I need help deciphering albie's behaviour.

[Stitchthestitch]

To start. Albie seems to love me and hubby equally and will happily fly to either of us and beg for head scritches and is not afraid of hands.

Recently, like the last week or 2, albie has been trying to attack hubby's hands only when he's at his pc. He doesn't do it any other time. He crouches low, beak open, fluffed up, tail spread and. Wings are slightly open and he lunges and chases after hubby's hands.

Any advice on how to deal with this? Currently I'm having to remove him and put him in time out cuz hubby will get bitten.

 

[Jen5200]

I have two that absolutely hate my little tiny Apple TV remote (only when my hand is holding it, not when it is sitting by itself). Is it when hubby is holding the mouse by any chance, or when he’s typing on the keyboard? I haven’t found a solution for it personally - I just am aware that it will happen when I pick up the remote so I try to do it inconspicuously or when they are occupied with other things. I’ve wondered if they are jealous of the remote because it is held in my hand - because it seems pretty unworthy of concern if it’s laying on the table by itself? You may be able to do some conditioning once you figure out what the specific “thing” is that is making him upset - like occupying him with something super fun immediately before the activity happens or distracting him with a treat a second or two before he “pounces”. I’d be curious to hear what happens and if you make progress on it!

 

[Stitchthestitch]

Thank you! I did ask on a fb conure group about this too and they seem pretty must instant on "time out in his cage" which to be honest I really don't want to go down that route because I want albie to see his cage as his safe place, not some where he's put for showing natural (albeit undesirable) behavior.

We are definetly going to try the distract and treat method and try and associate hubby +mouse =tasty treats.

 

[fiddlejen]

Albie wants hubby to share his amazing toy (aka keyboard) with Albie?

Sun personality I think is a bit different the GCC but that's my Sunny with me. My Phone, my computer Keyboard. I can set 3 keyboards next to each other and she only wants to play with (ie, try to remove keys from) the one I'm using. She wants to play with it - Only the one I'm using -- and, my hands are In Her Way. Now she is a little nicer than a GCC might be and merely makes spitting-n-biting noises at my in-her-way hands.

If I pretend to use another keyboard - she knows its a pretense and ignores it. If I really just use a second keyboard - well she goes ove there and gets mad at my hand for getting in the way of her ripping up Her Toy.

I try to keep handy a small book which she likes to destroy, as a distraction. Usually works, but not always.

I absolutely agree with doN't try to time-out him for this behavior. It Is completely natural. In my budgies' cage I have two of almost everything. If Jefferson does something, for example eating from a dish or playing with a toy, Calliope will notice and follow him & shove in & push him away. Jefferson -smart guy- will then leave her and go to the other dish or toy etc. So this is absolutely 100% natural birdie behaviour which should not be punished, but pre-diverted instead.

 

[LaManuka]

Thank you! I did ask on a fb conure group about this too and they seem pretty must instant on "time out in his cage" which to be honest I really don't want to go down that route because I want albie to see his cage as his safe place, not some where he's put for showing natural (albeit undesirable) behavior.

Further proof (as if any more was needed!) that PF is vastly superior to Fb!

Virtually every bird I've ever had has exhibited that classic "toddler" type behaviour of demanding to know WHO THE HECK IS THAT ON THE PHONE YOU'RE TALKING TO INSTEAD OF ME or OOOH WHAT'S THAT NEW TOY (phone, remote control etc etc) YOU'RE PLAYING WITH ... GIMME GIMME GIMME!!! The illustration below may help ...

It's always fun when my hubby, who is a policeman, is having a very serious conversation with one of his bosses on the phone and Lilly zooms over and screams in both their ears. Well at least I think it is

 

[Cagzo]

Connie's the same,has a fascination with tablet or phone,but wants them destroyed,bites hard on the outer protection. Thankfully not fingers!
If we play her Whistling Jack Smith on either,shes fine,and has a little dance!

