Behavior changed, 180 degrees. Aggresive to tame.

[rivers]

We have a green cinnamon cheek conure, Rivers. He didn't allow anyone to touch him and had become somewhat aggressive: he would charge against a hand on his cage and will jump from one side of the cage to the other trying to bite. He had bite my ears, so I avoided him on my shoulders.
After 15 days of being left at a Bird Hotel, he recently flew against a window and got trapped between the glass and the screen.
After this incident....he is another parrot! He became timid, hides in his coconut. He jump now back to my shoulder, but while before he would try to bite my hand if I try to grab him, he now runs away until I put my fingers close to him. He nows steps up very carefully, like asking permission. No more bites. He nibbles my finger. He allow me to pet him in head, back, feathers.... He also did something he had never done before: preen my hair.

Is this normal? The change of behavior is just concerning. It became a different parrot from one day to another.

 

[rivers]

At the Bird Hotel, they had removed a cotton perch because he was regurgitating too much on it. He stopped regurgitating, completely. But the first day back at home he was still the same aggressive bird...but after the window incident, he spent two days in his coconut....He wouldn't move out of it. After the third day, he came out as a completely different tame bird. I kind of miss his more energetic days....should we be concerned about this 180 degree change in behaviour?

 

[Owlet]

I would be concerned. Complete 180s like this typically do not happen. There are rare circumstances when they can but usually theres another cause. I would take him to the vet and have an xray done to rule out any injuries.

I would also remove his coconut and anything else he may have previously regurgitated on. A fair amount of his aggression could have stemmed from hormonal behaviors that having a bed and toys that make him... aroused... would cause. So no beds, if he regurgitates for a toy, remove it, if he mastrubates on a toy, remove it. etc. Leaving these could encourage him to revert to aggressive behaviors.

Now, while he is tame, WORK with him. Engage in training sessions, have him out on you as much as you can, introduce him to as many foods/treats as you can. Work him through any fears he might have (new places, a carrier, new toys, etc). Doing all of this will continue to strengthen the bond and make him less likely to revert to aggressive behavior, especially if his tameness is from an injury.

 

[HeatherG]

Yes, the first thing I thought was, “is he sick?” Any bird that’s being too well behaved might be sick.

I bet getting stuck was scary. If he was stuck for a while, maybe stressful, too.

Geeencheeks are pugnacious little birds. Mine was romantically interested in anything fuzzy. He was less bitey when I took those things away.

 

[wrench13]

Excellent suggestions above! Vet check up and start training with him!

 

[rivers]

Thanks. He is spending a lot of time out of his cage. (we always keep it open). And he is now spending time again on my shoulders and chest (as he used to).