I was hoping to get some advice on how to deal with some escalating bad behavior with a Timneh Gray that I petsit for.
I petsit for a family that has a number of animals including 3 parrots (an amazon, an Eclectus, and a Timneh Grey) and a variety of song birds. The three parrots from my understanding come from somewhat rough backgrounds, and lived in an aviary for a while. They have, however, been with this family for quite some years now and are settled into their home.
When I first started taking care of them, all the birds were a little upset with me being there instead of their person. The Amazon would get some "cage rage" when I walked by, and the Eclectus screamed "NO" at me the first day I was there (one of my most amusing bird moments, actually). However, through changing some of what I did, they both have come to at least accept me. I can't (and wouldn't try to unless they were injured) handle them, but I can go in and out of their cages safely and have short conversations with them now.
The Gray however has always been a little more aggressive and my understanding is he can be like that even with family. The birds all get a peanut before I enter their cages as a way to keep them occupied while I swap out food and put fresh water in. Around the second time I was caring for them the Gray decided that he would rush to finish his peanut, so that he would get a second one after I exited the room to refill his water. In an attempt to curtail that behavior I just switch my habits - I had all his food and a fresh water dish ready to go so that he got his peanut and everything was changed during one entry to his cage.
Unfortunately, over time he's becoming more aggressive. It started with him attacking the latches as I close the doors. Last time I cared for him he went after my arms once or twice, and today as I went to feed him a peanut he grabbed at my hands instead of the nut the first time I reached it up for him.
His owners *do* have welding gloves in the bird room in case they're necessary, but bringing them out riles up all the birds which I'd rather avoid. I have had to use them once or twice, but it's a situation I'd like to remedy instead of escalate. I know birds can sometimes be "picky" about their people, but I'd like to at least attempt to create a working relationship with him so that we're both safe.
Does anyone have any experience with something similar? I don't take care of him all the time, just a few days every other month or so. I will fully admit that while I am happy to take care of birds for people, I am not particularly savvy in their behavior so I am fully open to the idea that I could be causing this to get worse too. Any suggestions for short term building up a better relationship? Or anything I could be doing wrong that could be precipitating the behavior? Thanks in advance!
I petsit for a family that has a number of animals including 3 parrots (an amazon, an Eclectus, and a Timneh Grey) and a variety of song birds. The three parrots from my understanding come from somewhat rough backgrounds, and lived in an aviary for a while. They have, however, been with this family for quite some years now and are settled into their home.
When I first started taking care of them, all the birds were a little upset with me being there instead of their person. The Amazon would get some "cage rage" when I walked by, and the Eclectus screamed "NO" at me the first day I was there (one of my most amusing bird moments, actually). However, through changing some of what I did, they both have come to at least accept me. I can't (and wouldn't try to unless they were injured) handle them, but I can go in and out of their cages safely and have short conversations with them now.
The Gray however has always been a little more aggressive and my understanding is he can be like that even with family. The birds all get a peanut before I enter their cages as a way to keep them occupied while I swap out food and put fresh water in. Around the second time I was caring for them the Gray decided that he would rush to finish his peanut, so that he would get a second one after I exited the room to refill his water. In an attempt to curtail that behavior I just switch my habits - I had all his food and a fresh water dish ready to go so that he got his peanut and everything was changed during one entry to his cage.
Unfortunately, over time he's becoming more aggressive. It started with him attacking the latches as I close the doors. Last time I cared for him he went after my arms once or twice, and today as I went to feed him a peanut he grabbed at my hands instead of the nut the first time I reached it up for him.
His owners *do* have welding gloves in the bird room in case they're necessary, but bringing them out riles up all the birds which I'd rather avoid. I have had to use them once or twice, but it's a situation I'd like to remedy instead of escalate. I know birds can sometimes be "picky" about their people, but I'd like to at least attempt to create a working relationship with him so that we're both safe.
Does anyone have any experience with something similar? I don't take care of him all the time, just a few days every other month or so. I will fully admit that while I am happy to take care of birds for people, I am not particularly savvy in their behavior so I am fully open to the idea that I could be causing this to get worse too. Any suggestions for short term building up a better relationship? Or anything I could be doing wrong that could be precipitating the behavior? Thanks in advance!
Last edited:
