Help Me, I Think I Messed Up... Happy's Not Happy

[Happybird]

Happy seems hormonal. He just seems all around annoyed with life. My once "somewhat" independent, calm Happy bird is now clingy and unhappy with all his toys. I'm sure I made things worse by letting him fly to my bed and hang out with me. He has a blanket that I would wrap around him and he would peek his head out and say "hi". It was cute... then after a few days became a bit aggressive. He would stick his tail in the air (under his blanket) and spin in circles. In retrospect he was probably enjoying this a bit too much. I thought he was just having fun. I am a new bird owner, and I make mistakes all the time, I admit to that. But, now all he wants to do is be on my bed, spinning in circles and biting the blanket. UGH what have I done?

I have tried positive forms of redirecting him to do anything else. New toys...food. everything. If anyone has advice for me I would be grateful. Also, I need help identifying signs of hormonal activity VS just playful activity.

Did I mess up really bad?

 

[Birdman666]

Probably just a breeding season issue. It'll go away as soon as the season is over. You just have to wait it out, and not encourage nesting behaviors until the season is over.

Once they calm down after the season is over, they go back to their "normal" personalities.

I've got a crazed hormonal amazon, and two hormonal clingy macaws at the moment... so... you do get used to it.

Don't over react.

 

[Scott]

I agree with Mark (Birdman) about the breeding/hormone issues. So many of us have ordinarily sweet parrots show their horns. This has been the worst year for some of mine.

Oh, the twirling thing? Several of my Toos love to spin around endlessly! Definitely a favorite of the smaller Toos.

 

[Birdman666]

And if it is just play, but he gets overly excited, they tend to get bitey/nippy, and toos tend to give almost ZERO warning before going from gently playing to blood draw...

Too much dancing can get them all strung out... High Strung, that is.

So, just something to be aware of. If that crest is up, and he's getting himself worked into a state... in some respects it's similar to amazon overload, only without the warning signs....

 

[ToMang07]

And if it is just play, but he gets overly excited, they tend to get bitey/nippy, and toos tend to give almost ZERO warning before going from gently playing to blood draw...

Too much dancing can get them all strung out... High Strung, that is.

So, just something to be aware of. If that crest is up, and he's getting himself worked into a state... in some respects it's similar to amazon overload, only without the warning signs....

Yup...happened to me last night. While playing with Willow, she got over stimulated.....and THWACK! Got me right on the pad of my hand. Ok....cage time-out time. Chilled out now? Welcome back.

 

[plumsmum2005]

Have you tried to get Happy to do trick type games ie picking up items and placing them into something else for praise and a treats?
Watch for the facial feathers if they fluff up/out and with their crest up and take on a square head appearance he will be up for it and full of attitude. I use well known words and requests to sooth mine down but if this fails use a towel to return him to his cage. Mine like yours likes to go on the bed and this also creates heightened levels of excitement/aggression etc. Got bit today when trying to return Plum to his cage after flying up to my bedroom. If it's too much avoid it and develop different play games for a while. Remember they pick up what you are feeling so stay calm.