what happened tyo my nice bird?

[ubecrew610]

So i have had my bird for about 6 months now, but this week she has just had a bad attitude. monday i har her sitting on my leg when she got a hold of my finger and took out a huge chunk out of it. and since then has bin really bad. When she bit me i didn't jump or say anything, just as soon as she let go i picked her up and put her on her cage. Since then i can't even pick her up, she is always snapping at me. Also could her being afraid of something have to dfo with her always shaking? The only thing i can think of is a few weeks ago i set up a new cage for herand put it in the other room. it is 36x24 and aboput 5 feet high. well after i put some toys in it, i just left it there and she went over and climed right on in and started playing. so i took the little cage she came in away. it was only 24x22 and like 4 feet tall. there really any room for any toys. She was good for a few weeks then this whole bad attitude happened any ideas?

[danmcq]

That is VERY odd behaviour just out of the Blue, without something causing it.

 

Doing away with her "Home" could have something to do with as could anything else that may have changed in the last 2 weeks. Hair style, color, fingernail polish something new in the house or room etc.

 

The "Always" shaking bothers me though. That could indicate a health problem and you should probably have a vet visit.

 

Others here will have more comments and ideas also. I am sorry to hear you are going through this, but you and your Grey will make it through it once the issue is figured out. :-)

[ubecrew610]

She was at the vet about a month ago and got the all clear, cause she is ghaving some issues flying

[Richardsmommy]

This is just a guess, Ubecrew, but I'm guessing it's that you gave her too much in too little time. Perhaps put her in the new cage and let her get used to it, then add toys one by one as she gets used to each of those individually. Then slowly move her to the new room a little each day, OR carry her into the room and read or watch tv for a few days until she feels comfortable in it, etc and then move her cage in there. I don't know.

 

Richard started biting me about that time. He only did it when he was close to my ears and bit them. Who could blame him? My ears are bigger than small saucers (and flatter). When he did this, I pucked him up, placed him on the middle of the floor and walked away. He did this two more times, I did the same thing and he hasn't done it since. I've had him for almost 10 months.

 

I'm sure others will have more to say based on their experience.<br><br>Post edited by: Richardsmommy, at: 2007/10/25 15:52

[judygram]

Something is different in the home and that is why she is acting strange, you just have to figure out what it is to correct it. I doubt it is the cage as she went into it willingly so you will have to ponder on this for a bit.

 

If the shaking is mostly in the breast area that is normal for greys so don't worry about that.

[lovemyGreys]

I agree with the others,has there been any other changes apart from the cage ? Try to distract the biting by offering a toy to chew on while she's on your lap.It may well be just thats she is pushing the boundries with you,stay in control & reward all positive behaviour.<br><br>Post edited by: lovemyGreys, at: 2007/10/25 20:41

[ubecrew610]

yea she only shakes in the breast area, you just see her feathers move. And she only bites me when she is out of her cage. She will be sitting on my lap just having fun, then has a mood swing and bites really hard.

[lovemyGreys]

The shaking sounds quite normal.You must address the biting issue or it will carry on, everytime she bites apart from showing no reaction ( which i know is hard )you can try these ideas out.

If you pull your hand away and yell, then your parrot gets a reaction out of you and will try again to get the same reaction. They think it's a game, try & show no reaction to him,try to distract him when you can see that he's going to bite,you can gently wobble your hand if he is on you this works well for me.I also have a clicker ( like some people use for dog training! ) if mine go to nip i click on the clicker & say a firm No in a strong voice, the clicker distracts them.

Some people use time out, if your parrot bites you simply return him to his cage for 5 minutes & walk away from him & say nothing.Then let him out as normal,back to the cage if he bites & again dont respond to him.

[kiwibarb12]

Time out works well for me - Beckette gets put into her cage, and I go and do whatever, then let her out after about10 minutes.

She doesn't bite much anymore.

[Guest]

I mentioned this in another post. Sometimes when they molt it causes them to be in really bad moods. Radar's personality changes for a few days and then he is back to normal.

[loviechick]

The shaking of the chest feathers of normal, it usually means they're relaxed, if it was all over I'd be worried, but both mine shake a little bit. As far as the snapping it could be several different things, but I'd say I think this directly correlates with the changing of the cage. That's why I'm real big on bringing the bird home and just changing its cage then, rather than letting it acclimate to the new environment in something familiar like an old cage. That way they're snappy from the beginning, It sounds like this will pass as she gets used to the new cage!

[Richardsmommy]

lovemyGreys wrote:

I also have a clicker ( like some people use for dog training! ) if mine go to nip i click on the clicker & say a firm No in a strong voice, the clicker distracts them.

 

Just curious, LMG. Has your parrot picked up the sound of the clicker yet? That method just may turn around to bite you. :laugh:

 

I'm just having fun with you. That is a good idea (just make sure YOU can tolerat the noise before you use it on him). <br><br>Post edited by: Richardsmommy, at: 2007/10/26 22:24

[Guest briansmum]

brian makes the clicker sound! i say "wave" he waves.. then clicks..

[lovemyGreys]

Richardsmommy i have 3 greys, & yes they can all make the clicker noise but they rarely do, they are to busy chatting away all day ! at the moment i have all three coughing as i had a chest infection recently & they have managed to mimic my cough :pinch:

[asnead72]

I went through the same problem with my child, er bird. You kind of have to think of it as testing her boundaries (the biting). You have to tell her No and teach her that it's not nice. I have a funny feeling it has to do with the new cage though. You took away her familiar and now she's in a big cage that she may feel intimidated by. Try putting like a small box in it; it may give her the comfort of being surrounded. The shaking, well my bird does it when he's uncomfortable, usually when my husband comes around hahaha. He doesn't like men for some reason, and when he comes near the cage, he starts shaking the same way you described.

 

If you compare her to a toddler, going through her terrible 2's and never getting past the age of 4, it might help you understand it a little better. That's the only way I have been able to cope with my booger. Good luck!

[birdmom]

My female CAG Buddi did that once, I figured out it was my nail polish color. I had always worn red when I bought her and then I took it off about a month later. She had fallen in love with me wearing red nail polish and din't know it was me. I put the red nail polish back on and she got sooo happy. So, then I had to take it off a couple nails at a time and change the color slowly until she realized it was me, I let her watch me change the color.