Senegal Growling - Territorial? Help!

[Danni]

Hi everybody!

I currently own a DNA sexed female Senegal Parrot who is about a year old. I've had her since June and I'm having somewhat of a little problem with her right now. She is generally very good. No issues aside from the occasional nip when she's telling me that she doesn't like something. She lets me pet her and she steps up very nicely for me - not so well for strangers but we're working on it.

However, for the past couple months, she's been growling and opening her beak at me whenever I get near her cage or walk by it. This happens if she's on top of the cage or inside. It never fails. As soon as she sees me coming, she starts to growl and the closer I get, the more she opens her beak. I know the some female Senegals are known to purr. This is far from it. This looks purely aggressive.

I'm curious if this is a territorial thing? I'm also wondering how I go about stopping it if possible? Does it have to do with the season? I know that with spring just around the corner that she can experience some behavioral changes but isn't it a bit too soon for her to be acting like this?

Please help! I really don't want her seeing me as a threat.

 

[MonicaMc]

Have you tried changing your approach at all? Maybe coming from a different location? Maybe walking by slower?

If you can figure out if there's a specific cause to her growling and change that, then whenever you do walk by, you can give her a treat for not growling.