Questions about socialization and one person birds

[chris-md]

I need to admit that my issues with Parker recently made me think once or twice beyond him to a next bird. It feels unseemly I admit, but more importantly it spurred this question that I hope other people in the future can see and learn from, and it deals with macaws and preventing one person bird. Hence my admission and this post.

Were I to get another bird, it would likely be a macaw (illigers or red fronted) My biggest fear is a one person bird, even more than a hormonal bird. Eddie has gotten really comfortable with handling Parker and I'd hate to have a new bird attacking him destroy that confidence and ruining the harmony of the house. A one person bird won't be able to thrive in my house.

I get that socialization is the key to preventing over-bonding and you get what you get in. What I want to get at is how EASY is it to PREVENT in the first place with even a modicum of socialization of a baby bird.

Each bird is individual, but is it almost for sure almost guarantee that getting the bird out will stave off one person bird syndrome?

Just how much of an individual thing is reaction to socialization? What's the nature vs nurture balance in respect to the effect of socialization on preventing one person bird-ness

When I talk about one person bird, I'm most definitely talking about aggressiveness towards others. It's one thing to simply enjoy someone more but be willing to go to others, it's a whole other thing to attack anyone other than the favored person.

Also placing emphasis on a baby birds here and developing them. No so much older adopted birds. I can develop and maintain but I'm just not versed in rehab protocols.

 

[Anansi]

The ease, or lack thereof, of socialization definitely varies from one bird to another. Both in terms of general species' tendencies and individual personalities. So a severe or scarlet macaw, or some species of amazons, would generally be tougher nuts to crack, socialization-wise, than an eclectus or a cockatiel.

But that only means more effort needed for socialization. It doesn't make it impossible.

Of course, how effectively you manage to bite pressure train your bird factors in significantly here as well. (Funny enough, two examples that I picked as being somewhat harder to socialize also happen to be two of the beaker species. Unintentional coincidence, that, but also fortuitous.) The more people who are willing to handle your bird, and can safely do so, the better socialized he/she will be.

The difference here can be clearly seen in my own household. Suzie and Bixby I'd had since they were babies. Both got to be socialized well enough due to frequent interaction with the other members of my household and occasional visits by friends. Jolly is far and away the most well-socialized bird I've ever had, due largely to the fact that his first home with Laura (Labell) was easily a more social home than my own. (I don't have many visitors. Most of our friends live in New York or Connecticut. The perils of moving to another state.) And also due to the fact that he literally never bites out of anger.

Maya, however, is a bird of an entirely different color. (Both literally and metaphorically. Lol) Like every other bird I've ever had, she is most closely bonded to me. But unlike the others, she tends to be a one-person bird. The problem? As I'd mentioned, we don't get many visitors. And the visitors we do get are 99% not bird people. Why does this matter? Because she tends to want to bite people who want to hold her but happen to be... not me. And who (other than a bird person) would want to attempt to pick her up after receiving the obligatory warning that she may very well bite? Even my wife has given up actively trying to foster a cuddly type relationship with her after receiving a few vicious bites, and has settled on a mutual understanding where Maya won't bite her as long as she transports her - directly and without deviation - from one place to another. And neither of my sons is old enough where I'd let them have a shot. (Though Aidan, my older son, is definitely showing signs of becoming a bird person.)

My point here? Your ability to successfully socialize a bird will depend largely on how many people you can get to work with you on said bird's socialization process. And for the more specific point of avoiding having a one-person bird? If you're dealing with a baby bird and Eddie is just as hands on as you are from the very beginning, you should definitely be able to manage it. But you both have to be equally committed to making it work. And the bite pressure training should be started very early on. There will still be a favorite, of course, but it won't be to the point of exclusivity. You know?

Here's a link to one of the best socialization games I've read about: http://www.parrotforums.com/training/48648-socialization-game-pass-birdie.html

 

[BIRDIGIRL]

I dont know about macaws and I certainly dont know the background of my own Mr Biggles as the history indicates an aviary background but my AV thinks because of his gentleness that somebody handraised him but Mr Biggles type of Amazon (WFA) are noted for being one person birds and when he came here I was the only one he accepted anywhere near his cage for months (strangely and for Luck he accepted me from the moment he saw me)...I live alone so I only have the odd visitor and so far I have not asked any of them to ask him to step up but my niece now can aproach the cage without him flying at her and also when hes out of cage he doesnt fly at her, he would however try to get away from her if she asked him to step up...the last day she was here I gave Mr Biggles a sliver of peanut then placed my nieces hand in mine and mr Biggles accepted a peanut from my nieces fingers with my hand holding my nieces fingers out to him...she was nervous he would bite but he didnt and next time she offered him the peanut from her own hand without me holding it and he took it from her after a little hessitation...my point is that whether you raise a baby or get an adult regardless of the reputation the bird type has for having a leaning towards being a one person bird it really is an idividual bird thing as to how well they socialise, but by raising one from a baby as you plan (though I have never owned a macaw but I do know that they are pretty social flock birds by nature) and by introducing the bird to many people and all family members you should do okay and the new macaw should fit right into the flock and be a bird who goes to everyone while at the same time having his/her favourite person.
Thats just my two cents worth but I will stand corrected if an experienced macaw person thinks differently. Good Luck Chris if you go ahead with this. Glad that Parker is recovering well from his ordeal.

 

[chris-md]

Stephen you should write a novel. I generally can't do long posts (I'm impatient) but I actually look forward to your long explanations. Very well written and thought out, and always very informative.

That basically corroborates my instinct, and definitely adds some shading to it. I don't recall did you get maya as a baby or adopt her later in life? And what are some of the tougher zons to crack? I'm aware of the hormonal hot three but nothing regarding difficulty in socialization. Not that I'd get an Amazon; every story I hear about a bird flyingat someone to attack them invariably involved an Amazon.

Birdgirl, that's how you do it! I'm glad you were the chosen one for Mr. Biggles. You take such great care of him. And thank you for your kind words of wisdom

 

[Anansi]

Hahaha! Thanks, Chris! That's very much appreciated. And as for writing a novel... I have! Lol! Just been dragging my feet about finding an agent now that it's finished.

I got Maya when she was just shy of 2 years old as a rehome. She was once known as Athena when she was owned by forum member Breakingnewz.

And as for amazons, it's not so much that they're particularly difficult to socialize as that some can tend toward becoming one person birds if you allow them to over-bond with one person.

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