Uncontrolled Random Attacks

[Tammy]

I guess I'm going to have to get his wings clipped. He has never done anything like this before. Yesterday he flew and launched attacks against my 5 yr old, my father & my dog. All attacks were unprovoked. At this point I'm not sure that clipping his wings will be enough. My kids are terrified of him now & start sobbing if they are on the same floor as him unless I can prove he's locked up. Please, anyone, what else can I do? I can't ignore my kids to stay in a room with him & he just cries & sobs if I leave the room to spend time with the family. He's 12 a 12 yr old Amazon that I've had since March of 2010. He's always gotten along with everyone prior to his regurgitation, etc. this year.

 

[merlinsmom13]

Are you in the room when he attacks? Have you adjusted his sleep time by covering his cage for more sleep? This helps if his problems are hormonal. The kids are home during the day now, so more competition for him. He might not have been bonded to you last summer. If he regurgitated for you, he probably sees you as his mate. I think you definitely need to clip his wings. What did you do when he attacked?

 

[Tammy]

I give him a time out in his cage & tell him No. I think you're right about not having bonded last year. He's trying to build me a nest & wakes me up in the morning trying to open my mouth. He doesn't sleep in his cage so I haven't tried the early bedtime. He used to sleep on his playgym in my room but has switched to the headboard or ceiling fan in the past 2 weeks. I can hear him crying now because I'm not with him. Breaks my heart

 

[merlinsmom13]

Along w/the wing clip, you need to shorten his days by covering his cage earlier & leave it covered later. This could be hormonal & by tricking his clock into believing that its not the breeding season, you could help w/this behavior. Dont let it go any further, it could develop into all the time behavior. You need to let him know as soon as he does this that this is not acceptable behavior. Leave the room & shut the door or put him in his cage. He has been w/you all day, every day so of course he is going to cry when you aren't w/him. They are very smart, as soon as he realizes that attacking doesn't get him what he wants, he will stop.

 

[Conurekidd]

Well you cant punish a parrot. Makes matters worse. You just have to wait it out through. Sounds to me like your avrage hormonal amazon story.
Shorten day hours. Don't let him nest and please do not put him in a "time out".
Or in the cage for being in trouble. Just makes his safe place no longer safe. More of a prison. What YOU have to do is show him that this Behaviour makes you sad.
Turn your back and say in a very unrewarding tone. "this hurts my feeling".
Sounds like a joke. Iv Rehabilated 3 amazons with this. They hate hurting your feeling. They want YOU to be happy and happy as happy gets. There sweet little creatures. And just because he loves you and wants everyone to stayaway from his nest his just nature.
He thinks you want this. You have to let him know you don't or like Merlin said its gonna get outta control. Amazon are real easy to work with. You just have to understand there issues. Thats all.