My indian ringneck lets me pat him, but then just threatens me

[Bell]

Hi, first time Iv had an Indian ringneck as a pet, I have hand raised him, he is about 9 months old now, he flies to me,, kisses, squeaks and reacts to my voice, comes to my hand lets me pat him but all of a sudden he will just growl, and then start squeaking asking for a pat again. Its so frustrating because while I'm patting him I'm ready to move my hand away any minute cause I know his going to 'act' like he is going to bite me. He has never really bitten me to hurt me, but he makes me so paranoid!! He is all loving but then just turns evil, what can I do??

He also does this thing were he roughly 'wipes' and rubs his beak on me, What could that mean?

Thank you

 

[Bell]

Hi, first time Iv had an Indian ringneck as a pet, I have hand raised him, he is about 9 months old now, he flies to me,, kisses, squeaks and reacts to my voice, comes to my hand lets me pat him but all of a sudden he will just growl, and then start squeaking asking for a pat again. Its so frustrating because while I'm patting him I'm ready to move my hand away any minute cause I know his going to 'act' like he is going to bite me. He has never really bitten me to hurt me, but he makes me so paranoid!! He is all loving but then just turns evil, what can I do??

He also does this thing were he roughly 'wipes' and rubs his beak on me, What could that mean?

Thank you

 

[Cottonoid]

He's so cute!!

To me (although I've never had a baby ringneck) his behavior sounds normal for his age. "Bluffing" is very common in IRN and it sounds like that might be what he's doing as part of his normal play with you.

I can't look up links at the moment but I think the big thing if that is what he's doing is to not react when he starts acting like he'd bite.

 

[ctwo]

Mine will stand there facing me with his head slightly bowed, and he will repeat Ahhuh, which is asking for pets. Mine kind of likes it just behind his head, upper neck, and with the grain. Then when I'm petting him he'd start with cluck, cluck, cluck going faster until he'd snap his head around and try to nip my fingers. Same, usually not a bite bite but a nip that sometimes catches the sharp end of the beak and makes blood.

I got better reactions and started anticipating so I'd stop early. That was after more than two years with my then 5+ year-old IRN.

I think I need a sign over his cage that says, "Days since last bite:" and a pack of tear-off numbers below that. Oh my, it looks like we're up to 120 days now.

 

[Bell]

He's so cute!!

To me (although I've never had a baby ringneck) his behavior sounds normal for his age. "Bluffing" is very common in IRN and it sounds like that might be what he's doing as part of his normal play with you.

I can't look up links at the moment but I think the big thing if that is what he's doing is to not react when he starts acting like he'd bite.

Thanks for your reply, I kind of do feel like Neo's turned it into game, because I do quickly move my hand away, I will try to ignore it

 

[Bell]

Mine will stand there facing me with his head slightly bowed, and he will repeat Ahhuh, which is asking for pets. Mine kind of likes it just behind his head, upper neck, and with the grain. Then when I'm petting him he'd start with cluck, cluck, cluck going faster until he'd snap his head around and try to nip my fingers. Same, usually not a bite bite but a nip that sometimes catches the sharp end of the beak and makes blood.

I got better reactions and started anticipating so I'd stop early. That was after more than two years with my then 5+ year-old IRN.

I think I need a sign over his cage that says, "Days since last bite:" and a pack of tear-off numbers below that. Oh my, it looks like we're up to 120 days now.

Sounds exactly like Neo thanks for your advice, I guess patience really is the key. Im going to try ignoring the behaviour, I can tell when he is about to snap so I'll also try moving my hand early without giving him the opportunity to do it in the first place

 

[Cottonoid]

I love your profile picture!!!

 

[skunkmonkey]

That's a beautiful bird! I agree, it sounds like bluffing. All RN's will do this at least once, usually several times as they grow up into adulthood. It's common for it to last 3-6 months or longer.
My Rio was an unholy terror from hatching until 3yrs old, and then she turned into the worlds most perfect parrot, she's now very docile and friendly. She never bluffs anymore, and she loves to play with us instead of demanding to play on her own.

 

[Cottonoid]

I am super glad you both have joined this forum and I hope you'll provide me with lots of ringneck stories to give me hope I'll someday convince Cotton I'm not a scary monster, haha

 

[clark_conure]

my parrot guy says they take like 8 months to bond......but then when they do.......

I'd just give it more time.

 

[MissMac]

Hi, first time Iv had an Indian ringneck as a pet, I have hand raised him, he is about 9 months old now, he flies to me,, kisses, squeaks and reacts to my voice, comes to my hand lets me pat him but all of a sudden he will just growl, and then start squeaking asking for a pat again. Its so frustrating because while I'm patting him I'm ready to move my hand away any minute cause I know his going to 'act' like he is going to bite me. He has never really bitten me to hurt me, but he makes me so paranoid!! He is all loving but then just turns evil, what can I do??

He also does this thing were he roughly 'wipes' and rubs his beak on me, What could that mean?

Thank you

Yeah they can be the bitch of the bird world. I thought it was just a female IRN thing but clearly not. I raised Missy myself so I understand her moves better but she doesn't bite to hurt, just to warn me. Gracie was raised by the breeder and even tho they are the same age, they are so totally different in nature. Gracie, and they are both now a year old, is still wary of me but she will step up, when she feels like it, and will come to me and sit on my shoulder, press her beak against my head and that means pat me. She will sit there for what feels like hours letting me pat her, but when SHE wants, she will nip me, and it hurts, to say enough... rather than just walk off, she has to nip me.... Missy, nope, she has things to do... busy busy busy, not playing, nOOOO but going backwards and forwards from one end of their play gym complex to the other... running - even tho she can fly.