Very scared of new people. What can I do???

[brittani299]

So today I had 5 friends at my house. My bfa is down stairs because we spend the most amount of time down there. When my friends came into the room he freaked out and started pulling out feathers and chewing on his cage! He pulled out at least 6 big feathers from his chest. What can I do to make him not do this. It is impossible for new people not to walk by him since him house is small and the living room, dining room, and kitchen at pretty much the same place.

 

[MikeyTN]

How does everyone enter the room? Try again with just a few friends and before entering, announce themselves to make their presence known then walk by slowly. All you can do is do it slowly and let him get accustom to stranger's presence. With one of my bird, he does not do well with strangers, I don't allow strangers to go into my bird room anymore cause he goes berserk. I think mine was abused at one point or something cause he came to me scared when I first got him and not trusting at all. It took me awhile to gain his trust.

 

[MomtoPercy]

Did your friends interact with him? Maybe approached the cage too quickly or something?

I'm sorry I don't have much advice but I would try and move the cage to a spot where the human traffic won't go directly past him. I know you said you have a small space but maybe behind the door (when the door is open, the bird is 'hidden' behind it)? That way he can hear the 'strangers' and maybe get a bit more at ease?

Has he plucked before? Is there blood on the feather shaft?

 

[brittani299]

I think he was abused too. He really freaked out. I will tell everyone now to slowly come in and talk in the hall way before coming by him. Thanks

 

[brittani299]

They looked at him and that's when he do that. Then we all saw him freak out and they backed off. They might have came in too fast for him. He plucked some feathers when I first got him but not like that. There was no blood so that's good. I will try to move his cage so that he can easily see people before they come in

 

[MikeyTN]

Yes moving his cage would be a good idea! If he can see people walking in that would be perfect. It scares them when people just walk on by their cage before they noticing them coming by. And don't gather around his cage, it scares him. Let him get adjusted to everyone's presence before going to see him.

 

[JerseyWendy]

You've received some outstanding advice already.

It it's impossible to move your BFA when you have company, could you at least try and partially cover his cage, so that he will perhaps feel a bit more secure? Now I don't know if you cover him at night. If you do, the blanket won't frighten him. If you never cover him, however, I would get him used to the cover way ahead of time, and long before you have company again.

 

[Merlee]

In another post of yours, it was mentioned this bird would be quarantined for 30 days in your bedroom. This would have been an excellent place for the bird to get acquainted with the noises of the household and feel safe. It was also mentioned in another post you owned a flighted green cheek conure and it flies all over the house. Does he still share any space with the blue front? I am asking if they are at any time in the same room. They should not be in case the bfa is a carrier for disease. Stress activates any dormant disease if I remember correctly.

From what has been posted, I think the bfa's cage should be placed someplace where there is less traffic like near a corner of a room so the walls offer him a sense of security and he can observe the happenings of his new home. People should approach him in small numbers so he isn't overwhelmed by the attention. Wouldn't you feel uncomfortable if a crowd of people were in your personal space? It has been said that amazons need to be where the action is, but this one is not ready. From what I have read from your posts, you are going too fast for it. Try to put yourself in your bird's position when you do things so the transition is easier. I know it is exciting to show off a new pet and do things with it, but things need to go slow for a while to not stress him out which may incur other problems.

 

[henpecked]

Thanks to Merlee for digging up some history. I have a hard time recalling all the different birds and parronts.Did he do the quarantine period in your room? Have you had him for 30 days?I would suggest your zon meeting several new people each week. Maybe one at a time would be best. I'd keep the interact short and rewarding. Have them offer treats, sing songs, be happy and out going without being too loud/active. I can't be positive but could his actions be misplaced aggression? Is he biting at his legs/perches,cage bars. It might be too much excitement/action at one time. I'm sure he can adapt to your home, it's just different than what he's used to. Patience, time , understanding and "baby steps" on your part. Zons are very adaptable, he can be "fixed".

 

[Merlee]

Brittani299 has had possession of the bird since December 20th which is only 10 days ago.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Brittani299 has had possession of the bird since December 20th which is only 10 days ago.

Perhaps it would be in everyone's best interest to wait for Brittani to respond?

 

[henpecked]

Maybe everyone should provide a link in their signature that tells their fids history.The history is so important when offering advice. Us older folks( with short memories) have trouble keeping up. Thanks again Ms Merlee

 

[MomtoPercy]

Maybe everyone should provide a link in their signature that tells their fids history.The history is so important when offering advice. Us older folks( with short memories) have trouble keeping up. Thanks again Ms Merlee

Oooh, I think that is a brilliant idea!!

 

[Betrisher]

Is it just me, or are people coming down a bit heavily on a new member?

