Aggressive Yet Jealous?

[banamber]

I've noticed that our Red-Lored Amazon acts very aggressively when my friend is near her cage. She used to be quite friendly with him, then a year or two ago, she just stopped being friendly and became aggressive towards him.

But what I find strange is that when he is talking to or petting one of our other birds, she then shows what seems like jealous behavior. She'll pin herself right up against the bars and start being as loud as possible to attract attention. Sometimes she shows jealousy when I interact with the other birds, but it's just instant with my friend.

And then when he gets near her cage, she'll continue with the loud vocalizations but run around her cage, dashing and lunging towards him.

Why did she just flip like a light switch and what can he do?

 

[SailBoat]

Okay, a couple of questions:
How older is she?
How long have you had her?
Was your friend around before she came?
What is you current relationship with her?
Has it changed over the last eighteen months?
Has your relationship with this friend changed over the pass eighteen months?

Amazon don't normally just switch off a relationship, unless that relationship has been a bit rocky -or- the Amazon found someone that's a better fit.

The process of Socializing an Amazon is an on-going activity. Has this friend been part of your socializing your RLA?

Assure that you are reading your Amazon correctly, take a long look /read of the Understanding Body Language near the top of the Amazons Forum.

A couple of basics:

Only Good Things Happen when your friend is around the Amazons.

It is NEVER the fault of the Amazon! It is ALWAYS the fault of the Human. Always work from this position and you will more quickly find what the Human is doing wrong and by correcting that the issues will go away.

 

[banamber]

-She's 27 years old.
-I've had her since she was weened off hand feeding.
-He was around before I got her.
-She is very friendly towards me. Never shows any aggression.
-Relationship has never changed, aside from a couple of times when she thought of me as mate.
-Relationship with my friend has not changed.

Hell, he even takes her to vet for me for her regular nail and beak trimmings. And that's actually the strange part. When he takes her to the vet, she shows no aggression, and he can pet her without without issue.

 

[SailBoat]

I do not want you to think that I had forgotten your Thread. I have been pondering my response based on the additional information you had provided.

In general, have you or do you activity work at Socializing your Amazons? Example: Passing the Amazon between family (household members) i.e. The game is called Pass the Amazon? Placing the Amazon on near anyone that comes to the home? Etc? This question is targeted more at the comfort level your Amazon generally has around other people.

If you could address this question, it would be helpful. Thank-you!

 

[SailBoat]

Well, I guess time has gotten in your way, or not getting a specific button to push to make it all better didn't happen in the needed time frame. For that I am sorry, life happens on both sides of this process.

I am guessing that Socializing, it's not an on-going activity. With Amazons, it really needs to be a standard part of their life and something that they look forward too when some one new comes into the home. And, just a standard part of 'family interaction.'

The most likely problem that has effected this change was her attempt to bond more closely with you. Without active Socialization, the attempt is seen as much stronger. Kind of like in her mind that the pecking order in your home is: You're first, she is a very close second and everyone else is several steps below.

That type of relationship is not that uncommon in most Amazon homes. But, the gap between second and third place is not as huge as you are seeing. Socializing again plays in as part of this process with you placing your 'friend' in control of much more of your Amazon's 'Good things happens and are near always provided by your 'friend.'' Access to you is provided by your 'friend' as a clear example of increasing a want to be nicer to your 'friend' than is currently happening.

Hope, you stop by again and that this addresses some of the problem you are facing. The basics as provided in my first Post are the foundation of a strong relationship with an Amazon!


FYI: Amazon's are big believers in 'Love The One You're With!' That will explain why your Amazon will enjoy your 'friend' when you are not around and even more so, when not at home!