Controller issues

[Coppertopging]

Hello! I've joined this forum because my boyfriend has a Green-cheeked conure that I've really bonded with. She usually listens to me well enough (not as well as her dad, but I expect that as a step-mom lol), and I've helped her trust hands a little more than my boyfriend had before I came along. However, we've recently had a major issue that when she is out, I cannot handle any kind of controller or remote without her losing all cute and calm attitude that she usually has. When I grab one, she will bite me so hard I bleed or bite pieces of buttons or thumbsticks off.

The most recent incident involved me picking up a switch pro controller and quickly tossing it away to get her to stop attacking (this usually works and she goes back to being sweet and cuddly) This time, she flew after it and bit chunks off of it before I could get her away from it. I had to cover her with a hand towel and pick her up still covered because she kept biting me when I reached for her and I was afraid she would swallow a piece of plastic and choke on it. Thankfully she calmed down and I was able to put her in her cage so I could make sure she was okay and clean up the mess.

If she did this with my boyfriend, I would think it has to do with the controllers and remotes, but she let's my boyfriend handle these objects without issue. He tells me that she's trying to "protect me from the danger" but I still don't understand why it's only like this with me. I'd like to be able to have her out and game at the same time sometimes, or at least be able to change movies/shows/channels without taking on bird battle scars. Is there something that I could do to discourage this behavior or get her to stop? I just don't know what else to do at this point.

 

[Emeral]

I am trying to understand why she does what she does by asking some questions....

When she is out from her cage, who does she fly to more? Who is her favorite person?

Does she fly over your head? Or stand on your head? This is a dominant display. If she does, remove her by using a stick and say step up.

Does she perch on your shoulder? This is a privilege space for good behavior bird only. Both of you must together stop allowing her on your shoulder, say NO, to her when she show aggressive behaviour.
The message must be consistent.
For instance, if you are bit and your partner laugh, the bird might think it is a desirable behavior.

It looks like she need to be trained simple commands to understand what is acceptable and what is not.

Basic Good Behavior for Birds - Cascade Kennels

Read this informative article from The Center for Bird and Exotic Medicine to learn more about basic parrot commands including step up, stay and go home.

www.cascadekennels.com

The articles below explains interesting information on aggression and possessiveness.

How to Stop Aggressive Behavior in Pet Birds

Pet birds may become aggressive, but you can overcome it. Learn how to use positive reinforcement and other nonaversive techniques in your training.

www.thesprucepets.com

Why Is My Parrot Getting So Aggressive? (Lunging + Attacking)

Your parrot may have once been calm and mild-mannered. Inexplicably, it turns aggressive. It starts hissing, lunging, biting, or attacking certain people at certain times, seemingly for no reason. Some […]

www.allaboutparrots.com

 

[Coppertopging]

Hi Emeral!
My boyfriend has trained her in all of these ways. She definitely understands no and stop when they are spoken to her because she does stop and look at us in acknowledgement. It's a bit hard to say who her favorite person is because I'm only over on the weekends and she tends to fly to me more than him when I'm there. He says it's because she sees him all the time and she misses me. She does try to land or perch on my head, but I have a sensitive scalp and always remove her right away and place her on my shoulder, lap, or one of her bird approved areas. When I am there (no idea about when I'm not) We're both very consistent on how we react to her aggression, which is removing her from the person she's on, placing her on one of her bird approved areas, letting her have a moment to calm down/pout and then we'll either bring her back to one of us or put her away to her cage if it was too aggressive or immediately repeats aggression after her timeout. She will perch on our shoulders mostly if we are doing stuff with her out (like the dishes or folding laundry or whatver) or she will perch on his shoulder while he's gaming because he's allowed to touch controllers (she doesn't like headsets on either of us so she stays in her cage when we online game).

The commands she understands are step up, no, no bite, go to your cage, come here, stop (this is one that I use more for specific behavior like when she nips at my jewelry). She also has tricks that she does such as turning around, showing her wings, and hanging upside down. We're currently working on directed flying (to her perches, to her cage, specific people). I've also recently worked on getting her to stay with my boyfriend when I leave the room instead of flying after me when I have to do something that I don't want her near (taking dinner out of the oven, following to the bathroom, etc). She's about eight years old and I've been around for 4 years now and this is controller thing is just recent behavior that she started showing towards me specifically.

 

[Flboy]

Hi! What you are talking about sounds similar to what my daughter and I went through with JoJo in the beginning! My daughter could pick JoJo up walk around with him on her shoulder, almost anything that I could do! Except! When Jojo was on the counter with his play stand if my daughter tried to touch anything on the counter JoJo would go after her acting like she had no permission to touch anything. My daughter’s solution? She would move back just a little bit, and wag her finger at JoJo making sounds like he makes when he is annoyed! After a couple more times of him trying to prove his control and my daughter repeating her stand, he would then climb back up on his stand and act like nothing ever happened!
It really was quite funny for me to watch!

 

[Coppertopging]

I have tried to snap my fingers to mimic her clicking noise she makes with her beak when she's annoyed but that only seems to make her think it's a game? However today, I held a treat and told her to stay on her perch when I reached for the controller. When she stayed, I gave her the treat and praised her. I'm not sure how this will work going forward, but I was at least able to touch the controller this time. I will keep you guys updated on my progress.