Morganpayne083
New member
- Apr 15, 2019
- 5
- 0
So I have had my GCC for about three weeks now, I have owned and/or worked with dozens of animal species however he is the first bird I've ever owned. Long story short - he was abandoned at my place of work and the nearest bird rescue is over three hours away. I work at a pet store that sells GCC so I have some experience handling them ( it's against policy to take in foreign animals as they may have illness or disease that could spread ) I decided I would take him home with me because I have been wanting to get a bird for some time. For the first week and a half he was the sweetest, most gentle and affectionate bird I had ever handled (I'm used to the GCC at work nipping) however this last week he has done a complete 180 and will suddenly turn very aggressive usually biting hard enough to break skin. He has a very large cage that I leave open all day and a separate playground area connected to it, with ladders leading to the floor so that he can come and go as he pleases when I am home. His favorite spot to sit is on my shoulders/head and just hang out with me as I do my daily tasks. He eats a mix of bird seed, fresh fruits and veggies, millet and nuts. I know you are not supposed to show any reaction to being bitten so I try my best not to and put him in a third slightly smaller cage I have that is the "time out" cage (I don't want him to associate his normal cage as a negative thing.) The time out cage still has three perches, food, water, and two toys. After a few minutes I'll pull him out and try again. He already ladders very well and I am trying to train him to only go on my shoulder when I allow it so he does not become shoulder bound. I do work part time but am usually home by 1-2 in the afternoon. During this time he stays in his cage and he is let out when I get home and I have a bird carrier backpack I use to take him just about everywhere else with me since I know they don't like to be left alone. He puffs up a lot and raises his wings at me too. I did get him a vet check and they said he is healthy. Is this a hormonal thing? Is it because I leave him alone for 6-7 hrs in the morning when I am at work (usually just 4 days a week) ? He will go from cuddling and chirping to peeling the flesh off my finger in .5 seconds. I love him dearly and want to try everything to learn him and give him the best life. I was told his approx. 3 years old. However he can be extremely frustrating at times. Today I have felt a little under the weather and while eating some fresh fruit with me in bed he decided to run up and bite my lip making it bleed pretty bad, this is the worst bite I've ever received from a bird and it made me cry which only made him attack me more and more. I used a perch to get him in his time out cage but I am covered in cuts and bruises from bites now. What am I doing wrong? Is this normal GCC behavior or is there something else I can do to help him? He was so gentle the first week he could even preen my eyelashes but now I'm too afraid to hold him near my face.