 

[T00tsyd]

Perhaps I am an odd one out here but I have taught Syd 2 words from very early on. One is OFF the other is NO. Off is as much for his safety as anything. I say it quite sternly and over time he has learned that it is a no go area. On hearing it he stops and gives that cocked head steady gaze almost as if he is wondering if I mean it. I repeat and he walks away. Having said that he will keep watching for me to be distracted so he can wander back for a while. No is similar but relates to behaviour as much as anything. Again I get a similar response but if I am feeling really put out I put him away somewhere so he has time to think about it before he wanders back happily for kisses. It has taken time and consistency. He completely chewed a tablet cover and has tried to destroy a PC mouse but he has calmed down a lot. Often now he will look at me before he tries something and understands if I tell him OK good boy, that he is ok to carry on. I guess I treat him like a toddler who is still learning his manners.

 

[fiddlejen]

Perhaps I am an odd one out here but I have taught Syd 2 words from very early on. One is OFF the other is NO. Off is as much for his safety as anything. I say it quite sternly and over time he has learned that it is a no go area. On hearing it he stops and gives that cocked head steady gaze almost as if he is wondering if I mean it. I repeat and he walks away. Having said that he will keep watching for me to be distracted so he can wander back for a while. No is similar but relates to behaviour as much as anything. Again I get a similar response but if I am feeling really put out I put him away somewhere so he has time to think about it before he wanders back happily for kisses. It has taken time and consistency. He completely chewed a tablet cover and has tried to destroy a PC mouse but he has calmed down a lot. Often now he will look at me before he tries something and understands if I tell him OK good boy, that he is ok to carry on. I guess I treat him like a toddler who is still learning his manners.

This seems like a great way to proceed. Much better than doing time-outs for a Specific item-of-fascination -- which can be just confusing to a bird -- but rather teaching gently, via consistency & repetition, commands of "Off" and "No." Birdies are indeed like smart children so this is good. I will try to begin working these ideas into Sunny's interactions too.

 

[Caitnah]

My Pineapple does the same thing with WHATEVER I have. Remember the parrot creed...” if it’s mine, it’s mine. If it’s yours, it’s mine...”
Buddy has a very elaborate playground outside his cage. But what does he play with? Whatever is in MY hand. Remote, tablet, laptop, it all belongs to him.

My tv remote resides on the arm of my chair. He will constantly come over and check it out. If I get my fingers anywhere near him then, I will receive a fluff warning and then a bite.
When on the phone, he constantly calls out to me.

 

[T00tsyd]

Perhaps I am an odd one out here but I have taught Syd 2 words from very early on. One is OFF the other is NO. Off is as much for his safety as anything. I say it quite sternly and over time he has learned that it is a no go area. On hearing it he stops and gives that cocked head steady gaze almost as if he is wondering if I mean it. I repeat and he walks away. Having said that he will keep watching for me to be distracted so he can wander back for a while. No is similar but relates to behaviour as much as anything. Again I get a similar response but if I am feeling really put out I put him away somewhere so he has time to think about it before he wanders back happily for kisses. It has taken time and consistency. He completely chewed a tablet cover and has tried to destroy a PC mouse but he has calmed down a lot. Often now he will look at me before he tries something and understands if I tell him OK good boy, that he is ok to carry on. I guess I treat him like a toddler who is still learning his manners.

This seems like a great way to proceed. Much better than doing time-outs for a Specific item-of-fascination -- which can be just confusing to a bird -- but rather teaching gently, via consistency & repetition, commands of "Off" and "No." Birdies are indeed like smart children so this is good. I will try to begin working these ideas into Sunny's interactions too.

To be honest Syd is my first bird after a lifetime of training dogs and I used to always have those two words for them for the same reasons so it was a bit automatic. It took a lot longer for Syd to understand of course and I would never assume that he would always fall into line unlike most of my dogs, but bless him he knows exactly what I mean. I do find it extraordinary that he is so in tune with a human. I had expected him to be a much freer spirit but although completely different in so many ways he really does want to please most of the time. I get cross with him occasionally in the gentlest way but not for long. He just suddenly does something so cute or crazy I end up laughing and I'll swear he knows exactly what he's doing. I sometimes wonder if he was in a circus in a past life. :53: