Fake attacks??

[Greenwing]

Well wondering what you guys might recommend..Lucy my new rescue(2 weeks ago) has this strange behavior.. Which I really can't figure out how to best address..

Every time I reach in to pick her up.. I say step up she lifts her feet then attacks my hand squawking like she is getting killed..She doesn't bite down but she does mouth my fingers then after about 4-5 seconds of this show she lifts her other leg on to my hand and she is good to go...she does this everywhere every time I offer my hand to step up..

Thought , opinions??

Thank you

 

[ParkersMom]

Keiko has a similar response...we got her about 3 months ago...she doesn't squawk, but she does lunge and mouth my arm, hand, or fingers...it was pretty bad when we first brought her home but it has gotten much better...I just figure it is one of her many quirks...she also will bite her foot when she gets nervous...I'd say that as long as she isn't hurting you just wait it out and see if she calms down...good luck

 

[Pinkbirdy]

I wish I had a logical answer to this (Im sure someone does ) Harlow did something like this to Dave until he won her over.

 

[WharfRat]

Miri is kinda like that, she leans on her side, grabs my finger with a claw then proceeds to gnaw on a finger, all play to me

 

[WannaBeAParrot]

Sounds like Lucy is giving you a piece of her mind ahead of time to let you know you better be taking her somehwere she'll like when you woosh her away on your finger.

 

[Greenwing]

I know it's not playing... I know it's not fear.. As when I walk into the room she comes to the door of the cage... Sometimes lifts her leg before I say anything..but as soon as one foot touches my hand she attacks... Growling and squawking ... (When she does this I don't move or react in anyway... ) After she is done she steps up and says "Hello".... This display isn't really a problem to me but it does intimidate my wife..

Would like to hear what you guys think would be a good way to correct this behavior..

 

[JerseyWendy]

Lucy is still settling in if she's only been with you for 2 weeks. No reason to worry. Everything is new to her, and it will take some time for her to feel 100% safe and comfortable.

Once she does, you should expect more "unexpected" behavior, as she WILL test you (and your wife).

If she senses now that your wife is intimidated by her, she's won that round, unfortunately. I understand that the beak IS quite intimidating and can do quite some damage, however, you must have a good amount of self confidence when handling these large, lovable red giants.

If you don't think her current squawking is a game when you ask her to step up, what do YOU think she's doing? It sounds like either a game to me OR she's testing you, nothing more.

 

[MeganMango]

Mango started doing this, except he would bite down and go to town... hard. We tried not moving, but he would literally chew us. I start rolling my finger forward so he would lose his balance and and stop chewing. The distraction was enough to dispel it, and he just quit doing it on his own after a couple of days.

 

[Helpthisgrey]

My only guess is that she is bluffing/testing you, but I heard macaws only do that once they start maturing? is that true?:red:

 

[JerseyWendy]

My only guess is that she is bluffing/testing you, but I heard macaws only do that once they start maturing? is that true?:red:

Unfortunately no. Macaws are said to have the mentality of a 3 year old child, which I find to be quite true. They WILL test you, regardless of age. Some of them even go through their terrible twos - NO joke. My B&G turned 3 in January....but someone forgot to tell him that he's supposed to snap out of his moods now. :54:

 

[Greenwing]

I know she is still settling in and doing great not one plucked feather since I took her in...

Previous owner refused to handle her.. as when I was there she asked her to step up and she went after her hand.. she quickly withdrew it and closed the cage and stated "see she is mean"..I believe she has gotten use to this behavior and the response it use to trigger and just does it automatically..

She does what she is supposed to do when I say step up.... So what I'm trying to figure out is a way to stop the fake attacks without disrupting her correct step up response...

 

[JerseyWendy]

She does what she is supposed to do when I say step up.... So what I'm trying to figure out is a way to stop the fake attacks without disrupting her correct step up response...

You sound like you "may" be getting a bit impatient. Please don't. You are in NO battle with your new baby, it's an adventure.

If the previous owner regularly pulled away when she showed "possible" aggression, then she's learned she can get away with it, that's all.

Believe me, if she wanted to truly hurt you, she would. She is TESTING you/playing her game that she knows how to win.

You could try and hold a treat in one hand (something she really likes), and then hold that treat high enough so that her head is pointing upwards instead of her concentrating on your other hand/arm where you want her to step up on. But this is merely a suggestion, and it may not work. It may also not stop her in the long run. EXPECT to be tagged at one point, whether it will only be a pinch or something harder.

 

[Greenwing]

I'm not growing impatient.. She has the rest of her life to get it right. I'm in no hurry..
I have been lucky 4 macaws , 2 amazons and one CAG..and the only bird to ever draw blood was my other rescue the GW Charlie..snapped a thumb nail right off a few weeks ago..

I guess I will just keep doing what I'm doing and hopefully she will stop..

Thanks for the suggestions everyone..