It's none of our business where she puts her bird or whether she quarantines or not. We can only advise. If we all pour on top of her and admonish her for things that are none of our concern she will, no doubt, refrain from visiting here and getting any further advice. No one's situation is perfect and I can well understand the problem of space. My house has three bedrooms, bathroom, laundry, sewing room, computer room and a kitchen. That's it. The Beaks suffered similar problems to Brittani's BFA at first. Thank heaven no one jumped on top of me and snooped after all my posts checking up on me! I'd have been out of here like a shot out of a gun!

Please do try and read your replies before sending them. If you read them from the POV of a new member who is only just dipping into the world of bird care, feeding, housing etc, you might find you sound a bit overweening or pompous. I include myself here, obviously! If you make a practice of researching members' prior posts, then please realise it can look a bit Big Brotherish from a newbie's POV.

Brittani, I found my birds were extremely sensitive to sound and overcrowding around them when they first arrived. They still are to a degree. I get my best responses from them when I'm completely alone with them in a quiet room. If visitors come and the Beaks happen to be out in the kitchen (the only place where visitors can come to in my house), then they go a bit stir-crazy, screaming and landing on people's heads in a very undisciplined fashion. I've learned it's a good idea to ask people to wait in the hallway while I put the Beaks away before they enter. 'Away' might mean covering half the cage to give the Beaks a refuge from the sounds of conversation and strange people. More recently, my Beaks have moved to a very large outdoor cage with access to the house. Problem solved!

Well... almost... This morning, I went out to the dunny and found our big ginger tomcat sitting on top of the Beaks' cage with one paw extended in front of the bars near Madge. Madge was clearly ready for him with her great big red beak wide open and poised to strike. In a way, I'd rather like to see Seamus get a bit of a nip from Madgie: it'd teach him that poultry is not on his menu.

 

[Merlee]

Brittani came for advice to keep her bird from spazzing out and injuring itself. How can one do that if we do not know all the details? Going through previous posts gives some insight as to what is causing the behavior in question. It's like a puzzle putting pieces together. Any advice given thus far is common knowledge to those experienced with birds.

 

[MikeyTN]

But the thing is you haven't given her a chance to pop back in here to explain things and give the details. Not everyone have excess amount of time to come in here. Give her time!!!

 

[brittani299]

Thanks to everyone that is helping me. And please don't jump out and tell me I am a crappy owner! Like other people said I don't have all the time in the world to come on here and post. That being said, I had to take him out of my spare bedroom. The heat doesn't work in there I found out and it was getting 40 degrees in there! Way to cold for the poor guy. So I had no choice but to move him down stairs in my living room. He is in the same roomish as my green cheek. She is in one corner and he is across the space in another. She hates him though. I had her out while tiki was in his cage and she flew over and stated attacking him through the cage bars so I have to put a blanket over the cage while she is out. They will never be out at the same time. I will try a couple different things when people come in the house 1.) I will tell people to slowly come by him and make sure they don't scream or do stupid annoying things around him 2.) if more then 1-2 new people come in they will slowly make their way to him 3.) i will put a blanket over the cage front at first so that he can feel safe and then maybe slowly remove the blanket.

I know I am not a super experienced person in birds. I have never even owned a bird until a year ago. My parents wouldn't let me own pets until I moved out. So I have a few pets that I have always wanted to have but couldn't. I have looked up and read books. But nothing is like owning the pet. You can read everything in the world and until you own the thing you wont ever know. I adopted tiki not knowing all the horrible things he has gone through. I found out 5 minutes before I picked him up that I is 3rd owner in his short 5 years. He hates hands and sticks. He maybe was beat with them. I have no idea. He never had toys. The owner didn't believe that birds needed toys. He won't play with them yet because he is so scared. So after all that I am at least trying to learn don't jump me!!!! I at least care and am not like a bunch of people that put birds in basements and forget about them.

 

[brittani299]

Maybe everyone should provide a link in their signature that tells their fids history.The history is so important when offering advice. Us older folks( with short memories) have trouble keeping up. Thanks again Ms Merlee

How can we do this? Sorry I don't know this forum yet. I am a senior member on a different fourm and know that this does help! Just I don't know where it is at on here

 

[brittani299]

One more thing: the stupid old owner cut tikis wings zigzag. Tiki lifted his wings for me today and they are really bad. I am pretty sure there is nothing I can do for him right? I am taking him to the vet Saturday to have his beak, nails, and wings looked at. And one more question. My green cheek sleeps in her little hut at night which she loves. I know that small birds like that need little sleeping places. Do amazons need something like that too? I have tried looking it up but haven't found anything yet. And on a side note. I made a post about tiki not drinking any water. And today he finally did! I was drinking water by him and then he went to his bowl and started drinking a lot. And then proceeded to giving himself a bath in the water bowl.

 

[thekarens]

I've never heard of an Amazon needing or using a hut. I would think they'd tear it up in about 5 seconds.