Gollum F Senegal 2y4m Biting

[Newbsi]

It has been a while since I have been on. Gollum and Dobby are doing great. I have a questions about new behaviors in my Senegal.

I will try and make this short.
I have had Gollum since she was 3 months old.
I am her preferred human.
She was clipped when I got her. When her flight feathers grew back last summer when she was a year old, I was just going to keep her flighted but she kept swooping and scratching my 9 year old daughter. So, I had her wings clipped by her breeder and she stopped acting aggressive.
Prior to this week she has only bit me twice. First on the ear the first night I had her (it was after bed time). Another time was when I played chicken with her (never EVER play chicken with a bird... you will lose every time). What I mean is she was warning me she did not want to step up by opening her mouth and leaning forward and I ignored her and slowly moved my finger towards her as she slowly leaned towards it with her mouth open ready to bite. When my finger got close enough she put her beak on it and slowly started to squeeze... SLOWLY (all the time looking at me waiting for my reaction) and I let her do it until it hurt. That was completely my fault lol.
Anyhow this week she bit my ear. She was only shoulder and I was working on something and she struck my ear like a snake. Fast and hard and flew away. It broke the skin on both sides and bled. I was sore for DAYS!! It is still sore to move my ear. Now, I had a red headband on and my hair in a ponytail and I thought MAYBE she saw the red headband and thought something was on me but missed and got my ear (I know, I am rationalizing).
However today (finally to my question) she bit me but she stepped up first. She stepped up on my finger and then struck. Hard, broke the skin. Her flight feathers have grown back but she has been flighted for a couple months now and no problems. Starting yesterday she started the swooping over peoples heads. When she stepped up this morning it was right after she swooped over our dogs head (2 pound chihuahua) and landed on the floor. I asked her to step up and she did without hesitation... then bit me.

I know with her being 2 years 4 months she could be going through her birdy puberty. Could this be related to being flighted? I think I am going to have her clipped again. I enjoy having them flighted ( I am sure they do too lol).

 

[itzjbean]

Hello, I'm not an expert on Senegals but can offer my advice as this is not unheard of in other species.

Yes this sounds like a mix of your bird hitting puberty, hormones, and she thinks she has the run of the house. Since she is swooping and dive-bombing people including your daughter and dog, it would be wise to get her another clip to keep the dive-bombing to a minimum and so you can address this behavior with your family safe.

When birds do this, some people feel the need to give 'time-outs', as in putting the bird back in their cage and walking away from them to give them that time alone for them to calm down. Most birds hate being left alone. It would also be helpful to set up a small 'time-out' cage on the FLOOR. Birds like being up high, so placing her 'time-out' cage on the floor and making her sit in it will hopefully help to curb this behavior also -- remember you are the boss and you are the one that is higher and the provider.

 

[Newbsi]

That's a good idea! Thanks

 

[LordTriggs]

being that she's used to being clipped I would continue it, she clearly gains a bit too much confidence when she knows she can fly off

Of course hormones are always a possibility with this but she would dive bomb before so it strikes me that may just be an icing on the cake so to speak.