How do I address this behavior towards my son?

[kitt4kaz]

Felix is 16 months old. I have a 3 year old daughter and a 10 year old son. Felix has never liked our son. He has tolerated him or has sometimes tried to bite him if he walks up to his stand/cage and puts his hand out. However, in the last month or so, Felix has begun to purposely attack my son. Once, my son was sitting in a chair and Felix was on his stand behind him. All of a sudden Felix dove onto my son's head and began biting him on top of the head for no reason at all. I was watching the entire thing.

My son has never teased him. He has never spent much time with him which is why I figured Felix didn't particularly like him but just tolerated him. However lately these purposeful acts of dislike have become much too frequent. Felix doesn't show any aggression at all towards my daughter, myself, or my husband.

How do I handle this behavior?

[birdhouse]

Almost like this awesome little private video was made to order. The only thing is maybe use your own judgement w/the time table based on what comfort level you think they've reached. But it might be a greyt way for your son & Felix to create a bond.

 

[Talon]

I have had the same issues with one of my sons. It has become a game for Talon. I arm him with a spray bottle of water, it keeps her away...

[Dave007]

Felix is 16 months old. I have a 3 year old daughter and a 10 year old son. Felix has never liked our son. He has tolerated him or has sometimes tried to bite him if he walks up to his stand/cage and puts his hand out. However, in the last month or so, Felix has begun to purposely attack my son. Once, my son was sitting in a chair and Felix was on his stand behind him. All of a sudden Felix dove onto my son's head and began biting him on top of the head for no reason at all. I was watching the entire thing.

My son has never teased him. He has never spent much time with him which is why I figured Felix didn't particularly like him but just tolerated him. However lately these purposeful acts of dislike have become much too frequent. Felix doesn't show any aggression at all towards my daughter, myself, or my husband.

How do I handle this behavior?

 

 

This situation sounds like the classic description of an african grey not liking certain children. Many greys don't like children for different reasons. Not all greys but many greys. Many new people checking out greys should be told that sometimes, african greys don't like kids. Some of those reasons can't be seen and others can be seen. Quite a few people who have aggressive greys where children are involved develop problems when a grey has the ability to get around and possibly attack people, especially kids. One thing I can tell you is that your bird isn't going after your son because he doesn't pay attention to him. Greys who dislike certain children are very happy when that child doesn't get close. There's one particular thing you can do although most of the time I'm not for it. This time I am. You can go to the vet and have your bird's wings clipped so that going aftercertain family membrs is more difficult. That would allow the owner to be in more control over the bird. Just remeber that if your bird doesn't like your son, that doesn't have to apply to your daughter, but as she gets older, you never can tell.

 

You can also consider moving the cage and stand to a completly different area so that your bird will have difficulty going after your son or anyone else for that matter.

Edited October 10, 2013 by Dave007

[SRSeedBurners]

We had (still do to some extent) the same problem with our Greycie. She did not like my daughter (19) at first. She would actually bite her hard enough to break the skin whereas she has never done that with myself or my wife. If sitting on my daughters shoulder she would go after her ear or her cheek - so the sitting on my daughter's shoulder was stopped. Then she started the targeted hits, where she would fly and tap dance, as I call it, on my daughters head. Basically a touch and go (Greycie is flighted).

 

Our problem was we had a pending trip for a couple weeks away and the primary caregiver was going to have to be my daughter. We couldn't have Greycie being mean and Kayla scared of Greycie while we went away. It involved training both of them.

 

With Kayla, she made the mistake of harassing Greycie when we first got her. Big NO NO!!! I had to train this out of her as she got it from me. I'm a cat harasser and so is she. You have to treat birds differently. We worked on that and also dropping the fear. I'm pretty sure Greycie was picking up on the fear.

 

With Greycie I had Kayla messing with her constantly while I was in close proximity. As much as I could I would have Kayla doing stuff with her and stopping any behavior out of either one that went off track. Eventually they got to where they could interact together enough that I felt safe leaving.

 

The good news was, while away I was getting pictures of Greycie being indoctrinated into the midget squad as I call them (I know, not PC, sue me). Kayla got to where she could handle Greycie just as I do. When we got back a little bit of the redheaded stepchild treatment crept back into Greycie and some feelings got hurt but things are definitely better. I have to keep reminding Kayla we don't really know what Greycie's thinking - don't take it personally.

[Talon]

Just to clarify.my son is not a child, so I don't think that's always the case. MY son is almost 19years old. It started back when he would sit on the floor about 7 years ago, playing video games, Talon one day dive bombed him and then flew off, the next time she tried it, he dove to the floor like someone getting hit by a bomb...Talon thought it was a riot! so...needless to say, it is one of her favorite games!

 

My amazon Nilah has an infatuation with my daughters boyfriend. When ever he is over, NIlah is attached to him permanently...Nilah will viciously attack my daughter. She only does this when he is over, when he's not here, Nilah is fine and will even go to my daughter for snacks. You may say, "well keep her in her cage when he's here", but she spends most of her day in her cage and I insist she is out in the evenings, also my daughters boyfriend lives over an hour away, so sometimes he spends the night. This is the only thing that protects my daughter from Nilah when her boyfriend is over is this, and my daughter holds it or keeps it next to her the entire time he is here...it works, it protects my daughter and NIlah stays away from her when she has it. ( I have 5 of them in the house just in case we misplace one..)