Attacks when I take my glasses off

[mica21493]

So I experimented twice because I like to wear contacts sometimes and thought the first time was a fluke. Little Bird, my recently adopted 10-12 year old goffins cockatoo, attacks me terribly (jumping at me, biting to draw blood) if I am not wearing my glasses. Does anyone else have this problem or has even heard of it? What can be done? What if I get new glasses?!

 

[Rozalka]

I don't have any problems with taking glasses off but my conure attacks when somebody who usually doesn't wear glasses put them on

 

[NandyNando]

This reminds me of one of our birds at the rescue, albeit a completely opposite direction. Britt is a Moluccan Cockatoo who likes glasses a little TOO much (see what I did there?) and tries to attack people who wear them. My best advice I can give is try to desensitize Little Bird to your glasses-less face. Take them off and put them back on, offer a treat. "See, it's still me! Look I got a treat for you!" Slowly increase the amount of time you have the glasses off your face. Worth a shot I'd say.

 

[saxguy64]

Excellent idea above. Some birds don't generalize as well as others, so as far as Little Bird knows, without the glasses, you're a different person. Some will catch on quickly if they see you take them off in front of them. "See, it's just me... I'm taking them off... Still me... I'm putting them on... Still me..." Repeat as needed. Some might need a slower process like sliding them down your nose, like halfway off, talking to them all the while, as above. Repeat, repeat, repeat... Then up the game by taking them all the way off, repeat, etc. until they fully grasp that it's still you.

I hope Little Bird catches on!

 

[mica21493]

Thank you all for the wonderful advice! I will definitely be trying the gradual glasses removal and treating. I hope she catches on too. Fingers crossed.