charge and attack

[dreamin_sqaw]

Earlier I had posted asking about "mood swings" to know what to look for if Sammy "goes in season" so to speak.

I was asking because of him in the past 2 weeks or so becoming very clingy to me and total hating my husband. ( guess I am hoping there was a good excuse for his hatred)

If my husband gets near me, Sammy goes nuts. Well, today got worse!

we were sitting at the table, Sammy is with me on back of my chair. He climbed down my arm to get onto the table. And he just dropped his head like a charging bull and charged across the table to my husband. He pushed him back, he charged right back at him. totally outa the blue.

here I am in the middle! lol its true 1 woman cant have 2 men in the house peacefully. lol

I hope I can get him at least to a tolerating stage with the husband.

Have any of you dealt with this issue?

if so, did it change?

can it change?

they don't have to be best buddies I just don't want to have to worry about a "sneak attack" from Sammy that I don't catch in time to intervene

 

[LoryLover]

I've heard that amazons can become a one person bird. I was reading a book once written by a lady who owned an amazon and the book was all about her life with her bird. She was married, and her amazon at some point took a dislike to her husband. Her bird would get to the top of the frige, and wait for the husband to walk by and then attack. They tried all kinds of things to get the amazon back to being nice to the husband - the best they could do was have the bird able to tolerate him, but never to be a friend to him again.

Now I've never had an amazon myself, so I don't know this from experience.

If Sammy is still young (under a year old), I would try real hard to get Sammy back to liking hubby. Birds will become set in their ways though.

 

[henpecked]

Yes amazon do tend to mate for life, as do many other parrots. They tend to "defend" their mate from all others. The answer is early socialization. Socialize,socialize,socialize. Of course to do this your hubby and others need to interact with him when your not present. Becareful don't to make it a popularity contest where he has to pick going to your hubby or staying with you.Find a favorite treat that he only gets from your hubby's hand when your not around. have your hubby make friends. Have him stand by the cage and don't let the bird think he's driving him away by lunging and striking, don't leave the cage side until he calms down. Remember ,,, when hubby is interacting,, you need to stay away and out of the picture. I have many zons that either like me or my wife best but still will let either one of us handle them in each others presence. This takes time,patience and tons of socialization.

 

[SandyBee]

Ah the charge and attack.
Yes we have been going through it with our DYH Amazon.
We adopted Bosley is September of 2012, he bonded with me quite quickly. At first he was OK with hubby as long as he didn't come to close.
After a few months he started charging hubby just like yours is and also proceeded into flying attacks.

We did what henpecked said above and it really didn't help with Bosley. Hubby started carrying a towel on his shoulder and everytime Bosley rushed him he would simply hold up the towel. Hubby also continued to give him treats but to accomplish this Bosley needed to be in a smaller cage away fom his main one. In his main cage he wouldn't take anything from hubby. We now have Bosley in a small cage with us while we eat dinner and hubby gives him things in there. I often do leave the room now, at first I couldn't because Bosley would not take anything when I did.

Now this has all taken some time, but Bosley no longer flies at hubby or attacks him, he also will walk over to hubby and climb onto his leg. hubby is still not allowed to touch him yet but it is getting closer.

It takes persistence and your hubby has to show that he will not be driven away or intimidates.At the same time he has to show that he is willing to make friends.

Good Luck

 

[Motogordo]

Unfortunately parrots usually pick one favorite person. It doesn't matter who cleans it's cage or who feeds him. I have had that happen in the past with a Cockatoo. When they get angry, RUN FOR THE HILLS.
I have 3 amazons and the last one I purchased is the best. His name is Scooby and he is a chocolate bluefront amazon. He is the only one who can sit on me and plant himself right next to my face and NEVER bite or make a POOP on me. LOL. The other 2 are female and if they get close to each other feathers will fly. Once one of them landed on the top of the other ones cage and screaming and yelling started. I put my arm in between them so they wouldn't hurt each other. Instead, the one on top bit ME. I knew that was coming. I took it like a man and said OUCH. My birds will go to someone else ONLY if I pick them up first and then give them to the other person. Amazons definitely protect their master and won't let many people near me. Oh well. That's life in the Amazon.

 

[Motogordo]

Would this face make you scared ?

 

[dreamin_sqaw]

yes it would! lol but it is so adorable

 

[MomtoPercy]

Ah yes, the 'one bird phenomenon'. It is certainly the case with my dear (evil ) Percy! He adores my son and goes all googoo-eyed and soft with him. Me, he mostly just tolerates. And it is true - it doesn't matter one bit who 'does it all' for the bird (in this case, me), they don't care. They pick their fave and that is it.

That said - things CAN improve but it takes LOTS of work. I've had good success with Percy but that still doesn't mean I can have him step up or touh him willy nilly. He will very swiftly let me know that it is not allowed LOL!

My best advice - time time time and lots of non-violent interaction. Several people here told me 'don't get into a situation where you will get bitten' and THAT has been the key.