Sunshine Has Been Nipping Me

[adellelauren]

I've been so distraught. We've had Sunshine for over a month. We were battling a screaming issue and it has gotten better. But now he/she has been lunging and nipping me. No actual bites but the nipping hurts and bruises. Sunshine will hang out with anyone. But I'm starting to get a little intimidated by this. Sometimes when I open the cage Sunshine will want to come right out on me but will nip me. Other times I get lunged at and nipped pretty good. Even if I am just sitting down and Sunshine is being goofy and all of a sudden it happens. Besides that Sunshine is a sweetheart. I'm just hurt by this new behavior.

 

[Mare Miller]

Can you read Sunshine? Are you able to look at him and know what is coming next? This is important if you are trying to avoid being bitten. I know when my U2 is on the alert. If it is with me, I will talk sweetly till I see his intent then it's a big eh,eh! When my bird is on the attack towards others, I do the body block and he is put away.

 

[MikeyTN]

Honeymoon is over!!!! That's the way Java was from the beginning, all sweet and loving and come out as he is told. Then it started with a nip, then bruise, then full on attack. I can read him pretty good so when he came after me towards my face, I blocked with my arm so my arm was bitten bloody all over. He bit multiple times even while I was putting him away in his cage he kept going on my arm biting none stop. By the end of it I had many nasty bites and blood all over. I was drenched with blood....All because I told him no in a nice voice, something I didn't want him doing which is coming up to my face to cuddle. He's done it with his previous owner but I was very uncomfortable in doing that. After that, he bites all the time! He would crawl down on the floor from his cage and start to go after my toes so I had to use a stick in between him and I. BUT he can be a super sweet baby, he was the ONLY bird I've ever owned that will hand me his toes to have his nails clipped. I always clip his nails on my own and he is super good with that. I'm able to stretch his wings to check his wings and check his body weight. He does real good with me at times but he will fly attack anyone who comes too close to me so I think he sees me as his mate. He's tried to kill my other birds which that is a big no no. I'm always afraid of someone escaping and crawl on his cage when I'm not home. Or him accidentally escaping while my partner is feeding him which is not a good situation so I give him up for adoption. And come to find out, my other birds really don't like him. Within days after he left, my ekkies started chatting again and they haven't done so in many months....It broke my heart that I had to let him go but it was for the best. I was very sad and my partner told me to take him back if I'm gonna be that sad. But I made my decision based on everyone in the household not just me alone.

 

[adellelauren]

Can you read Sunshine? Are you able to look at him and know what is coming next? This is important if you are trying to avoid being bitten. I know when my U2 is on the alert. If it is with me, I will talk sweetly till I see his intent then it's a big eh,eh! When my bird is on the attack towards others, I do the body block and he is put away.

He/she only does it with me. I'm trying to read the body language. I notice most of it is when Sunshine is strutting around with the wings looking like a heart.

 

[riaria]

Can you read Sunshine? Are you able to look at him and know what is coming next? This is important if you are trying to avoid being bitten. I know when my U2 is on the alert. If it is with me, I will talk sweetly till I see his intent then it's a big eh,eh! When my bird is on the attack towards others, I do the body block and he is put away.

He/she only does it with me. I'm trying to read the body language. I notice most of it is when Sunshine is strutting around with the wings looking like a heart.

If he's "strutting" (our Io does a funny walk, lol), crest up, or just generally excited (whether positively or negatively excited), your best bet is to keep fingers and hands away. With all parrots, but especially with cockatoos, the risk of getting bit increases exponentially when they get overexcited. They stop thinking and just react. After a while, you'll get to know his moods and know when it's safe to get close or not.

 

[adellelauren]

He was just doing doing it on the back of the couch and yelling. I stayed away till done.

 

[Pajarita]

It's as MikeyTN said "honeymoon is over". Plus, I don't know how old he is but, if he is an sexually mature adult, he is hormonal (toos breed twice a year, in the spring and in the fall). With male toos and zons you have no choice but to follow a solar schedule and reduce protein in the winter so they don't get sexually frustrated which happens when they produce sexual hormones all year round. If he is 5 years old or older and he has not been kept this way, this is what is happening. Good news is that you can correct it with the right light schedule, the right diet and training.

 

[adellelauren]

It's as MikeyTN said "honeymoon is over". Plus, I don't know how old he is but, if he is an sexually mature adult, he is hormonal (toos breed twice a year, in the spring and in the fall). With male toos and zons you have no choice but to follow a solar schedule and reduce protein in the winter so they don't get sexually frustrated which happens when they produce sexual hormones all year round. If he is 5 years old or older and he has not been kept this way, this is what is happening. Good news is that you can correct it with the right light schedule, the right diet and training.

He or she is 9. Goes to bed between 7 and 9 in a different room covered and pitch black. Gets up between 8 and 10.

 

[MikeyTN]

You can sex your U2 by looking at the iris. Males are dark brown to black while females are light brown or burgandy.

 

[adellelauren]

I've tried that. I can't tell. Lol

 

[MikeyTN]

Use a flash light, that helps!

 

[adellelauren]

Done that. Looks brown.

 

[MikeyTN]

Light brown or dark brown???

 

[adellelauren]

Just brown. You got anything you can send me showing the difference?