when I come close to him, he will avoid me like I am sort of mobile cesspool trying to get close. He will scream and go into panic mode. Inside the cage, particularly when I come home from work, he will be all worked up, and do his mating dance for me, and lean his back up against the cage to let me scratch him. He will even do his whole food regurgitate, but he puts his beak around my finger, he will become aggressive and use more force to the point it actually hurts and actually draw blood. (which was never a problem before).

Amanda also when she sees me, will always come to me, happy and do her mating dance too, this in return triggers the jealousy in Charlie and he will come and knick her for "flirting" with me, and I can feel Charlie becomes resentful and he will not even approach me, and just ignore me. And again outside the cage, he is scared of me. He will only approach me if I have a treat (convenient little bugger). He will actually seek out my wife to be around her, but if she tries to pick him up, he will bite her.

Amanda outside the cage flies to me and shows her love to me and enjoys being in my company. She seems to be able to maintain that balance of being Charlie's partner and my friend.

 

Although I don't expect it, but I pray and hope, is that I can have more or less the same relationship with Charlie. But I am completely lost as to what to do.

Do male CAGs become this aggressive when they partner up with their species? Is Charlie just a complete nutjob?

Am I a bad parrot dad?

 

Please help!

[murfchck]

I am far from an expert but in my case, Bongo was my first and just settling in when within a month a macaw moved in. He was still okay with this, then another macaw moved in. He became a little off put, but still ok at this point. THEN another grey moved in, not liking it, no way, no how. He became cage aggressive and although he doesn't bite he sure tried to. After reading about their behavior, we took a step back and let him start making his own choices. We had thought he liked being out on his stand because he always did before so we would pick him up and put him there, come to find out by letting him choose, he just wanted to chill in and on his cage. He calls for us when he is ready to come out and we gladly go get him. This has all but stopped the meanness that had started and by letting him watch us with the other fids, instead of forcing him to join what we believe should be fun, he is coming out of his shell and becoming more playful than he has ever been. This is not an overnight fix, nothing is, but it really does help. Just giving them the respect of a choice does so much for their fragile egos!

[Greywings]

Murfchck has it right, just step bask deep breath and instead of trying to make you bird happy and interactive let Charlie lead the way even if that path feels like pouting to you. Just relax and go about business as usual say hello on the way by or sit quietly near the cage and just share the space and time. quietly.

[mabdewn]

I have never thought about it like that. I guess I am just reminiscent of how he was with me before, and now I have to deal with this change. Perhaps with time things will get better.

Thanks again for the advice. It is much appreciated.