My Parrot Thinks We Are Mates

[Hannah.]

My BFA thinks we are mates and I don't know how to get her to stop thinking that. We have had her for three years and before that she was with my grandparents. I think she understood that they were mates and saw them as 'older birds' but with me she thinks we are mates. She displays mating behavior such as regurgitating food, trying to preen me, attacking family members (potential rivalries for my attention), etc. I try to ignore it when she does these behaviors. She also squawks everytime I leave the room. I'm not sure what to do.

 

[SailBoat]

Well she could hate you! I assure you that would not be fun!

Read with understanding: Understanding Amazon Body Language found at the top of the Amazon sub-forum.

You have not socialized your Amazon and need to work on creating a comfort with other.

- Only good things happen when Humans are around!

- Change your Vantage Point!
* It is 'never' the fault of the Parrot!
* It is 'always' the fault of the Human!
When you change your vantage point, you will more quickly see what you are doing wrong and correct it!

Your sweet Amazon should be cycling out of Hormonal Season and becoming less sexual around you. Assure that you are not petting her on her back or bottom, but just the head and neck. Watch closely to assure that she is getting enough sleep each day!

Thank you for taking this dear Amazon into your home, she can teach you much when you start listening in her language.

Note: Connect Calls are near standard for all Parrots. Kind of like the 'I'm over here where are you' things. Increase you communication with your Amazon is life will be much more enjoyable.

Have your family read: Understanding Amazon Body Language, they will become much more aware of when it is safe to enjoy her.

 

[Flboy]

Welcome to you both!

 

[noodles123]

Don't pet anywhere other than head and neck, do not allow any access to remotely shadowy places (tents, blankets, boxes, hampers, under your hair, in your lap etc), make sure your parrot gets a solid 10 hours sleep each night on a set schedule. Never cover the cage during the day and if you cover at night, it should happen when it is lights-out (not before). Do not swaddle your bird in towels (except for medical reasons), and avoid warm mushy foods. You should also avoid easily shreddable paper/wicker toys. Do not attend to the hormonal behavior-- if your bird regurgitates, shut it down by walking away and changing the subject. Make sure others are associated with low stress activities. Consider allowing others to get to know her without you being in the room all the time *don't want away and then have the other person come in, as that may bake bird think that if that person is around, you aren't, which could be an issue*). Instead, after a day at work, if you are normally the one who lets her out, you might consider allowing someone else to do the honors etc.


[ame="https://youtu.be/by54qevmF-4"]What a HORMONAL BIRD Looks Like!! - YouTube[/ame]



https://birdsupplies.com/pages/curbing-hormonal-behavior-in-parrots


Lots interaction/out of cage time is also important...as are chewing activities etc.


Another thing (on top of making sure you never enter the room while the screaming is happening) is to come into the room when you hear sounds that are not screaming. If your bird associates screaming with getting attention or getting out, then rewarding an alternative sound with attention and letting your bird out (as opposed to doing it for screaming) encourages preferable sounds as an alternative.

You should also help your bird anticipate routines by narrating what you are doing as you do it and by using key phrases to pair with certain events. E.G., "Going to work", "going to the store", "going to the kitchen"...

Before your bird starts screaming, you should try talking to it from the other room. Once the screaming starts, ignore it 100% (no eye contact, no saying your bird's name/talking about the behavior to others, no entering the room, no responses...period). The second the screaming stops, count to 10 Mississippi in your head. If it starts before the 10 are up, wait for it to stop again and restart your 10 s count from 0 until you get that 10 s of silence. At 10 s, immediately go in and praise your bird--- consider letting him out etc (but only after the screaming has stopped for 10). Over time, increase 10 to 15s and so on.

Make sure everyone is on the same page during these scream-fests and that no one goes into the room or provides any attention. If you are in the room when it starts, you can either keep your back turned and continue doing what you are doing, or leave the room. The screaming WILL get worse before it gets better, but the very WORST thing you could do is ignore for a period and then attend to it randomly because you just can't take it anymore. People are addicted to slot machines for the same reason--"intermittent reinforcement". If you ignore a behavior YOU MUST STICK WITH IT or you will intensify the duration of these scream-fests (bc they will think of you as a slot machine);