Why is he doing this?

[Suzzique]

I allow Alex to ride on my shoulder. We have had him almost a year and he has always ridden on my shoulder while I do pretty much everything (except cook). Recently he has started to attack boxes and soda bottles. Anytime I get out a box or the bottle of soda he will run down my arm and attack it. If I move the item out of his reach he then bites me. Not hard enough to draw blood or even leave a bruse but it's still a good bite. Any ideas why he is doing this?

[BMustee]

:laugh: Because he wants to bite the bottle and you moved it...so he bites the next best thing. You.

[Suzzique]

LOL Burna I know why he is biting me.... Why after almost a year is he suddenly going after the boxes and bottles?:blink: :huh:

[Mistyparrot]

My Misty considers everything I own is his. If it is of interest to me then he has to put his beak in. The more I try to keep a thing from him the more interesting it is for him! Its just the way he is and although it can be a pain at times I would worry more if he lost interest.

 

Steve n Misty

[BaxtersMom]

I'm not sure why he is doing this but I bet its funny to watch:laugh: I would love to see him attacking the boxes and bottles! Maybe he thinks he is old enough and is trying to help you out somehow;)

[Luvparrots]

Sounds like Elmo just wants what you like or what you are using. He probably wonders why his friend won't share!!!:lol:

[BMustee]

He's getting older and thus more pushy about what he wants. Elmo also will do something similar. If I take something away from her she will do a little lunge and head but me...but then says "Stoooop ittttt!" because she knows thats not allowed. When Elmo trys the "intimidation" tactics I do not give her what she wants and point my finger at her with the stink eye...she knows she's pushing her luck at that point and normally chills out. After she has behaved for a few minutes I reward her with what she wanted.

[Dave007]

The 2 items you mention are favorites--plastic bottles, plastic pens, plastic spoons etc. It takes a while for the bird to tune in to plastic but it eventually does as he/she gets a little older.

Boxes on the other hand, can affect a grey in two ways. They will get aggressive with very small boxes but they'll also be terrified by large cardboard boxes and try to avoid them.

 

BMustee summed it up perfectly

"""Because he wants to bite the bottle and you moved it...so he bites the next best thing. You."""

 

Some birds that are on shoulders might also find something very attractive and tempting up there. Jewelry, plastic or metal eyeglasses, ear lobes, clothing, hair and they'll bite those items. So when it comes time to remove the bird from those items, the person doing the removing is the next best choice. Nice soft skin..yummy<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/10/09 04:55

[BMustee]

{Feel-good-0002006E}

 

Ear lobes...the other white meat!

[Suzzique]

I got some good advice from a behaverist on another forum. She says that he is trying to mate bond with me and is praticing protecting me from the interloper. This makes total sense as he is not afraid of anything. So the bite is because I'm helping save the interloper. She also gave some ideas on how to rederect him so that he will stop attacking boxes while on me.

 

 

He has only bit my ear once and that was when he was still really young. I think he was trying to repierce that ear! LOL

{Feel-good-00020069}

 

Yeah I no longer wear ear rings. He only goes for my hair when it's wet (that one is just wierd). Most of the time he doesn't bother my clothes.