Breaking the "one person" trait?

[ScubaJ]

Breaking sounds like such a harsh word for such delicate creatures...

 

Anyways, I am ~3 weeks in and I am Echo's "one". But this is Alex's (girlfriend) bird to, but her schedule the past couple weeks has made it so she hasn't spent but maybe a quarter of the time with Echo as I have and she has already started being "defensive" with Alex.

 

Now, it's still early so I know Echo can change this direction but we have to do our part in helping her. But what would be the best way?

 

My thinking was, Alex would just have to spend more time then me during the next few weeks with Echo until she is comfortable with her. Almost like balancing it out. Any thoughts, ideas, links?

 

Thanks in advance. :laugh:

[Tari]

Sounds like a plan and you could spend less time with echo and more with your own birds. (Im assuming you have other birds.)

We can do all sorts of things but in the end they choice who they choice.

My husband does not handle my birds at all but he can if I am not home. He is the only one that feeds treats so they are not afraid of him. They still choice me over him but if Im not home and he has to he can get them to step up for him.

[loviechick]

If you find a way, please let me know LOL I live alone, and boy my birds won't go to hardly anyone unless I put them there. Now my Senegal, and my Sun Conure, they are quite social and will go to anyone, but with my Greys, forget it!

 

I would suggest that while you are home only you spend time with the bird and not your partner. If your partner is already hanging out with the bird more often, PLUS while the both of you are home, the bird is still getting a dose of one person more than the other. Reward the bird for hanging out with you, and don't encourage the "defensive" behavior if they get nippy, put them back in their cage for a 5 minute time oue, and then bring them back out and reward them for being good!

[judygram]

Sounds like a good plan Lovie and Josey won't go to just anyone but me but my hubby can give her cheese and she will take it from him easily.

[ScubaJ]

Great stuff!

 

Echo is actually my only bird. Probably won't be my last either.

 

I actually make Alex spend time with Echo alone so neither one are distracted and get some one on one time. In the end I hope to still be the one, but I don't want her to be defensive to Alex either. It actually already looked better earlier today. So I will update over the next couple months...

 

Now I just have to fix her poo poo problem... I think she is finding it funny to poop when we pick her up so we have to clean it. Not sure how to describe it. But sure enough, it has to stop! :sick:

[ScubaJ]

Update:

 

Looking better so far, after changing out a few "responsibilities" around the house though.

 

While Alex originally just "spent" time with her, talking and playing, it just wasn't enough. So now I make Alex wake her up and feed her in the mornings. And once I get home from work I feed her and spend time with her at night.

 

She has become a lot more docile to Alex, even when she is on my shoulder. She lets Alex pet her and scratch her neck without going to bite. Hopefully this trend continues!

 

I figure since there are several people with new birds that might run into this kind of thing, this might be useful.

[BMustee]

I think some of the “one person” trait is personality. My Elmo is with me pretty much every minute that I’m home and not very much time with other people. You would think this would make him a one-person bird, but he will go to 98% of people willingly. The other day I took Elmo out when my b/f Paul was over (first time he had been out when he was there for a month) and Elmo ran all over him playing, came up for kisses and scratches, and had a good ole’ time. I put him down on the bed when Paul had to leave and when I came back in the house maybe a minute later; Elmo had started searching the house for him (don’t worry, I bird-proofed). I also see a lot of greys at my work that come in for wing and nail clippings and some of them will run and act like we are killing them, others will step right up for us and don’t really put up a fight when we hold them for clipping. The stories I hear about how they behave with people in the house normally match the temperment they show at the store...the more relaxed greys like more people that the runners/screamers.